Extreme Close-Up

[Gio]

The BEST!

I think they are the KING of the nonvenomous snakes. They eat anything including other pythons! They use the tress, the ground, are large, agile and simply beautiful.

I just caught this today and I'm glad I did.

You have the most unique, large python out there IMO!

[Hannahshissyfix]

He's beautiful!

[ShaneSilva]

Wow what a cool face

[Reinz]

I love that last photo with the cow watching.

[pbyeerts]

Now THAT's a snake! . Absolutely gorgeous and HUGE


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[pbyeerts]

May I have your permission to post pics of him on my FB page? He's absolutely stunning


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[EL-Ziggy]

@ John- What size enclosure do you keep your Olive in?

[John1982]

May I have your permission to post pics of him on my FB page?

Anything I post in the internet is public domain. As long as my pictures aren't being used to cast a negative light on reptiles, I'm good with it.

[John1982]

@ John- What size enclosure do you keep your Olive in?

Pappy is in a 48x24x15, T8 from animal plastics, but he practically lives in a 17x9x9 hide. I could probably go smaller since the rest of the enclosure is basically just a pooping grounds and water bowl holder. He pokes his head out to eat/drink and when he has to use the bathroom he simply hangs his tail over the side and lets it rip. He never drops waste in the hide, which makes cleaning very convenient. I simply pull out the box(with Pappy in it) and take care of the soiled paper. The only time he fully exits is to slough his skin and then he's back in his cozy little hole. Even as a youngster, he utilized very little enclosure space. He'd have a favorite spot and stick to it except when he required food, drink, or bathroom. I'd still like to try him in an arboreal setup though. I figure if I attach hides to the bottom, middle, and top sections he might at least come out to move from one hide to the next. It's more of an experimental idea than priority though, because I'm pretty sure he'll just park in the bottom hide to be close to his water bowl.

Rereading my response, some parts might come across wrong so I'm adding this next bit. I am not trying to portray these are lazy critters that you can simply toss in a tiny box. On the contrary, Pappy is extremely active once outside the enclosure and handles/cruises rather like a reticulated python but in a more slender package. They just seem to learn their surroundings fairly quickly - for a snake - and settle into their favorite spot(s) instead of constantly cruising in futility. So here we have what might appear at first glance a benefit, something that also presents a problem. You don't need a large enclosure, relative to their size, to keep a papuan python. They are going to basically cruise around and learn their "space" then settle into one or two favorite spots to park 99% of the time. Everything might seem hunky-dory but you have to remember these are inquisitive and active outside the enclosure. If you don't have the time or inclination to bring them out frequently, for enrichment, then this is simply not the species for you.

This is what I see when I come into the reptile room. He'll watch me for a couple minutes but if he doesn't see(or smell) food he soon loses interest and heads back down:

[Reinz]

Wow, great information John. I always thought I'd need at least an 8 foot cage for one of those. Now, a Papuan may be in reach after all. Down the trail a bit that is.