white lipped python

[basketcase]

are any of these bred in australia ?
were there any on the 'species kept in nsw' list... or any other state 4 that matter ?

[Nome]

Sorry not an answer to your question, but I would also love to know this about the Oenpelli python.

~Nome

[hugsta]

In NSW you need a class 2 licence for a white lipped python, however the oenpelli rock python isn't on the list at all.
Maybe someone else knows the reason for this.

[Simon_Archibald]

In the last reptiles holdings information for NSW in the 2002-2003 keeping period, 1 NSW licensee held 2 White-lipped pythons. These are the only held on private licence in NSW unless someone else has luckily managed to get hold of some more. There has been speculation that this species does not actually occur in Australia, that is why you won't find it in Steve Wilson/Gerry Swan's book A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia.

As for the Oenpelli Python, I am pretty sure that these are not kept privately by many people at all. Not sure why they aren't on the NSW species list in particular, but permits to collect from the wild are not issued because they occur in Arnhem Land which I think is governed by the aboriginal community and they won't allow it. I'm not quite sure on this, but pretty sure.

Simon Archibald

[RAZZA]

[NCHERPS]

The white- lipped python according to Brian A.Kend's book inhabits the nothern islands of Dauan and Saibai in the Torres Strait. There are also unsubstantiated records that it occurs on Badu,Boigu and Thursday Island(Barker & Barker, 1994).
Ehmann(1992) states that the species may be present along the Pascoe River at the northern tip of the Cape York peninsula, based on sight observations.

I have kept a few white lips in the past and the NG one's are nasty buggers, always striking out, and take month's to settle down, just to stop striking at whatever moves past a viv's glass.
I have had CB hatchies from Bob Clark, and they were sods to get feeding, but once started were good feeders and handled well. They are a harder species to work with and breed than most pythons and have some special requirements. Awesome looking snakes though.

Doesn't look like I will getting that species again for a while though, not unless those lucky people start breeding.

Neil

[ad]

Am I the only herp in the country to think these are rather ordinary looking pythons.
like a childrens with a white lip and aggro., they have nice oil slicks but ...

pygmy pythons too, I cant imagine them being the jewel of my collection. You might as well keep yearling childreni.

Is it the rarity that gets people all wet?
Give me a bhp any day.

[Gregory]

Originally Posted by ad

Give me a bhp any day.

No way mate. You'll pay a thousand dollars like everyone else.

[cwarren72]

there are no Oenpenellis in private collections anywhere. The only now remaining pair in captivity are in a zoo. There is actually a couple of reasons but the main is the fact that they stress easily and die. This is what happened to the pair which used to be held by Taronga. It is almost impossible for zoos to even get permission to hold these animals.

[Magpie]

Is it the rarity that gets people all wet?

It sure is with a lot of species... pygmies, a lot of monitors, BHP's etc. Not me personally but that is why they cost so much and the main reason people like them.
But white lips IMO are awesome lookers, like a water python but better.

Actually there are currently at least 3 in captivty in Australia. I am sure there would be some held illegally as well. All three are females and reside at The Territory Wildlife Park. As for them stressing easily, I have seen no evidence of this and they actually are fairly hardy captives. The animal on display at work would get upwards of 500 people tapping on the glass everyday.

They are very beautiful snakes, especially when you go to work early and they are still a brilliant silvery gray. When you see one coiled up, they look fairly small, 8ft or so. However they are very slender and all at TWP are around 4.5-5m. They actually have more vertebrae then any other species of snake.

[soulweaver]

anyone got any pics of em?

Value that picture... I nearly got my face bitten off when I was taking it!

[NoOne]

Brodie is the oenpelli man from way back.

hehe...gotta love them...awesome snakes