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Children's Python

Antaresia childreni

Description:

Can anyone ID these pythons? Small, about 80 cm in length, brown/grey with irregular darker spot pattern, and white belly. The two snakes were spinning and coiling around one another, as in a dance. I thought this might be courtship or perhaps, two males, "wrestling". Any suggestions welcome.

Habitat:

Dry grassland with sparsely wooded waterways, in the Gulf Country of northern Queensland.

Notes:

I think they could be children's pythons.

1 Species ID Suggestions

Jellis
Jellis 7 years ago
Childred's Python
Antaresia childreni Antaresia childreni | The Reptile Database


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15 Comments

Felix Fleck
Felix Fleck 7 years ago

Thanks, Nick.

Nick Pope
Nick Pope 7 years ago

Love it

Felix Fleck
Felix Fleck 7 years ago

Thanks, Ashley. I would lean towards children's pythons too...

AshleyT
AshleyT 7 years ago

I agree with children's pythons. And to me it looks more like 2 males fighting rather than courtship. USUALLY for courtship they don't wrap the whole bodies together like this, that is much more common for fighting. Can't be sure without seeing it in person though! Very cool spotting either way :)

Felix Fleck
Felix Fleck 7 years ago

Are you positive, Jellis?

Felix Fleck
Felix Fleck 7 years ago

Thanks Albert, Neil, and Jellis!

AlbertKang
AlbertKang 7 years ago

Nice series of pictures, @Felix!
Great job with this Spotting.

Neil Ross
Neil Ross 7 years ago

An awesome spotting, Felix. Just to throw confusion into the mix, this could also be a Spotted Python (Antaresia maculosa), similar to, but often confused with, the Children's Python - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antaresia_... The Spotted Python is saw had the mast amazing iridescent blue scales - http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/325...

Felix Fleck
Felix Fleck 7 years ago

Thanks Hema Shah, I've been trying to find out more about these guys, but without success. Haven't even been able to ID them either, I think they could be children's pythons...

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 7 years ago

Hopefully Lisa and Ashley T see this. They are snake experts and might be able to provide more insight into what exactly is happening.

Felix Fleck
Felix Fleck 7 years ago

There's wasn't a third one (female) around... You're probably right with the territorial fight.

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 7 years ago

i have pictures of rattle snakes mating. This one could be a territorial dispute.

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 7 years ago

i had seen two gopher snakes in a similar situation. i did not have a camera then. One fell in the water and the other moved on.

Felix Fleck
Felix Fleck 7 years ago

Thanks :-)

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 7 years ago

nice series....

Felix Fleck
Spotted by
Felix Fleck

Gregory, Queensland, Australia

Spotted on May 17, 2009
Submitted on Aug 2, 2016

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