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reptiles Cape York

January 8, 2012 by Seamus Campbell

Beautiful big python at our backdoor

The other night I was met at our back door by a 3.5m python. It was very quiet and relaxed but it too big to have around the house.

Earlier in the day some of our little birds had been getting quite agitated and making warning noises, but I couldn’t see anything at the time. So I think the python had eaten something from our garden.

I asked our neighbour to help bag it and then I re-located it on the banks of a nearby creek.

He grabbed the python and I helped put it in a bag – this was my first time handling a snake like this; it was very strong – two of us struggled to get it in the bag.

I then drove to a nearby creek and let the python out on the bank – it seemed like a nice place for a big python to live.

Curled up behind the house
Curled up behind the house
python at Portland Roads
A bit of the python at it’s new home

python coming inside
Coming in our backdoor
python close-up
On the mat at our backdoor

python at Portland Roads
Moving away from the back door

Filed Under: Snakes Cape York Tagged With: python Cape York, reptiles Cape York, snakes Cape York

January 1, 2012 by Seamus Campbell

Orange-naped snake

This little Orange-naped snake (Furina ornata) was hiding next to our outside stairs. In spite of it’s very, very  bright orange colouring, it was well camouflaged in the dull brown leaf litter.

I presume it was a young one as it was only about 30 cms long –  they apparently grow to around 70 cms.

Orange-naped snake
Such beautiful colours!
Orange-naped snake
Orange-naped snake – 30 cms long

Orange-naped snake
Orange-naped snake (Furina ornata)
Orange-naped snake
Orange-naped snake hiding – vivid bright orange colours

Orange-naped snake hiding
Orange-naped snake hiding in the leaf litter

Filed Under: Snakes Cape York Tagged With: reptiles Cape York, snakes Cape York

December 5, 2011 by Cate

Jade coloured tree snake

This colourful tree snake is very long. At the other end his colour changes to an olive green. He is living under this water tank in our yard.

Jade coloured tree snake, Portland Roads

Jade coloured tree snake, Portland Roads

Filed Under: Portland Roads, Snakes Cape York Tagged With: reptiles Cape York, snakes Cape York

December 23, 2010 by Seamus Campbell

Python and Cane Toad – 17th Nov 2010

I heard a strange scuffling, scrunching sound outside our verandah. Looked over the edge and on the lawn noticed a small 80 cm or so long python inexorably dragging a much larger cane toad back along the grass.

The cane toad appeared stunned and although obviously alive, struggled very little. The python was only about 25-30 mm in diameter and the toad about 60-65 mm. The snake dragged it back about 3 meters to its lair in a rock wall. The cane toad grabbed onto grass and rocks on the way with its front claws but other than did not struggle at all. I was worried that the toad would kill the python once it was ingested, but wasn’t quite willing to tap the python on the nose and say “No”.
It took the python about 25 minutes to get the toad back to its hole in the wall.

It then slowly engulfed the toad – this was repulsive but fascinating.

The snake finally swallowed the whole cane toad – the whole process took over an hour.

python full of canetoad

Filed Under: Snakes Cape York Tagged With: python Cape York, reptiles Cape York, snakes Cape York

November 1, 2010 by Seamus Campbell

Copulating Carlia longipes – Mon 1st Nov 2010

Watching vigorous sexual intercourse whilst having a shit in the morning should have been disturbing, but strangely enough it wasn’t. I was observing 2 copulating carlia longipes (skinks) – it was fascinating.

Carlia Longipes

Carlia Longipes outside the toilet

The male started chasing the female, and when he caught her by the tail he looked as thoug

Carlia Longipes
Carlia Longipes outside the toilet
Carlia Longipes
Carlia Longipes outside the toilet

h he was he was going to eat her up tail first. He seemed to swallow about 5-6mm of tail then suddenly jumped and caught her just in front of her rear left leg. He held her firmly in his jaw for a while.

She kept trying to get away, until he flipped her over and got sort of sideways over her. They would be quite still for a few moments the he would spasm (I presume ejaculating), then it would start over again.

Finally she twisted around and bit him on the side (seemingly in a very gentle manner) – he let go or she escaped I’m not sure which.

She scuttled away but he swaggered around for a while with his genitals up in the air off the ground and his tail held strongly up in the air behind him. Although he was swaggering it looked very much as though his genitals were extremely tender if not painful.

All of this lasted for at least 5 – 10 minutes I would say.

Filed Under: Lizards Cape York Tagged With: lizards Cape York, reptiles Cape York

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