Carpet Snake

There is a magic carpet

In our ancient country house

That mostly lies unmoving

As quiet as a mouse

With blotched and mottled patterns

It stretches down the hall

And sometimes you might see it

Slither up the wall

It defends us from the carpet mouse

That spreads across the land

A carpet mouse constrictor

Is really very grand

Photo of Murray-Darling Carpet Python from Wikipedia showing the distinctive thermo-receptive pits.

Carpet snakes are widespread across Australia and the island of New Guinea but unfortunately they are not as common as they once were. There is a single species (Morelia spilota)  but seven subspecies in Australia. The one in our area is the Inland Carpet Python (subspecies metcalfei) which inhabits the Murray Darling Basin. Carpet Snakes are large pythons reaching 4 metres in length and weighing more than 15 kg. Our neighbour was very excited about a large one that had moved into a tree near his farm-house but sadly by the time we arrived there yesterday to look at it it had been killed by what is likely to be a fox. Apart from being a magnificent animal they are very useful in keeping down mice which is very important in this year of the mice plague. A carpet of mice is a very frightening sight. A distinctive feature of the Carpet Snake is the conspicuous row of thermo-receptive labial pits (underside of the mouth) which they use to detect the heat of warm-blooded prey. Like mice! Now I must be very quiet so I don't disturb the mottled rug stretching down our hall.