how big do coastals pythons grow

[rodentrancher]

Wouldn't Scrubbie(Amythestines) grow to be the biggest Pythons in Australia, in the wild that is?? Just wondering??

 

[jessop]

Wouldn't Scrubbie(Amythestines) grow to be the biggest Pythons in Australia, in the wild that is?? Just wondering??

yes, a scrubbie would be the longest in the Australia without doubt

 

[Jonno from ERD]

G'day guys,

I wouldn't be too confident in saying that Scrubbies are definitely the longest python in Australia. Both Oenpelli's and Pilbara Olives get very close to the size of the largest confirmed Scrub Python. The difference is that most of the area where Scrubs occur is well travelled, so more of them are found, but the other two species (Oenpelli's and Pilbara Olives) occur in very rugged, rarely occupied areas. I would not be surprised if a Pilbara Olive, or for that matter, and Oenpelli was found that was longer than the largest confirmed Scrub length. In fact, a lot of texts list Pilbara Olives as having a maximum size of 6.5 metres (over 21 feet), which from what I understand is larger than any confirmed Scrub Python (I think?).

Cheers

Jonno

 

[hugsta]

You are right Jonno, about the lack of oenpellis and barroni being seen, however there are scrubs that get over 21 feet, I have a friend up in Cairns who regularly sees them around the 20 foot mark. So, like with every species, there is bound to be biger ones around, you just don't see them. He measures them along his fence line so it is fairly accurate. I have been harrassing him for years to get me some pics. I hope to go up there one day and see if I can find any. I would love to see a 21 foot olive though, now that would be impressive.

 

[Jonno from ERD]

G'day Darren,

I'm very skeptical about any claims of outsized animals without seeing photo's of the animal next to a tape measure. No doubt there are lots of 14-17 foot long Scrubs up there, but anything above that would be rare. It is similar to the stories of 10 foot Taipans and 12 foot Kingies - lots of stories, but no proof. I'd love to see some proof though, I love huge snakes!

Cheers

Jonno

 

[aliceisadog]

When researching before i got my costal a read they never stop growing, and can live inexcess of 50 years in the wild. It stated they can be found up to 13 feet but with a good diet and long lived life any thing is possable right? Watched a doco on anacondas last nite 24ft fem. Woa she was fat. And a fem giving birth to 80 up to 3ft young that was amazing. Have fun

 

[DanN]

There are many reports from Aboriginals in Arnhem Land that there are Oenpelli's much larger than the ones found. Oenpelli's may be the largest snake, as their eggs are nearly twice the mass of a Scrubs.

 

[michael555]

how big can the oenpelli pythons grow??

 

[michael555]

oh and rich boy my 2 month old coastal is about 40cm long

 

[PilbaraPythons]

There are indeed the occasional freaks that live out there somewhere. I have seen a giant water python so long and large that it defies belief and I don’t usually tell anybody about it because it was too big to be seriously believed. I also had the privilege of finding the shedded skin of a mammoth scrub python that I had been searching for, for a long while. Taking into account the extra length a shedded skin would be in caparison to a specimens real size, I could still stick my leg inside it and what more is it fitted neatly around my thigh. This specimen was seen a few times by a reliable source experienced with snakes and estimated to be around 25 feet long.
Eventually some scum shot it, to mount the skin on the wall. He was caught by the police for drug related matters and they confiscated the skin but he was never charged with wildlife offences. My main mission was to quantify the real size, make it publicly known that it occurred there and to erect a sign to promote its existence and protection. There was opposition that argued that it would only invite red necks to hunt it down, and they did it anyway before I saw it first hand.

Cheers Dave