Children's Python
(Antaresia childreni)
Python conservation news... Children's Pythons in Australia are not endangered, but another python native to nearby Papua New Guinea, the White Lipped Python, is classed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Its habitat is threatened by houses being built and new quarries being dug for mining. |
Charlie is a young Children's Python. The name comes from its discoverer, a man named John George Children who named the species in 1842. He was the curator of the zoological collection at the British Museum around that time.
The Children's python is a small python found all over northern Australia in a variety of habitats. They look like a miniature Anaconda with their greenish spots and python shaped bodies, but they only grow to 4 feet (unlike the 30 feet of an Anaconda!!!!). They are great to hold as they move slowly and calmly. He is a typical Australian python in that he is always hungry, and I have to be very careful opening the cage as he can lunge out of it! I think this is how they got their reputation for biting, however once out of his cage he is completely sweet and calm and has never showed any signs of biting at all. I think a lot of snakes can be misunderstood for this reason...Yet another species I was warned off and turns out to be an absolute gem! He has gorgeous slitted cats eyes and dark 'heat pits' on his lips. His beautiful spotted skin has a 'rainbow sheen' when the light hits it, as you can see on the left here. He is absolutely stunning and has a great personality. (Don't tell Lola but he may become my favourite snake...shhhh) Fascinating fact: They hang onto the roof of caves and snatch microbats right out of the air! 
White Lipped Python
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