Reptile & Amphibian Forums

If anyone has a more recent photo of the amelanistic
("albino" Northwestern Carpet Python (Morelia spilota variegata)
that was pictured as a juvenile in the Barkers' book several
years ago, I would be interested in seeing it. I am referring
to the wild caught juvenile specimen that was found near Darwin
circa 1993 and brought to the wildlife park in the NT.

I have heard unsubstantiated reports that at some point it
was transferred to a private collection somewhere in South
Australia where breeding attempts were made, but I have only
seen two other photos of it besides the one in the Barkers'
book and it still appeared to be a subadult in both of those
photographs. I'd like to see how it looks as an adult.

Since I've been working with a bloodline of Northwesterns
(and no, these are NOT Irian Jayans (Morelia s. "harrisoni")
that has so far produced one animal that appears to exhibit
some form of hypomelanism (CB98) and two that appear to exhibit
a form of hypoxanthism (CB00), I am naturally curious as to how
successful breeding trials have been with the wild amelanistic.
If anyone has accurate info, I'd appreciate an update. Thanks.

Mitch Hiers

Hiers Herpetoculture -- http://www.hiersherp.com
Sowega Serpentarium -- http://www.sowegaserp.com
Predatory Pets -- http://www.predatorypets.com
Fair Dinkum Reptiles -- http://www.fairdinkumreptiles.com

Hiers Herpetoculture

This picture was taken earlier this year. It is now fully mature.
Matt

If so where did you get that snake, and any plans on breeding it?

That is definitely a sharp looking specimen. No doubt
about it. If that is the same animal that was brought to the
wildlife park in the Northern Territory as a juvenile back in
1993, then I'd have thought that it would have been bred AT LEAST
once by now -- even assuming that a female would probably take
a year or two longer than a male to SAFELY breed her.

While there are those out there so obsessed with dollar
signs that they will risk breeding an oviparous female specimen
that is borderline in age and size, I am not one of them. I
simply will not even consider breeding a female python prior to
her having attained at least three years of age -- and then only
if she is of an appropriate size and body weight. The risk of
dystocia in an undersized female is simply a greater risk than
I am willing to take -- especially with a specimen that does
happen to be of a potentially much greater market value.

Still, I would have thought that the specimen pictured in
the Barkers' book would have been bred by now. If the beautiful
animal in your photo is the same animal, it should certainly be
of breedable age and size. I will be attempting once again to
breed my CB98 hypomelanistic and CB00 hypoxanthic female
Northwesterns (Morelia spilota variegata) this Fall. I will also
be breeding my Irian Jaya Carpets (Morelia spilota "harrisoni"
as well as several other carpet pythons in my collection.

While I do have a decent digital camera now, I'm still very
much a novice with the photography thing. I'm still more or less
experimenting as I have time. I hope to get some shots this Fall
that are of an acceptable quality and resolution. When I do
finally get some shots that I deem to be good enough, then I will
begin adding some nice photo pages to my website. Stay tuned.

Mitch Hiers
Hiers Herpetoculture -- http://www.hiersherp.com
mailto:mitch@hiersherp.com

Hiers Herpetoculture

Mitch & Pandora,
This is not my animals, but its currently being kept by a friend of mine. It is also the animal that was pictured in Barkers' book and is a fully grown, reproductive adult. Unfortunately, the Wildlife Park that it was handed in to didn't want to breed her. Fortunately, she no longer resides at the park Sorry to be so cryptic, but I'm sure you'll hear a lot more about this snake in the near future.
Matt

dear Matt,
is it possible to get a photo from this animal that i can publish in a book or in articals (in Germany)?
if you want to get in contact with me:
marc@reptilienworld.com
all the best
Marc

I was wondering about those hypos...would love to see those pics when you get them done. Good luck with your breeding attempts!
-----
Jim Kuroski

Yep! Something very interesting is certainly up with this
bloodline of Northwestern Carpet Pythons (Morelia spilota
variegata) that I have. It's just too early to tell yet exactly
what it is. Depending on the genetic properties, it may require
breedings of a couple of successive generations to determine
definitively whether these are genetically heritable mutations
(i.e., simple recessive, complex, co-dominant, etc.) or simply
interesting phenotypic variations. If these are co-dominant,
then I could know as early as next Summer. Otherwise, it could
likely take at least one more generation of breeding. No matter
what, I'll continue to pursue selective breeding with this line.

Since the old male that fathered my 1998 and 2000 clutches
died (apparently of old age) not long after breeding the mother
of those clutches in 2000, I am attempting to breed the CB98 and
CB00 females to their brothers. I will also run one of the males
back against the mother. I think that last season I just waited
too long to pair them and missed the prime window for breeding.
I assumed that they would breed later in the season because that
is what their parents had done, so I put them together late.

This season, I am putting pairs together for breeding trials
starting next week and leaving them together from October through
March except for when I separate them briefy to offer meals. The
CB98 females (including the one that appears to exhibit some form
of hypomelanism) turned 5 years old in July of this year. The
CB00s (two of which look hypoxanthic) turned 3 back in July. I
feel good about my chances this season. We'll see. May the
patron saint of herpetoculture shine upon me! Meanwhile, as soon
as I get pages created with photos of acceptable quality, I will
post them on my website and announce here when they're ready.

Mitch Hiers
Hiers Herpetoculture -- http://www.hiersherp.com
mailto:mitch@hiersherp.com

Hiers Herpetoculture