THE REPTILES OF AUSTRALIA - PYTHONS

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PHOTOS AND INFORMATION
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REPTILES OF THE WORLD SPECIES LISTS


(NOT VENOMOUS)

COASTAL CARPET PYTHON
(or Coastal Carpet Snake, includes Brisbane Carpet Snakes)
Morelia spilota mcdowelli
Usually grows to around 8' (2.5m) but occasionally up to around 14' (4 metres) in some areas.
Very large pythons should be treated with extreme care!
 Coastal Carpet python Morelia spilota mcdowelli 


Reptiles of Australia
Distribution of the Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) is Yellow in the map above and is approximate only!

Note that the distribution map is a very rough guide only, in some areas there are intergrades between the subspecies, and snakes from those areas may be hard to categorize as they may have characteristics of more than one subspecies.

Also note that the Centralian Carpet Snake (Morelia bredli), was downgraded to a subspecies for a while but has now regained its full species status and is not shown on this map, - Click here for distribution map of Morelia bredli


Young Coastal Carpet Python Morelia spilota mcdowelli photographed at Kenilworth, Queensland
Young Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) photographed at Kenilworth, Queensland


Young Coastal Carpet Python Morelia spilota mcdowelli photographed at Kenilworth, Queensland
Young Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) photographed at Kenilworth, Queensland



Adult Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) basking near a Flying-fox colony at The Mary Cairncross Reserve in Queensland


Coastal Carpet Python Morelia spilota mcdowelli
Adult Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) basking near a Flying-fox colony at The Mary Cairncross Reserve in Queensland


Coastal Carpet Python Morelia spilota mcdowelli
Adult Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) basking near a Flying-fox colony at The Mary Cairncross Reserve in Queensland


This young Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) photographed at Tingalpa, Brisbane, Queensland, Queensland has lost its hatchling colouration.
This young Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) photographed at Tingalpa, Brisbane, Queensland, has lost its hatchling colouration.
It was found in the middle of the road.


Coastal Carpet Python Morelia spilota mcdowelli
Adult Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) photographed at Fig-Tree Walk, near Kenilworth, Queensland
(Notice that it has a sky blue coloured tongue)


Coastal Carpet Python Morelia spilota mcdowelli
Adult Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) photographed at Fig-Tree Walk, near Kenilworth, Queensland



Coastal Carpet Python Morelia spilota mcdowelli
This adult Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) basking near the Rainforest Discovery Centre at The Mary Cairncross Reserve in Queensland, is looking dull because it will be shedding its skin soon.


Coastal Carpet Python Morelia spilota mcdowelli
This Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) at The Mary Cairncross Reserve in Queensland, has cloudy eyes because it will be shedding its skin soon.
Notice the layout of the scales on its head


Adult Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) basking at Karawatha Forest Park in Queensland
Adult Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) basking at Karawatha Forest Park in Queensland


Adult Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) basking at Karawatha Forest Park in Queensland
Adult Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) basking at Karawatha Forest Park in Queensland


Adult Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) basking at Karawatha Forest Park in Queensland
Adult Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) basking at Karawatha Forest Park in Queensland


Coastal Carpet python Morelia spilota mcdowelli
Captive sub-adult Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli)


Captive young adult Coastal Carpet python Morelia spilota mcdowelli constricting a mouse
Captive young adult Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) constricting a mouse

Coffs Carpet Python Coastal Carpet python Morelia spilota
This is a young "Coffs Carpet Python", it was captive bred from local "Coffs Carpet Pythons" the mother of this intergrade is pictured below

Adult female Carpet/Diamond Intergrade from Coffs Harbour

In the Coffs Harbour region the Carpet Snakes may have some Diamond Python (Morelia spilota spilota) characteristics, and are classed an intergrade, however intergrades from further south (e.g. Port Macquarie) are more likely to have more Diamond Python Diamond Python (Morelia spilota spilota) characteristics, and are more typical of Carpet/Diamond intergrades

Jaguar Carpet Python
Jaguar Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) (Morph) at the Reptile Zoo California.
The Jaguar Carpet Python was selectively bred from Coastal carpet pythons. Although carpet pythons color and pattern varies considerably in the wild, Jaguar Carpet Pythons do not occur naturally in the wild.
Jaguars have also been crossed with other carpet python subspecies.

Baby Jaguar Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) (Morph) showing the hatchling coloration which will change as the python grows
Baby Jaguar Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) (Morph) showing the hatchling coloration which will change as the python grows


Baby Jaguar Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) (Morph) showing the hatchling coloration which will change as the python grows
Baby Jaguar Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) (Morph)

Jaguar Carpet Pythons also often carry a defective gene which causes unnatural movement when the snake is stressed.

Diamond Pythons intergrade with Coastal Carpet Pythons (Morelia spilota mcdowelli ) The 2 subspecies evolved separately but then at a much later time the populations started interbreeding at the Southern region of the Coastal carpet python Range and the northern region of the Diamond python Range.

An alternative theory is that in the past it was popular for farmers to purchase Diamond Pythons from Sydney area to release in their barns to control rodents

Carpet/Diamond Intergrade sign
This sign on the boardwalk at Sea Acres Rainforest Centre, Port Macquarie, NSW, shows a photo of a Carpet/Diamond Intergrade

Typical Carpet/Diamond intergrades occur somewhere around Port Macquarie, however various forms of Carpet/Diamond intergrades occur in many regions along the coast of Northern NSW

young Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli)
A young Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) - Note that hatchlings may look pale and may be orange or reddish with variable patterning


LINKS OF INTEREST

Carpet Python Complex
Morelia spilota, Morelia bredli, Morelia imbricata

INFORMATION ABOUT AUSTRALIAN PYTHONS
Australianherpetology.com



RECOMMENDED AMAZON BOOKS
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Complete Carpet Python, A Comprehensive Guide to the Natural History, Care, and Breeding of the 'Morelia spilota' Complex

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AUSTRALIAN PYTHON SPECIES LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY

Pythons of Australia

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LISTING OF WESTERN AUSTRALIAN PYTHONS

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Contact John Fowler Author of the Australian Herpetology Website, Pythons of the World, and the Adelaide Reptile Forum

Contact John Hollister Author of John Hollister Reptile Collection - Herping the Trans-Pecos & Sweetwater, Texas Rattlesnake Roundup

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Updated December 6, 2023


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