OENPELLI Python

[stencorp69]

Graeme Gow's Snakes of Australia Revised edition 1983 has a picture of an oenpelli python on the cover. When I bought the book in 1984 it was the first time I'd read about this python and I haven't heard much about them since. Previous to the release of his book most of the books I'd read classed most morelia as carpet pythons.

Does anyone keep or breed them? or was it just a new specie classification that got reclassified?

Just curious

Stephen

 

[Tommo]

nope, no one to my knowledge keeps them

the only few in captivity i have heard off are those at teh territroy wildlife park(3 i think). im going to work experience there next week, so ill take afew pics

 

[instar]

Someone keeps one, was one at the herp expo last year! :wink:

 

[stencorp69]

I'd love to see the pics - make sure you post em when you get a chance. them

 

[cwarren72]

Toronga Zoo had a pair years ago but they proved to be a difficult species to keep and house and are prone to stress. I can't remember exactly but I am pretty sure they lost both of them. This is going to be a good thread you watch and see. There will be people coming out of the wood work on this one all offering there wealth of knowledge. lol

 

[stencorp69]

Re: RE: OENPELLI Python

There will be people coming out of the wood work on this one all offering there wealth of knowledge.

I was quite puzzled when I picked up the book to read tonight - with all the threads I've read on this site, I hadn't heard mention of it at all. It will be interesting to read people's responses.

 

[imported_Mark]

RE: Re: RE: OENPELLI Python

I went to Oenpelli in Arnhem Land when I was in the NT last week, did not see any pythons though, keep asking the local and guides and none of em even know what the Oenpelli python was...

 

[NCHERPS]

Re: RE: OENPELLI Python

Someone keeps one, was one at the herp expo last year! :wink:

That one was owned by the Territory Wildlife park, and was displayed there by 'Marshall Black' one of the keepers from the park.

Didn't think it was anything exceptional really, prefer scrubbies in appearance, but it was nice to see one in the flesh.

Neil

 

[BROWNS]

RE: Re: RE: OENPELLI Python

The only person i know of that's kept and bred them is Peter Krauss,they are not available to the hobby.

 

[cwarren72]

RE: Re: RE: OENPELLI Python

Mark the common name is rock python. maybe that is why they were wondering what it was? I have these on my WISH list. Have desired to have a pair for years but like has been touched on briefly the chances of ever owning legal captive ones ???? well I will be getting them about the same time I start up my colloection of hens teeth
lol

 

[Brodie]

RE: Re: RE: OENPELLI Python

Oenpellis arent prone to stress at all. Infact, their husbandry is virtually the same as that for a large carpet python.

Colin,

I have spent a LOT of time out in Oenpelli, and other places in arnhem land. I have never heard it being called a rock python... Oenpelli rock python ive heard. All the locals call them Oenpelli pythons (including guides)

 

[R1MAN]

thought that i would bring this thread back to life by making a post.

over the years of collecting books, the oenpelli has come a few times so i have grown curious as to why these aren't more common as captive bred! being a top end snake i couldn't imagine them being hard to look after in captivity (no more then a BHP) so it leads me to think of just the rarity of these large snakes. i have read that they can become quite large (bigger then olives). so the question to BROWNS
"do you know why they aren't available to the hobby if Peter Krauss has bred them?"
any other thoughts?

 

[southy]

NCHERPS is right on the money, i accompanied marshall with my uncle to the expo last year with the , nice fella but still alot to be learnt from this species oenpelli

 

[BROWNS]

Don't know the full story and what happened to the offspring i'm sur someone does.There was a good article on him breeding them in HERPETAFAUNA a few year ago....Personally this is one python i would prefer to be left in the wild not available for private colections etc but that's just me...

 

[BROWNS]

damn slow pc's sorry doble post :?

 

[R1MAN]

agree browns, it would be good to get a bit more info on this topic as i am just curious about it as you don't see it in many books or hear many references to them. can you elaberate on why you think they should left in the wild mate?

 

[GetCoiled]

if you like to see some wild pics you can go to ATR site...Image Gallery....Pythons....Oenpelli. You'll find some pics that the Aussie herpetologist Dave Pearson gave me about 7 years ago from a trip at Kakadu.
Cheers
Stefano

 

[R1MAN]

cheers getcoiled i will check them out. have seen oenpelli before in pics but more wont hurt.

if they ever did take off on the captive stream they would probably come onto the market at something rediculous like $24,000 a pair. talk about monopoly

 

[Dicco]

They have a fairly restrictive Range, only found in parts of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.

 

[Herc]

the ones bred by Krauss were seized by NT parks officers and returned to the NT, I believe to the desert park but apparently these didn't survive. the reason they were taken was because Krauss didn't have permission to export them out, so that annoyed parks officers.... that is the report on the situation that i got anyway.