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Children's Python

Antaresia childreni

Photo by Felix Fleck
Published on Project Noah
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-18.2401, 139.752

Field Notes

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.

Reference Links:

Antaresia childreni | The Reptile Database

Species ID Suggestions

Childred's Python

Antaresia childreni

Reference Link
Jellis
2

Comments (15)
Felix Fleck
Thanks, Ashley. I would lean towards children's pythons too...
AshleyT
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 :)
AlbertKang
Nice series of pictures, @Felix! Great job with this Spotting.
Neil Ross
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_maculosa The Spotted Python is saw had the mast amazing iridescent blue scales - http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/32505459
Felix Fleck
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...
HemaShah
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
There's wasn't a third one (female) around... You're probably right with the territorial fight.
HemaShah
i have pictures of rattle snakes mating. This one could be a territorial dispute.
HemaShah
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.

Spotted for Missions

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Reptiles of the World
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Snakes of the World

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Photographed
PublishedAugust 2, 2016

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