Jungles
Here is a quick summary I put together for my own site that may help you.
The Pygmy python is the smallest python in the world and endemic to Western Australia (see distribution map).
Although their colouration can varies somewhat within their range, they usually have a body base colour of either orange, red to reddish brown and occasionally, grey and display body pattern markings that look very similar to the Children’s python Antaresia childreni. As these pythons age their pattern darkens significantly and becomes far less defined. Nearly all older specimens that I have seen in the wild had lost any real obvious body pattern.
Although a very small python (average maximum length quoted in David Barkers publication, Pythons of The World, 48 to 56 cm, maximum 70 cm), I personally know of an injured specimen that was found in the town of Pannawonica W.A, that when nursed back to health and finally released back into the wild, measured 91 cm.
The pygmy python has a very low average number of ventral scales (232) and have a known maximum of 250. They also have a low mid-body scales count which ranges from 31 to 35 (the lowest number in Australian pythons).
Pygmy pythons are predominately nocturnal and like many pythons are often seen active, just after dusk.
The temperament of this little python seems to vary between individuals but generally speaking they are good natured.
There has been some debate as to whether or not the pygmy python in the wild will naturally cross with the Stimsons python Antaresia stimsoni which in many areas are sympatric in range. I believe that this scenario could be possible but would be very rare and I have only ever seen one single specimen that in my opinion represents a natural cross of the two species. It would have been very interesting to quantify though, whether or not this individual was fertile or not.
Habitat
Found in areas of sp****ly vegetated sandy deserts, scrubby lightly timbered plains, Rocky areas and escarpments. Pygmy pythons and are often found living inside of termite mounds and are commonly referred to as the ant hill python. Although specimens are found in the desert areas of the Pilbara coast of W.A and particularly on the fringes of water ways or rivers, they seem to be a lot more prevalent further inland.
Diet
Their natural diet consists of small geckos and skinks and when they are big enough, small mammals. Despite the common belief that newly born mouse pups are too big to be offered to captive hatchlings, my experience has taught me that this is not always the case and I have witnessed on several occasions newly born hatchlings take mouse pups entirely as their first feed with no complications.
Breeding
Although these pythons by all accounts seem to be no more difficult to breed in captivity than any other species of Antaresia, in this country at least it still remains uncommon simply due to the small number of specimens held by very few keepers who have been lucky enough to obtain them. In the wild pre winter mating occurs as early as March and spring mating probably occurs from about August through to October. From the little data obtained, clutch sizes range from 3 to 11 eggs with the average being 6. David Barker quotes in his book, Pythons of the World, that the average hatchling weight is 7 gms, however hatchlings that I have weighed in the wild have all been 3 gms or less and I know someone who had one captive bred hatchling weigh in at 2 gms. This may mean that there is perhaps some geographic size variation within its known range or perhaps the specimens that I have encountered had simply used up yolk supply and hence lost weight. Incubation times can vary considerably and the known range has between 43 to 60 days depending of course, on incubation temperature.
Comments
Pygmy pythons have proved hardy captives and are quickly becoming very popular within the reptile pet industry. At the present time however, specimens remain unfortunately hard to obtain because of the very low numbers held in captivity. In W.A it is unfortunate that this is a species not permitted to be kept in a private capacity as they are a very common species in the wild and are found over a huge area. Hopefully in the near future the W.A DEC will change their stance on this and allow the limited collection of these for the benefit and enjoyment of W.A reptile enthusiasts.
