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CHILDREN'S PYTHON FACTS |
Description
Children's python (Antaresia childreni) is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is named after John George Children. It is a nocturnal species occurring in the northern half of Australia and generally found on the ground, although it often climbs trees. Usually growing to about 1.0 m (3 ft) in length, it is typically a reddish-brown colour, darker on the upper surface, and with many darker blotches, especially on younger specimens. It feeds mostly on small mammals and birds, and as with other pythons, it constricts its prey before swallowing it whole. It is a popular pet among reptile enthusiasts.
Size
1m - 1.5m
Food
small mammals and birds,
Breeding
A. childreni is oviparous, with up to 25 eggs per clutch. Females brood their eggs through a seven-week incubation period by coiling around them and occasionally shivering to keep them warm, which also affords the eggs some protection from predators. Juveniles are heavily blotched, but gradually become reddish-brown or brown as they mature.
Range
A. childreni is found in Australia in the extreme north of Western Australia, the northern third of the Northern Territory, and northeastern Queensland, and also on the islands of the Torres Strait.
Credits:
Map is from Atlas of Living Australia website at https://biocache.ala.org.au licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Classification
| Class: | Reptilia | | Order: | Squamata (Serpentes) | | Family: | Pythonidae | | Genus: | Antaresia | | Species: | childreni | | Common Name: | Children's python |
Relatives in same Genus
Spotted Python (A. maculosa)
Pygmy python (A. perthensis)
Stimson's Python (A. stimsoni)
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