Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have just acquired a pair of papuans. (Apadora, not the olives) They are interesting snakes to say the least. The male is 9ft, the female is 6ft. Very tame once out of their cages, but cage defensive when in their cages. One strange thing that I have noticed about them, is that they watch you when you are near their cages and will follow your movements. They seem more intelligent than my GTP's or Timors. Anyone else notice that about them? Anyway anyone keeping them, I would appreciate any additional info or comments about yours. Thank you

Its clear that they are very intelligent to me too. I have a female who will get out of any cage box if she senses any weakness in the design. Shes also very good about letting you know its time to eat, not to desturb her, etc. by give out loud his/puffs. They also definately speak to eachother using that same noise.

Mine are both 12', but the female is 38lbs...male about 20. One of, if not THE most intelligent pythons around. Love that huffing noise Both, as you say, are fine out of the cage, but getting them out for cleaning is always interesting, to say the least. And they want to go UP!

No breeding luck, so far. They do require higher humidity than most.
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1.1 Blackheaded pythons
1.1 Woma (Juvie female)
2.1 Aussie Olives
1.1 Timors
1.0 Angolan Juvie
1.1 Savu
1.1 Juvie Bloods
1.1 Juvie Balls
1.1 IJ Carpets
1.1 Coastal Carpets
1.2 Macklotts
1.1 Papuan Olives
1.0 Jungle Carpet
2.2 Scrubs (on breeding loan)
0.1 Jungle/Diamond cross
0.1 child, CB
0.1 wife, WC

...my friends papuan was just like that...looked like a huge dullish green(although one of the most iridesent snakes ive ever seen) ratsnake which a head that looks like it was chiseled out of stone...kinda like a gargoyle...in her cage she was always hungry,when you opened the lid...if you hesitated she thought she were feeding her...the trick was to just reach in and pick her up...defienitly something going on behind those eyes too,one of the smartest snakes ive ever seen...out of her cage one of the sweetest ones too lol...prehinsile like a ratsnake too lol...

That tail is hell when you're trying to get them out of the cage. I like a snake with a racing stripe on each side

I think scrubbies are pretty smart, too. I remember putting a rat in front of my big male on tongs, and seeing him look AROUND the tongs at me. I went...o....kay, something's going on in there.
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1.1 Blackheaded pythons
1.1 Woma (Juvie female)
2.1 Aussie Olives
1.1 Timors
1.0 Angolan Juvie
1.1 Savu
1.1 Juvie Bloods
1.1 Juvie Balls
1.1 IJ Carpets
1.1 Coastal Carpets
1.2 Macklotts
1.1 Papuan Olives
1.0 Jungle Carpet
2.2 Scrubs (on breeding loan)
0.1 Jungle/Diamond cross
0.1 child, CB
0.1 wife, WC

I agree that you have to just go and confidently pick these guys up if they are looking like they are going to bite. But, its really easy to condition them not to be so defensive by just repeated entry into their cage or changing their caging (which youll probably have to do every two to three years since they eat soo much). They are really all talk and no walk though when it comes to biting, with some exceptions following constant loud puffing sounds. I would put yours together periodically to acclimate them to eachother for future breeding sucess, which requires at least 6-8 year old females and probably less for males.

Thanks all who have replied. I agree that scrubbies are intelligent also. But with them, I always thought they were looking for a way to bite me. With the papuans, I think they just want to move around and check out what is going on. Neat snakes. Will try to post some pics soon. Keep the info and pics coming. Thanks, John

I've been told by a fairly reliable source that they do indeed have 2 breeding seasons. I'm going to assume mine are old enough, and during the winter, the female spent time with her hind 4' inverted. Nothing in the way of interest at the time from the male, and I DID keep an eye on them, as females have a way of doing the black widow thing.
My female WILL lightly snap at the gloved hand, but neither has tried anything once I'm holding them.
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1.1 Blackheaded pythons
1.1 Woma (Juvie female)
2.1 Aussie Olives
1.1 Timors
1.0 Angolan Juvie
1.1 Savu
1.1 Juvie Bloods
1.1 Juvie Balls
1.1 IJ Carpets
1.1 Coastal Carpets
1.2 Macklotts
1.1 Papuan Olives
1.0 Jungle Carpet
2.2 Scrubs (on breeding loan)
0.1 Jungle/Diamond cross
0.1 child, CB
0.1 wife, WC

There is not two breeding season from what ive seen. The reason people say that is because in the captive reproductive husbandry of pythons and boas book they plot the observed copulations as a function of months in one year and there seems to be two distinct clusters. However, I saw copulation every single month of 2004 but got no eggs that year. the inverting posture is also not very informative as mine will invert within 24 hrs of a steep cold drop followed by a heat spike. Also, my female that laid eggs in 2005 didnt even invert when she was gravid, not even once from my observations. The best indication of whether your on the right track is to feel for follicle development, which should occur very early in the season (which you determine by temp /humidity cycles). The females SEEM to have to be at least 6-8 years old in order to have this development, although i saw copulation at year 6 and could have sworn there was initiat follicle development, which arrested early. The male on the other hand, could probably be alot younger. Pay careful attention to youre own snakes, because in papuans i have seen some funky differences in individual behavior (out of the 6 papuans ive owned), so the jury is still out for fun facts about these guys. Good luck, it sounds like you have the obsession/passion that these guys deserve.
-d

Even though I have been keeping and breeding herps for almost 20 years, papuans have got to be the most interesting and one of the least known about pythons. I know timors and boelens are very rarely bred in captivity, but these guys have to rank right up there with them. John

My information was from Kevin McCurly
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1.1 Blackheaded pythons
1.1 Woma (Juvie female)
2.1 Aussie Olives
1.1 Timors
1.0 Angolan Juvie
1.1 Savu
1.1 Juvie Bloods
1.1 Juvie Balls
1.1 IJ Carpets
1.1 Coastal Carpets
1.2 Macklotts
1.1 Papuan Olives
1.0 Jungle Carpet
2.2 Scrubs (on breeding loan)
0.1 Jungle/Diamond cross
0.1 child, CB
0.1 wife, WC

hes a good source. Perhaps in the next few years ill see it in my own little giants.-d

One of the smartest and pound for pound the strongest of any snake. Like the way they change colors with their moods, dark to light. And one of the worlds fith or sixth largest snakes, weight/size.