Sunday, March 29, 2009

Diamond Python

This beautiful creature I just met in our garden: a diamond python, Morelia spilota spilota.

Diamond python

Diamond pythons are found in bushland around the east coast of New South Wales and Victoria. In Victoria, it is considered endangered due to loss of habitat. They grow up to 4 metres long, and this one, I'd estimate, is around 2 metres.

It was basking next to our compost bin, probably because at night it becomes a smorgasbord for visiting mice. Diamond pythons are nocturnal, and kill their prey by constriction. Their diet is small mammals and lizards.

Unusually for snakes, the female diamond python nurtures her eggs by incubation.


5 comments:

Diane AZ said...

What a fabulous find in your garden! Kind of scary looking, but indeed a beautiful creature. My compost pile usually has rats nesting at the bottom which attract rattlesnakes.

Margaret said...

Diane, the only experience I have of rattlesnakes is watching old Westerns! I think I prefer a diamond python. :)

Elle said...

A very beautiful Morelia spilota spilota. :)

Bangchik and Kakdah said...

an interesting find ... some would just run away or shriek ... occasionally we do bump into snakes here in Malaysia ... cheers! ~ bangchik

Charles said...

You are so lucky! It's been too cold for snakes to be out sunning themselves in my area. I would have loved to have seen it.