# Can someone tell me what this is please?



## Sam_Stimson (Mar 1, 2013)

Hey there,
A mate of mine put a photo of this on Facebook tonight. Apparently he rescued it from a neighbours guinea pig cage and I'd like to know if anyone can tell me what it is please? There's a comment from someone (I don't know them) saying its a Darwin carpet python but I wouldn't have a clue being only new to all of this. Thanks heaps if you can help. I'd like to feel so clever to be able to say 'oh mate that's a ......' Lol


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## richoman_3 (Mar 1, 2013)

wheres it found?
yes its morelia spilota


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## Sam_Stimson (Mar 1, 2013)

richoman_3 said:


> wheres it found?
> yes its morelia spilota



Hervey Bay. Thanks


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## richoman_3 (Mar 1, 2013)

coastal carpet python


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## Sam_Stimson (Mar 1, 2013)

So it wouldn't be someone's Darwin pet that's escaped?


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## richoman_3 (Mar 1, 2013)

no......................


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## snakefreak16 (Mar 1, 2013)

defenatley coastal ( morelia splitota mcdowelli )


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## Dash667 (Mar 1, 2013)

It looks like a nice colored coastal.. not a darwin.


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## Cold-B-Hearts (Mar 1, 2013)

coastal carpet for sure 100%


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## Darlyn (Mar 1, 2013)

Liamb561 said:


> coastal carpet for sure 100%



Can you point out the diiferentiating factors between darwin and coastal? Thnx


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## Sam_Stimson (Mar 1, 2013)

Thanks so much folks


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## Sam_Stimson (Mar 1, 2013)

Ok so to add to this. What should he do with it? Should I get it off him and deal with it from there? I only ask this as he's not really a snake person and I'm only very, very new to this and just want to do the right thing by the snake. Is best case scenario releasing it somewhere safe?


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## Cold-B-Hearts (Mar 1, 2013)

Darlyn said:


> Can you point out the diiferentiating factors between darwin and coastal? Thnx


...Darwins typically have a more coppery brown GENERALLY with verticle banding. between there bands its a creamy colour compared to the lighter brown.
...


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## Stuart (Mar 1, 2013)

Snake Catchers :: Snake Removal Services Brisbane Sydney Melbourne


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## Darlyn (Mar 1, 2013)

...I have a Darwin and am unfamiliar with Coastals so I wanted to know.


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## Dendrobates (Mar 1, 2013)

The locality gives it away as a coastal, but the patterning (more broken with black specks between the bands) is an attribute of coastal carpets. Colouring is never a good thing to go off when identifying snakes, but this is a pretty typical colour for coastals. Darwins are usually fairly typical in colour and patterns whereas coastals can be a lot more varied. I hope that kind of helps.


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## Sam_Stimson (Mar 1, 2013)

Thanks so much everyone. He released him into the paddock up the road a bit. Great outcome for all concerned. Especially the snake. I learnt something in the process...awesome!!!


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## Darlyn (Mar 1, 2013)

Skinks said:


> The locality gives it away as a coastal, but the patterning (more broken with black specks between the bands) is an attribute of coastal carpets. Colouring is never a good thing to go off when identifying snakes, but this is a pretty typical colour for coastals. Darwins are usually fairly typical in colour and patterns whereas coastals can be a lot more varied. I hope that kind of helps.



Thanks Skinks.


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## Darlyn (Mar 1, 2013)

Sam_Stimson said:


> Thanks so much everyone. He released him into the paddock up the road a bit. Great outcome for all concerned. Especially the snake. I learnt something in the process...awesome!!!



Good thing all round : ) Well done.


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## Tsubakai (Mar 2, 2013)

It will come back - so your mate will need to snake proof his guinea pig cage. Nice looking coastal though.


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## Snakecatchers (Mar 2, 2013)

I see three possible options.... Coastal Carpet, Darwin Carpet, or a bit of both. One thing we know is it's a carpet python and they love guinea pigs! From the pic I can see how it looks borderline both. They are also an awesome creature that should be preserved so I hope he let it go in a suitable spot.


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## Snakecatchers (Mar 2, 2013)

Sorry I just noticed the location bit of "Hervey Bay" and yeah.... coastal. Love the pattern though!


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## Bluetongue1 (Mar 2, 2013)

It seems to me that some of the comments passed are not justified. 

Some comments on APS are directed towards learning for the poster and some are not. The are many threads that are more socially oriented than they are knowledge of reptiles or amphibians oriented. Even those that are can cover a huge range of issues, many highly specific to the husbandry of a given species. There is no basis for assuming particular knowledge due to the number of posts made. And that is without taking into account the starting knowledge (or lack thereof) of a given individual.

The animal photographed is clearly a coastal (subspecies) irrespective of its location. The statement that colouring is never a good thing to go by probably derives from the gamut of line bred and cross-bred individuals produced in captivity. This does not apply to wild populations where colour and pattern have their limitations. What is required to identify wild individuals as belonging to certain population or subspecies, is the knowledge of the range of colouring and patterns present in those groups. Sometimes the range is very limited and sometimes it can be quite variable. Clearly, knowledge of the natural variation in colour and pattern is pivotal to determining the ID of a given reptile.

*Darlyn*, To quote Wilson and Swan (3[SUP]rd[/SUP] ed): “_M. s. variegata_ (Top End Carpet Python) is reddish brown to blackish brown with simple ragged, dark edged pale bands. _M. s. mcdowelli_ (Eastern Carpet Python [often referred to as ‘Coastal’]) is extremely variable; typically shades of brown to olive green with many dark edged pale blotches, tending to be transversely elongated on back and coalescing to form longitudinal stripe on anterior flanks. Some individuals are wholly striped.” If that is not clear enough, I am happy to have a go at rephrasing it to make it more easily digested. Just let me know.

Hope that helps
Blue


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## damian83 (Mar 2, 2013)

looks identical to my coastals


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## Cockney_Red (Mar 2, 2013)

After much deliberation, I am leaning toward......................Coastal!


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## Bushman (Mar 2, 2013)

As stated early in this thread, the snake in question is a Carpet Python (_Morelia spilota_). Based on its location and that it's a wild snake, it's fair to assume that it's probably a Coastal/Eastern Carpet Python (_Morelia spilota mcdowelli_). Case closed.

Please note: there's no need for ID threads to get personal. 
I don't want to have to start giving out warnings/infractions to people who get personal or post off topic in ID threads.


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## andynic07 (Mar 2, 2013)

Bluetongue1 said:


> It seems to me that some of the comments passed are not justified.
> 
> Some comments on APS are directed towards learning for the poster and some are not. The are many threads that are more socially oriented than they are knowledge of reptiles or amphibians oriented. Even those that are can cover a huge range of issues, many highly specific to the husbandry of a given species. There is no basis for assuming particular knowledge due to the number of posts made. And that is without taking into account the starting knowledge (or lack thereof) of a given individual.
> 
> ...



As usual a very good id but one question. You state that location and pattern is pivotal in identifying a snake but what happens if a captive Darwin escapes in Brisbane Queensland and breeds with a native Coastal producing some offspring that look more like a Darwin than a Coastal? The location is in the coastal region but colouring is more like coastal.


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## Bluetongue1 (Mar 3, 2013)

*Andynic*,
What happens if a pure Darwin escapes in Brisbane? Or any one of numerous other possible scenarios where human interference has an influence on location or genetic composition?

Such instances do not invalidate the criteria used in identifying snakes in the wild. 

By their very nature, these abnormal finds occur within or very close to human habitation. Any abnormal patterning evident under those circumstances would then be seen as suspect. While possible, the probability of this happening is extremely low in the total scheme of things. 

It is worth bearing in mind that most escaped animals well outside their natural range will have a hard time surviving. Even if they do survive and manage to breed with a similar subspecies, their genes will soon be lost in that population. Half only are passed on and the survival rate of young is quite small. So by a second generation, several years down the track, only one quarter or so will be passed on, then one eighth, one sixteenth etc.

Blue


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## andynic07 (Mar 3, 2013)

Thanks Blue, the only reason I was asking was the increasing number of lost or found threads on this site not even thinking about the people who don't post or are not members but your answer seems to cover off on that fairly well.


Thanks
Andrew


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## Darwin-boy (Mar 10, 2013)

looks like a darwin x costal to me i own alot of carpets now and 2 costals :S


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