Pythonidae
Centralian Carpet Python
Morelia bredli
A large non-venomous python of central Australia's rocky ranges and woodlands.
Non-venomous
Identification and appearance
Rusty brown to reddish upperparts carry pale cream patches and bands with dark borders. The broad head stands out from the narrower neck.
Typical length
AROD lists an average size of about 200 cm; no separate maximum is given.
Head appearance
broad head distinct from neck
Key identification features
- Rusty brown to reddish body
- Cream bands and blotches
- Broad head distinct from neck
Where it is found
Rocky ranges of central Australia and the surrounding woodlands.
Habitat
Lives in dry desert country of the southern Northern Territory, using rocky terrain and climbing trees.
Diet
Feeds on lizards, frogs, birds, and mammals.
Reproduction
Egg-laying
Medical significance
Non-venomous, but capable of biting. If identity is uncertain and a bite is suspected, call 000 and follow snakebite first aid.
What to do if you encounter one
Keep your distance and leave the snake a clear route away. Do not handle it, chase it for a photograph or attempt to inspect its mouth. If it is inside a building, keep people and pets clear and contact a qualified local snake catcher.
Similar-looking snakes
Locality helps distinguish it from other pythons. Never handle a snake to inspect its scales.
Rough-scaled Python (Morelia carinata) on a branch at Prague Zoo (captive).
Photo: Petr Hamerník / Zoo Praha · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Licence)
Pythonidae
Rough-scaled Python
Morelia carinata
A large, keeled python of the northern Kimberley, with brown upperparts and paler reticulation in monsoon forest around gorges.
Open identification guide
Photo: Andrew Mercer (www.baldwhiteguy.co.nz) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Licence)
Pythonidae
Carpet Python
Morelia spilota
A patterned python that can live in woodland, gardens and buildings as well as less disturbed habitats. Brown and cream blotches are common, but some forms have much darker bodies with pale spots. The diamond python is included within this variable species.
Open identification guideTaxonomy notes
Treated here as Morelia bredli, the species recognised by the Reptile Database; older sources discuss its relationship with the carpet-python complex.
Sources checked
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A profile is a guide, not a reason to approach or handle a snake.