Types of Carpet Pythons

The carpet python (Morelia spilota) is a slender species of python, with adult sizes ranging from six to 12 feet in length. The Integrated Taxonomic Information System recognizes six subspecies of carpet pythons. The home range of these animals is the south Pacific, with most of the subspecies found in Australia.

  1. Diamond Python

    • The diamond python (Morelia s. spilota) is one of the larger subspecies, with adult females reaching about seven feet in length. Males are smaller, averaging 5 feet long. They are a black color with white spots, evenly speckled over the body. Along the back, the spots form a series of rosettes surrounded by black. Diamond pythons are found in southeastern Australia, where winters get cold. Their black coloration helps them absorb heat from the sun, to raise their body temperature. Diamond pythons are arboreal, and will consume birds and small mammals.

    Coastal Carpet Python

    • The coastal carpet python (Morelia s. mcdowelli) is a large carpet python. Females will reach a length of nine feet, while the males are slightly smaller. Coastal carpet pythons are found in Australia along the coast of Queensland, as far south as the northeast corner of New South Wales. They can be variable in color, with a dark brown or gray background, and 60 to 80 blotches of yellow to white. They are usually found in wooded areas, and feed on small mammals, birds and reptiles. Coastal carpet pythons are commonly found in the pet trade, and are a popular collection animal.

    Inland Carpet Python

    • The inland carpet python (Morelia s. metcalfei) inhabits the inland areas of Australia, as its name implies. Its range includes southwestern Queensland down to South Australia. Their background color is brown or beige, with blotches of gray or black, occasionally forming stripes or cross bands. Inland carpet pythons are terrestrial, and their diet consists of lizards and small mammals.

    Jungle Carpet Python

    • The jungle carpet python (Morelia s. cheynei) is one of the most attractive carpet pythons, and a favorite of reptile collectors. Exceptional jungle carpet python specimens are jet black with electric yellow cross bands. Jungle carpet pythons are the smallest of the carpet pythons, reaching about six feet in length. They are found in the northern parts of Australia, and are also known as the Atherton Tableland carpet python. This subspecies is arboreal, and has a strongly prehensile tail. Its diet is birds, lizards and small mammals.