Carpet Python
Reptilarium Animals
Carpet Python
Conservation status (Least Concern)
Morelia spilota, commonly referred to as the carpet python, is a large snake of the family Pythonidae found in Australia, New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea), Bismarck Archipelago, and the northern Solomon Islands.
The Carpet python is a large snake named for beautiful markings on its skin, which resemble an oriental carpet pattern. Their coloring is highly variable, ranging from olive to black with white or cream and gold markings. The patterning may be roughly diamond-shaped or have intricate markings made up of light and dark bands on a background of grey or a version of brown. Males in this species are typically smaller than females and in some regions, females can even be up to four times heavier.
Carpet pythons are carnivores. Their diet consists mainly of small mammals, birds, and lizards.
Carpet pythons are found throughout mainland Australia, with the exception of the arid centre and the western regions. They are also found in Indonesia (southern Western New Guinea in Merauke Regency), Papua New Guinea (southern Western Province, the Port Moresby area of Central Province), and on Yule Island. Carpet pythons occur in a wide variety of habitats, from the rain-forests of northeastern Queensland through the River Red Gum/Riverbox woodlands of the Murray and Darling Rivers, to the arid, treeless islands of the Nuyts Archipelago off the South Australian west coast. They also occur in temperate grasslands with hot and dry weather and are often found near human habitation.
Carpet pythons are semi-arboreal tree snakes; they do not completely rely on trees and are capable of moving around elsewhere. They are largely nocturnal, climbing trees and shrubs, and crossing open areas such as rock faces, forest floors, and even roads. However, during the day they may be seen basking in the sun. They usually shelter in hollow tree limbs, rock crevices and even in abandoned burrows of other animals. Carpet pythons are solitary creatures and only come together to breed.
