Woma Python
[Aspidites ramsayi]
The Woma Python is a large, non-venomous snake. The average length of an adult is 5 to 9 feet. The body is olive- to reddish-brown with darker crossbands. The snake's head is about the same color as the body ground color. A pair of spurs near the cloaca may represent vestigial hind limbs, although in the male, the spurs can aid in mating.
Location: Animals Formerly at Zoo
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Range
The range of the Woma Python is Central Australia.
Habitat
The Woma Python inhabits arid regions and desert sand hills.
Conservation Status
Least ConcernPrimary Threats
Gestation
Incubation: 50 to 75 days
Litter
The clutch has an average of 8, based on observations of related species.
Behavior
The woma python is nocturnal, although it does move about during the day under favorable temperatures The woma subdues its prey by coiling and suffocating (a constrictor). The snake can swallow live animals considerably greater in diameter than the snake.
Reproduction
About 2 to 3 months after mating, the woma python female lays her eggs, each of which is covered by a leather-like shell. The eggs stick together under the warmth generated by the female coiling her body around the eggs. The female continues to coil her body around the eggs for 50 to 75 days until the eggs hatch.
Wild Diet
The wild diet of the woma python is small mammals, reptiles, and ground birds.
Zoo Diet
Mice and rats