#coastal carpet python

She's settling into her quarantine enclosure nicely. She's had her first meal already and I'm giving it 1 more week before I begin the process of working with her.

I got a visit from a local legend today!

This is Rustle, the Carpet Python. They're named so for the sound of rustling leaves they make as they move. Other that, people in the street usually know he's around by their shed skin. Actually seeing them is rare to my understanding, so I feel blessed. Interestingly, my mum was alerted to him by a local couple that were making alarm cries. When my parents were harrasing Rustle with photograph, the magpies were surprisingly tolerant of our presence while we were taking photographs. Maybe we made them feel safe?

The coastal carpet python is one of Australia's most widely and commonly distributed python species.

Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota)

Happy days! This big carpet python had been through the vet and in rehab for some time when this photo was taken. A severe case of mites may have been causing blood toxicity. The neck appeared to be injured, or perhaps having neurological difficulties, but other than the mites and movement issues there were no other signs of illness. After some pyrtherin treatments and a good long stay things finally seem to be improving, with increasing mobility and muscle control returning to the side of the neck. We found a healthy shed and the next day was the first time we'd seen this, climbing and perching, very typical carpet python behaviour and exactly what we want!!

The other day, I was watering and repositioning some pot plants in the garden when a Green Whip snake popped in to drink from the bromliads I filled.

And then today, I almost smushed Rustle the resident Carpet Python! ((( ；ﾟДﾟ))) .

We were worried I may have caused internal damage, but a check over from a local snake wrangler confirmed they were okay.

We released them just a few meters away since it's a resident, but the wrangler noted that they were unusually defensive and hostile, even engorging their throat for a bit, which is apparently unusual. He thinks it may either be a male trying to get to a female or a mother who is oddly away from its nest.