childreni/spotted/stimpsons pythons

[Diamond_Dan]

Hello everyone. I was reading today and was wondering what are the differences between childrens, spotted and stimpsons pythons. I am sure there is an obvious answer but as far as i see all can come in similar colors and markings. I do not keep any of these however it just intrigues me to know the response. Thanx Daniel

 

[serpenttongue]

There's slight differences in size but also they come from different areas of Australia, although they be sympatric in small areas of N.Queensland.

 

[childreni_440]

I dont know about others but I've kept all three species and i can see physical differences such as there heads are different not just the paterning.

 

[shellshock]

i tell u what it is hard when they are babies no that i have heard you can interbreed like moralis it makes it more difficult

 

[childreni_440]

i tell u what it is hard when they are babies

I couldnt agree more. When my hatchies hatch i have to color code the click clacks so i dont get confused.

 

[Glimmerman]

What would be the best way then to differenciate the "stimsoni" to the "maculosa" hatchies if I were to buy from an unknown person, or if that person thought they had stimies but were really macs? (I have encountered this directly with a seller advertising a childreni but was actually mac.)
Can you tell by the frontal / pre frontal scale count etc?
Does any one have pics of the two (hatchies) they would like to post as to compare the two species?

I would like to buy some stimies this season and as I already have the others, I want to make sure I am getting what I pay for.

Thanks ppl in advance

Damian

 

[Jason]

as for the hatchy stimsoni and childreni i reckon it is hard to differ but imo you can see which one is a maccie. i was lucky enough to pick up my 8 generation blond macs from shane skarff on sunday night (will post some pics when they have settled in) and i got to see some hatchies from both childreni and spotteds and you could pick the difference if you looked closely. but it is understandable to get mistaken, personally i really like spotteds and now have kept spotteds and macs and seen many childreni over the last few yrs i am able to spot the difference, when i first got into reptiles they were all the same to me..lol. as adults i think it is easy, the spotteds get much larger then the other (generally) the parents of my blonds are about 4.5ft but still the childreni and stimsoni are similar and i just look at the head shape and scales.

 

[Sdaji]

Glimmerman, most Antaresia in captivity are hybrids. Unless you know from the animal's history that it's pure, you can't be sure. Some hybrids are obvious, but some hybrids look very much like one taxa or another. You can look for characteristics typical of one population or another, and say "this one looks very much like species X", but that doesn't mean that's what it is, just that it resembles one and, perhaps, it is one.

 

[Jason]

most Antaresia in captivity are hybrids

i would have to say that i reckon alot of stimsoni and childreni are possible hybrids cause they do look more similar, and some stimsoni that i have seen dont really have the head shape of a natural stimsoni but then i would put it down to locality.