Carpet Python
Morelia spilota • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Pythonidae, Subfamily: Pythoninae, Genus: Morelia, Species: Morelia spilota
Widely distributed across the Australian mainland (except for the arid center and western regions), Indonesia (West Papua and Maluku Islands), and Papua New Guinea.
Look up Carpet Python in the Snake Encyclopedia →Venomous Status
Non-venomous (aglyphous). Possesses numerous sharp, recurved teeth but no fangs or venom delivery system.
Danger Level
Low Risk. Generally harmless to humans, though large adults can deliver a painful bite with significant lacerations. They are not a threat to life but can cause localized infection.
Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Pythonidae, Subfamily: Pythoninae, Genus: Morelia, Species: Morelia spilota
Conservation
IUCN Red List: Least Concern. However, some subspecies are threatened by habitat loss and predation by feral animals (cats and foxes).
Physical Description
Triangular head distinct from the neck, with highly visible heat-sensing pits on the labial scales. Pattern consists of complex black, brown, and cream blotches or 'carpeting.' Eyes have vertical elliptical pupils (cat-like) and scales are smooth and small.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen appears to be an adult. Typical size range is 2 to 3.5 meters (6.5 to 11.5 feet), with exceptional specimens reaching up to 4 meters.
Habitat
Highly adaptable; found in rainforests, eucalyptus woodlands, grasslands, coastal heaths, and rocky outcrops. Frequently resides in suburban areas, utilizing roof cavities and garden sheds.
Behavior & Temperament
Semi-arboreal and primarily nocturnal or crepuscular. Generally calm and slow-moving, but can be highly defensive if cornered or provoked, often assuming an S-shaped striking posture and hissing loudly.
Diet & Feeding
Diet consists of mammals (possums, rats, bats), birds, and occasionally lizards. They are ambush predators that use constriction to dispatch prey after detecting heat signatures through their labial pits.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying). Females lay clutches of 10 to 50 eggs. Notably, females exhibit maternal care by shivering (thermogenesis) to incubate the eggs until hatching.
Venom Profile
Non-venomous - no medically significant venom.
Look-alikes
Rough-scaled pythons (Morelia carinata) which have keeled scales, and various other subspecies within the M. spilota complex (e.g., Diamond Python). In some regions, juveniles may be confused with venomous death adders due to heavy patterning.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern. However, some subspecies are threatened by habitat loss and predation by feral animals (cats and foxes).
Cultural Significance
Commonly kept as a pet in the reptile trade. In Indigenous Australian cultures, the Carpet Python (and the Rainbow Serpent) holds immense spiritual and mythological significance in Dreamtime stories.
Notable Features
Highly developed thermoreceptive pits along the lower jaw allow them to hunt in total darkness. They are one of the most color-variable snake species in the world, with distinct regional 'morphs'.