Calabar python

Calabar Python (Calabaria reinhardtii) is a type of burrowing snake found in tropical West Africa from Sierra Leone to northern Zaire. The identification of this snake is somewhat subjective, and herpetologists differ as to this snakes relationship to other pythons and boids. The Calabar Burrowing Python is currently classified with boids and is considered one of the Erycine families. They are very difficult to classify because they share characteristics with other snakes and are significantly different from other Erycines in several ways. For example, they are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs, while most other Erycines give birth to live young. Their skulls are similar in structure, to both the Ball Python and the Rubber Boa. Many herpetologists place the Calabar Python in the family Calbaridae, where it would be the only member. With this taxonomy, it would be one of the pseudoboa groups. There are other scientists who would classify this snake as a member of the Erycine or Eryx family. This is due largely to the anotomical differences between The Calabar python and other pythons in general.[1]

The Calabar Python grows to a maximum length of 1m. (3'). It has a blunt rounded head and its body is very round in profile. The body is covered in glossy smooth scales, black to dark brown in color with speckles of lighter reddish brown scales in a random pattern. The tail may be ringed or have a partial ring of bright white scales around its circumferance. The shape of the tail closely resembles that of the head which may be a defensive adaptation, meant to confuse an attacker. The body is muscular and strong but not very wide due to the snakes need to burrow easily. The head scales are very broad and adapted to burrowing and it has relatively small eyes, usually of a dark reddish brown colour. The pupil of the eye is round.

The Calabar is a burrowing (fossorial) snake, spending much of its time hidden under leaf debris on the jungle floor. It is a nest raider, seeking the burrows of mice and rats, often waiting for the parents to leave the nest where it will enter and eat a whole litter of young at a time. The Calabar uses constriction to kill its prey, but this snake has the unusual habit of using its body coils to press the young mice or rats against the walls of their nest, crushing them. If there is enough room in the rodent nest, the snake may take numerous prey items into its coils to be constricted simultaneously.

The Calabar is an oviparous snake, meaning it is reproduced from an egg. The the eggs laid by the female are relatively large, weighing as much as 30g. (1.2oz.) each. Usually only one or two eggs are laid, rarely three. This clutch may well represent half of the females body weight before laying. The young hatch after six weeks and will take food two days after hatching.

The Calabar is a very docile snake, when thretened it has a tendency to coil itself into a tight ball whith its head safely tucked in its own coils. Also it may thump its tail against the ground in a defensive posture as well, but will rarely bite in aggresion. It can be handled easily and kept as an exotic pet, and young mice and rats can be fed to it. As a tropical snake, an owner would be prudent to supply a heat source for its enclosure, as this type of snake enjoys a warm environment.

The Calabar Python is also known as; The Calabar Burrowing Python, the West African Burrowing Python, the Calabria and the West African Ground Python.