Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,

I have just gotten myself a very large female Papuan Olive but I can't seem to find any info on captive care. Does anyone on here have experience with them? I'm really interested in temp and humidity requirements and any info on breeding. I do plan on getting a male very soon.

I'm also rather interested in Australian Olives and was wondering if there are any breeders out there working with them right now. Any help would be great. I will try to post a pic or two of the python once she sheds.

Thanks,
Chip

I know that jaykis on this board mentioned that he's got a pair that have been breeding (back in December). I just picked up a young male from Jeff Hartwig- great animal, and very nice guy- only down side is that he's VERY busy and can be tough to get a hold of sometimes:

http://www.jeffhartwig.com/Animals for sale.htm

//Todd

Thanks for the info..I will check things out. Anyway..here is a picture of my animal I snapped a few minutes ago. Keep in mind..she is right before a shed and is WC so she shows some scars. I'm hoping the will fade as time passes.

Beautiful!!!

Sorry- forgot to mention that Jeff breeds the Aussie Olives...

//Todd

Thanks. Here are three more shots...

here is another one..

and one last one...

My male and female Papuans are both 12'. Male is CB, 20lbs, female WC, 36lbs, but long term captive. They require much higher humidity than Aussie Olives, and are prone to RI if it's not supplied. Both of mine had them this year, and the infection is gone, both taking food last night for the first time in awhile. Shedding is a good indicator of humidity for them. Full shed = adequate humidity, otherwise it looks like somebody ripped the shed off in hunks, lol. Other than humidity, care is the same for all pythons. Actually, in my opinion, I think they're closely related to Boelens, and just share a geographical (altitude)separation in NG. Time will tell. Both are hard to breed.

Aussie Olives.....easy to get to copulate, much harder to produce young. My female is still pregnant, larger male just came off his mating season "fast" last night. They don't require the humidity that the Papuans do.

Aussies are as tame as kittens....Papuans, well, I never completely trust them. Strongest snake, pound per pound I've ever dealt with. Some people say Scrubs are, but Apadoras EAT scrubs
-----
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

Thanks for the info. I would agree with you about how strong the Papuans are. My Papuan is by far the strongest snake of her size I have ever handled. Retics I have handled that were her size had NOTHING on her. As far as temperament goes...mine seems to be very docile once out of the cage..but getting her out is another deal. She resists at first and there is a lot of bluffing and hissing. She will strike a time or two..but after that fails..she is done. Her strikes are weird. They aren't full blown strikes like my retics would deliver. They seem the be.."half assed" strikes if that makes any sense. STRANGE.

The huffing and puffing is normal. They all do that and the half-hearted strikes, but at the size mine are...the one glove stays on my left hand. And when you're holding them....they want to go UP
-----
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 have colonies of both animals, and in my opinion they both are the most beautiful and entertaining of any reptile I have ever known. The biggest Olive in our collection is aroung 14 ft. The biggest Papuan is about the same, we have 4 that are over 10 feet. Needless to say with the Papuans, I will not handle them alone. They have never been agressive with me but they are too strong and it is better to play it safe then sorry.

The only bad thing about the Papuans is that the majority of them are badly scarred.

That is great about your olives, good luck with the pregnancy. Ours bred in late January, but I think it is because we live in FL. Where do you live?

Bo Tischer
RhetIII@aol.com

Hi, I have a couple of papuans too, the male is 3.2 mts, and the female 3 mts, both are WC, but LTC. I agree about their need of higher humidity, respect to other pythons ad i absolutely love their awareness and their behaviour. Mines are very territorial, but out their enclosure are relatively thrustworty. I love their faculty to change colors, and regards their territoriality, they seems to alwais avoid to bite, and their strikes are alwais a bluff. I've tried, last year, to breed them, and i witnessed a copulation, but only one time (I have posted pics on this forum). The female, however, layis no eggs. This year, i've tried again, but I've just raised temps before than planned, because female has got a stomatit and a light RI.
I hope for better results next year.
Enjoy your papuans, they are very rewarding snakes to work whit.
Cheers
Valerio.

I'm in Md., and copulation on the olives started in early Nov. Female was always "robust", as opposed to the slimmer large male. Large male just broke his mating season fast, and the smaller one just shed, so I'll try him tonight. Female spends almost all her time in the nesting box, but sometimes comes out to the cooler side of the cage.
Both my Apadoras had RI, but just took food for the first time Friday, so that seems to be done. I met someone at the local herp show who said he had an 18 footer, but I'd have to see that to believe it, and I wouldn't handle it without 2 other people. He said it's not fat, just long. I know 15 footers are not uncommon.
Mine have shown no interest in breeding...next year I'll do a long cooldown. At least the female hasn't eaten the male when I put them together. Someone has pics online of that happening to theirs.
-----
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..these are awesome animals. Anyway..as I psaid I would do..here is my girl after her shed.