#inland carpet python

An inland carpet python (Morelia spilota metcalfei) in Flinders Ranges, Australia

Hey! Thanks for contacting me, I’m super excited you’re getting your first scale child!

I’m glad to hear you’ve been doing your research, and yes, Diamond pythons are very reluctant to bite outside the enclosure. However, I never go into their cage when the lights are out, as they have one of the most intense feeding responses I’ve ever seen. They hone in on anything warm and moving within five feet of the enclosure, and will strike first, ask questions later if it goes inside.This just means you have to use proper handling techniques for extracting them from the enclosure (mainly using a hook and knowing how to hold or secure them safely). This can get a little tricky with a six-foot female who would rather wrap around every branch in the enclosure than come out. :PAlso, as you’ve probably discovered, their habitat temperatures, seasonal changes, and diet are different than most other carpet sub species. This mostly includes lower ambient temperatures, with a hot spot they have to climb to get to, fasting them during the winter months and drastically dropping temps, and only feeding them 5-6 times during the rest of the year. There is a post on my blog detailing their care.

Another sub species of carpet Python which is known for being very laid back (besides the typical carpet feeding response) is the inland carpet python, or Murray-Darling carpet python (Morelia spilota metcalfei). They are a smaller sub-species, and uncommon in the wild and private collections here in the US.

Keep in mind there are always exceptions to the rule, and with regular and safe handling, most carpets can become manageable outside the enclosure. I have a large male jungle carpet (Morelia spilota cheynei) who is great for handling. Being semi-arboreal, they do love to climb, and will move quite a bit in your arms. I still make sure to keep his face away from my face, just as a safety precaution.

It’s less about which one you think is “easier”, and more which one fascinates you the most.

I hope this helps, and please let me know if you have any other questions :)

Inland Carpet Python (Morelia spilota metcalfei)

Also known as the Murray-Darling Carpet Python, they are found all throughout the Murray-Darling Basin. Their natural range is quite extensive, as seen on the map above. They are found in riparian woodlands, River Red Gum forest and black box woodland, and are often associated with granite outcroppings. They are considered endangered in the southern half of their range due to habitat loss from human disturbance, and invasive species such as the red fox. 

One of the smaller subspecies of carpet python, they reach lengths of 5-6.5 ft. They also exhibit the least variation in color, with alternating black and gray blotches along the neck, turning into interrupted bands further down the body. The ventral scales are a cream to powdered-blue color. With a medium build, they are the least laterally compressed of the carpet pythons, and have a circular cross-section. A noted difference from other species is the nostril being positioned on the dorsal edge of the nasal scale, versus the center. Another unique characteristic is their calm demeanor, as both neonates and adults. 

in their natural habitat, they regularly use trees, and neonates are often found in lizard burrows along river beds. Due to intense summer heat, they are exclusively nocturnal during the summer. During the winter, they tend to find granite outcroppings in order to soak up as much heat during the day as possible. The only movement exhibited during this time is to find a place with more stable day and night-time temperatures. 

Inlands breed during the spring, and lay eggs during the summer, with neonates hatching in the fall. It is unknown if male combat is common, although, with males being slightly smaller, it may be a random occurance. Females were observed to stay with the eggs throughout the duration of incubation, finally loosening the coils as the eggs hatch. They lay 10-50 eggs, with numbers near the lower range more common. 

 Sources: Australian Addiction, Inland Reptile