Green Tree Python - Morelia viridis
Habitat:
Rainforests, bushes, shrubs
Range:
Found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia
Activity Cycle:
Ground forage at night and sleep during the day
Features:
The color pattern is vivid green with a broken vertebral stripe of white or dull yellow. Spots of the same color, or blue spots, may be scattered over the body.
Size:
Adults average 3-4 feet in length, with a maximum grow to about 7 ft.
Social Structure:
Solitary
Diet:
The diet consists of small mammals, such as rodents, and sometimes reptiles.
Reproduction:
12-25 eggs per clutch. The eggs are incubated and protected by the female, often in the hollow of a tree. Hatchlings are usually lemon yellow with broken stripes and spots of purple and brown, although golden or orange individuals may appear in the same clutch.
Status:
Endangered in native countries where old growth forests are being wiped out. Listed as "least concern" according to the IUCN and "Appendix II" on CITES.
Interesting Facts:
- they loop a coil or two over the branches in a saddle position and place their head in the middle
- hatchlings can change color rapidly
- can notice slight temperature changes
Socialize
