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Children's Python (Antaresia childreni)

The children’s python is a small, non-venomous, nocturnal python that occurs across northern Australia, including woodlands, forests, rocky outcrops, caves and dry inland areas. On development sites, individuals may shelter in hollow timber, abandoned burrows, caves and crevices, and females may be found coiled around eggs.

Conservation status

New South Wales, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Vulnerable.

Breeding season

Children’s pythons mate mainly from autumn to winter, lay eggs in spring, and hatchlings appear from late spring to early summer. Clearing risk is highest from egg laying through hatching, with additional risk around concealed females and young in shelters.

Reproductive mode: Egg-laying

Clutch size: Usually 7 to 20 eggs; other sources report 10 to 12, 7 to 15, or up to 25 eggs.

Incubation: Approximately 42 to 66 days; other sources report about 50 days or seven weeks.

Size at hatching: Approximately 22 to 30 cm long and 8.2 g; other sources report about 25 to 30 cm.

Age at maturity: Typically about 3 years for females and 2 years for males, based on colloquial reports and dependent on body size.

Nest or egg sites: Burrows, termite mounds and root boles. Females may also use concealed shelters, including hollows, caves and crevices.

Breeding frequency: Not recorded

Confirm timing locally before clearing, particularly because rainfall, temperature and regional climate can shift activity, mating and egg-laying dates across Australia.

  • Mating: Courtship and mating are reported from April to August. Mating is most often described for May to July, with June and July identified in captive breeding accounts.
  • Gravid females: Females are reported gravid in late July and August, often becoming reclusive and basking with the belly exposed. Egg laying follows from September to November, so females carrying eggs may also be present during this period.
  • Egg laying: Egg laying is reported from September to November, with several sources specifying September and October. Reported clutches range from 7 to 20 eggs, with up to 25 also recorded.
  • Incubation: Eggs are incubated for approximately 42 to 66 days, or about seven weeks. Eggs laid in September to November therefore remain in the clutch from spring into early summer, with some late clutches potentially extending into January.
  • Hatchlings: Hatching is reported in December, with incubation of late spring clutches potentially extending into January. Hatchlings are approximately 22 to 30 cm long, and maternal care ends when the young disperse.
  • Active period: In the Darwin region, peak activity occurs from February to April, when the species is more often encountered in open grassland and plains. Children’s pythons are predominantly terrestrial and nocturnal, and activity can reduce during cooler or drier periods.
  • Highest clearing risk: Risk is highest from September to December, when females lay eggs, clutches are being brooded in concealed sites, and the first hatchlings emerge. Late clutches may remain present into January, and clearing should also check hollow timber, burrows, termite mounds, root boles, caves and crevices.

Identification

Children’s pythons are small-bodied snakes with a relatively plain adult pattern and darker blotches. They are most likely to be detected during nocturnal searches or when habitat features such as hollow timber, burrows, caves and rock crevices are disturbed.

Adults are usually light to reddish brown and paler on the lower sides. The body has numerous dark blotches with smooth edges and a roughly circular shape. Patterning is often more prominent in juveniles and may be weak or absent in adults.

The species grows to about 1 m, although individuals are typically around 75 cm. The supplied documents do not provide weight ranges, sex-specific measurements or reliable field measurements for separating males and females.

Maximum length: Up to 1 m

Typical length: About 75 cm

Weight: Not stated in the supplied documents

Identification: Field separation

The supplied documents do not provide a comparison with similar Antaresia species or other small snakes. Identification should therefore use the combination of small size, light to reddish-brown colour, dark smooth-edged rounded blotches, and the habitat and geographic information available for the site.

The snake is non-venomous and has heat-sensitive pits along the jaw. It constricts prey before swallowing it whole.

  • Record clear photographs of the head, dorsal pattern, side pattern and overall length where safe to do so.
  • Do not handle an unidentified snake solely on the assumption that it is a children’s python.

Identification: Field signs

No species-specific information is provided on tracks, scats, calls, eyeshine or sloughs. As a snake, it may leave a shed skin, but the supplied documents do not describe diagnostic features of children’s python sloughs.

Egg clutches and a female tightly coiled around eggs are the most distinctive breeding signs described in the supplied material.

  • Inspect hollow timber, abandoned burrows, caves, crevices and rocky shelter before they are removed or filled.
  • Treat an egg clutch or a tightly coiled python as a potential breeding site and obtain advice from the project ecologist or fauna spotter catcher before disturbance.

Distribution: National range

The supplied distribution information places the species mainly across northern Australia. It does not provide mapped bioregion limits, population estimates, stronghold boundaries or population trends.

The species is reported from the extreme north of Western Australia and the Northern Territory, north-eastern Queensland, and some islands in the Torres Strait.

It occurs from coastal woodlands and forests through to the dry centre, including outcrops and escarpments. The supplied documents do not identify particular IBRA bioregions.

States and territories mentioned: Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland

Offshore locations mentioned: Some Torres Strait islands

Bioregions: Not stated in the supplied documents

Distribution: Population information

The supplied documents do not provide a national population size, local density, confirmed strongholds, subpopulation boundaries or population trend.

The provided project information records the species as not listed under the EPBC Act and Vulnerable in New South Wales. The Queensland Government source lists it as Least Concern in Queensland.

Estimated population size: Not stated

Population trend: Not stated

Queensland status: Least Concern

Habitat: Habitat types

Children’s pythons use a wide range of terrestrial habitats in northern Australia. They require access to shelter and suitable prey, but the supplied documents do not quantify vegetation structure, elevation limits or home-range size.

Recorded habitat types include coastal woodlands, forests, dry inland areas, rocky outcrops and escarpments. The species may also occur around caves and other rocky features.

The supplied information does not name particular vegetation communities or provide elevation limits.

Vegetation and habitat: Coastal woodlands, forests and dry-centre habitats

Rocky habitat: Outcrops, escarpments, caves and crevices

Elevation limit: Not stated

Habitat: Structural features

Important structural features include hollow timber, abandoned burrows, caves and crevices. These features can provide shelter and may be encountered during clearing, earthworks, rock removal or demolition of old timber structures.

The supplied documents do not give minimum hollow dimensions, burrow dimensions, ground-cover density or required distances between shelter features.

  • Map and inspect hollow timber, old burrows, caves, crevices, outcrops and escarpment edges before clearing.
  • Retain suitable shelter features where practicable and inspect material before it is chipped, buried, relocated or removed from site.

Foraging habitat: Diet

The children’s python is a nocturnal ambush predator that generally hunts on the ground. It uses a broad prey base and can also exploit caves when taking microbats.

Recorded prey includes small mammals, birds and reptiles. Microbats are also taken.

The species uses heat-sensitive pits along the jaw to locate warm-blooded prey. It constricts prey before swallowing it whole.

Main prey groups: Small mammals, birds, reptiles and microbats

Feeding method: Constriction followed by whole-prey ingestion

Foraging habitat: Foraging locations

The species prefers to remain on the ground while hunting at night. It may also forage in caves, where it can hang from stalactites and seize microbats flying past.

The supplied documents do not provide foraging distances, home-range size, prey densities or seasonal changes in diet.

  • Retain connectivity between shelter features and surrounding woodland, forest, rocky habitat and other areas that support small vertebrate prey.
  • Include caves and rocky crevices in nocturnal fauna assessments where they occur within or beside a project area.

Breeding habitat: Breeding biology

Children’s pythons are egg-laying pythons. The female remains with the clutch until hatching, and maternal brooding supports egg water balance and viability.

Females lay eggs and remain tightly coiled around the clutch until hatching. This behaviour provides protection and reduces water loss from the eggs.

The supplied documents do not provide the mating months, clutch size, incubation duration, age at maturity, lifespan or a quantified breeding-site requirement.

Breeding mode: Egg-laying

Breeding season: Not stated in the supplied documents

Clutch size: Not stated in the supplied documents

Incubation period: Not stated in the supplied documents

Age at maturity: Not stated in the supplied documents

Lifespan: Not stated in the supplied documents

Breeding habitat: Breeding-site features

The documents identify the clutch and the brooding female as the key breeding features. Brooding can reduce or possibly eliminate evaporative water loss from the clutch, and egg viability is sensitive to humidity.

The supplied material does not identify a particular vegetation community, substrate type, shelter dimension or distance from water required for egg laying.

  • Stop work around any suspected egg clutch and arrange assessment by an appropriately experienced fauna professional.
  • Maintain suitable shelter and stable site conditions around a clutch until the breeding event has been assessed and managed.

Sheltering habitat: Known refuges

Shelter is provided by existing cavities and rocky features rather than by a documented purpose-built nest. These features should be treated as potential fauna habitat during site preparation.

Children’s pythons may take over abandoned burrows or hide in hollow timber. They may also shelter in trees, caves and crevices.

The supplied documents do not provide refuge dimensions, preferred cavity heights, burrow depths, tree diameter thresholds or information on seasonal refuge use.

Refuge types: Abandoned burrows, hollow timber, trees, caves and crevices

Refuge dimensions: Not stated in the supplied documents

  • Inspect hollow timber, abandoned burrows, caves, crevices and trees before clearing or relocating habitat material.
  • Use staged clearing and fauna spotter catcher supervision where these features cannot be retained.

Sheltering habitat: Breeding refuge

A brooding female coils tightly around her eggs and may remain with them until hatching. This makes a concealed clutch, or a python tightly coiled in a cavity or other shelter, a high-priority inspection finding during clearing.

  • Do not move a coiled female or disturb an egg clutch without a species-appropriate relocation or protection plan.
  • Check felled timber and disturbed rock or soil for snakes and eggs before processing or disposal.

Threats: Clearing and construction

The supplied documents do not present a formal threat assessment for children’s python. For project planning, the main direct risks are the removal of known shelter and breeding features, and injury or mortality during clearing and construction.

Clearing can remove hollow timber, abandoned burrows, caves, crevices, trees, outcrops and escarpment habitat used for shelter or breeding.

Earthworks, rock removal, trenching, stockpiling and timber processing can injure snakes or destroy concealed refuges and egg clutches.

  • Complete pre-clearing searches focused on hollow timber, burrows, caves, crevices, rocky outcrops and escarpments.
  • Use fauna spotter catcher supervision during habitat removal and inspect felled timber before it is moved or processed.
  • Protect any detected female and clutch from vibration, direct disturbance and removal until an ecologist has assessed the site.

Threats: Fragmentation and roads

The supplied documents do not quantify the effects of fragmentation, roads or vehicle mortality on this species. Because the snake hunts on the ground and uses dispersed shelter features, retain habitat connections and manage vehicle movements through occupied habitat as general project practice.

  • Avoid unnecessary vehicle movements through retained woodland, rocky habitat and areas containing known refuges.
  • Maintain links between retained shelter features and surrounding foraging habitat where practicable.

Threats: Fire, predators and disease

The supplied documents do not describe fire effects, predator impacts, disease risks or hydrology-change impacts for children’s python. They also do not identify a species-specific disease, predator or fire threshold.

Avoid making assumptions about these pressures without site-specific assessment, particularly where fire, altered drainage or changed humidity could affect caves, burrows, rocky crevices or breeding refuges.

Survey methodology: 1. Habitat assessment and targeted searches

The supplied sources describe the children’s python as a nocturnal, non-venomous snake that uses burrows, hollow timber, trees, caves and crevices. They do not provide a formal Australian survey guideline, standard survey effort or detection probability for project assessments.

Before clearing, inspect proposed disturbance areas and retained habitat for abandoned burrows, hollow timber, caves, rock crevices, trees and escarpment or outcrop habitat.

Record habitat features that could provide shelter or hunting opportunities, including areas connected to coastal woodland, forest or dry-country habitat.

Search effort, survey area and timing should be set by a qualified ecologist after reviewing the proposed footprint, local records, season and access constraints because the supplied sources do not prescribe standard effort.

Adult length: Up to 1 m, typically around 75 cm

Shelter and habitat features: Abandoned burrows, hollow timber, trees, caves, crevices, outcrops and escarpments

  • Inspect burrows, hollow timber, caves and crevices where they can be safely accessed.
  • Do not enter confined spaces or handle an animal unless the person is authorised, trained and working under the project fauna management plan.

Survey methodology: 2. Nocturnal spotlighting

Use nocturnal spotlighting as a targeted method because the children’s python is described as nocturnal and usually hunts on the ground.

Prioritise ground searches near burrows, hollow timber, caves, crevices and retained woodland or forest edges, while also checking trees and cave entrances where access is safe.

The supplied sources do not specify the number of nights, hours per night, transect length, weather conditions or area to be surveyed. Record the actual dates, start and finish times, route, conditions, observers and search effort.

Activity period: Nocturnal

Typical hunting position: Usually on the ground

  • Search slowly enough to detect a snake on the ground, in a shelter entrance or in a tree or cave feature.
  • Record every observation with location, time, habitat feature, behaviour and photographs where this can be done without disturbance.

Survey methodology: 3. Breeding and egg-related checks

Treat a coiled female or a clutch of eggs as a high-sensitivity find during searches and clearing.

Female children’s pythons remain coiled around eggs until hatching. Brooding reduces clutch evaporative water loss and improves egg viability, so do not disturb a brooding female or move eggs without direction from the project ecologist and relevant wildlife authority.

Maternal behaviour: The female remains coiled around the eggs until hatching

Brooding function: It promotes egg water balance and supports egg viability

  • Mark the location and establish a no-entry area around a brooding female or clutch until the fauna ecologist confirms the management response.
  • Record the female, eggs, shelter feature, temperature or humidity observations if measured, and all decisions made.

Survey methodology: Minimum effort and reporting

The supplied documents do not define minimum survey effort for this species.

  • Use a qualified ecologist to document the search area, target habitat, dates, times, observers, method, weather and actual effort.
  • Submit confirmed records to the relevant state wildlife database and retain the record submission reference in the project file.
  • Report the species name as Antaresia childreni and distinguish live animals, carcasses, eggs and signs where identification allows.
  • Use the current state or territory survey and fauna-handling requirements for the project location.

Before habitat disturbance: Avoid and minimise

Plan works around the species’ shelter features, nocturnal activity and egg-brooding behaviour. The available information supports retaining suitable shelter and hunting habitat, but it does not provide species-specific buffer distances or a breeding calendar.

Retain abandoned burrows, hollow timber, caves, crevices, outcrops, escarpments and suitable trees wherever practicable.

Retain connected patches of woodland, forest and dry-country habitat within and beside the project area where practicable.

Do not nominate a buffer distance from a shelter, clutch or brooding female unless it has been set by the project ecologist, approval conditions or the relevant wildlife authority.

  • Map habitat features before finalising the clearing footprint.
  • Keep access tracks, laydown areas and stockpiles away from retained shelter features where practicable.
  • Avoid removing shelter features simply because they are not occupied during one inspection.

Before habitat disturbance: Approvals and work planning

Confirm the current Commonwealth, state or territory listing, approval triggers, permits and fauna-handling requirements before work starts.

Prepare a fauna management plan that identifies the qualified fauna spotter catcher, escalation contacts, handling limits, release arrangements and stop-work triggers.

Stage clearing so that retained habitat and escape routes remain available while each work area is checked and released.

  • Check whether the proposed action requires an EPBC Act referral or approval and obtain any required state or territory permits.
  • Set work timing with the ecologist because the supplied sources do not identify a species-specific breeding season.
  • Include a procedure for a female with eggs, an active clutch, injured animals and animals found inside machinery or materials.

Before habitat disturbance: Site preparation

Complete the pre-clearance survey using the approved method and inspect the habitat features identified during the desktop and field assessment.

Mark retained trees, hollow timber, burrows, caves, crevices, outcrops and exclusion areas before machinery enters the work zone.

Use exclusion fencing only where it will not block access to retained habitat, trap animals or create a greater risk during clearing.

Appearance: Usually light to reddish brown, with dark blotches that are smooth edged and roughly circular

Venom: Non-venomous

  • Brief all operators on the species’ appearance, nocturnal activity, shelter features and the stop-work process.
  • Remove or relocate materials that could trap a snake before the daily work area is released.
  • Check that fauna spotter catchers have safe access and a clear view of the clearing face.

During habitat disturbance: Daily clearing controls

Use a controlled, staged clearing process with the fauna spotter catcher present. Give particular attention to shelter features and any female that may be brooding eggs.

Inspect the active work area at the start of each shift and after breaks, relocations of machinery or changes to the clearing face.

Keep machinery movement slow and controlled around marked habitat features and stop if the operator or spotter catcher loses a safe view of the work area.

Clear in stages towards retained habitat where this is safe and consistent with the approved fauna management plan.

  • Do not allow workers to enter caves, burrows, crevices or unstable timber to flush an animal.
  • Keep the spotter catcher in a position where they can direct the operator and reach the animal safely without standing beneath unstable material.
  • Maintain exclusion fencing, signs and marked no-go areas until the ecologist releases them.

During habitat disturbance: Finds, handling and relocation

If a children’s python is found, stop the immediate activity and keep people, machinery and pets away from it.

Only an authorised and appropriately trained person should handle the snake, in accordance with the permit and fauna management plan.

Relocate an uninjured animal only to suitable nearby retained habitat selected by the ecologist, such as connected habitat with shelter features. Do not release it into an unsuitable open area or across a road.

  • Photograph and record the animal before handling where this can be done safely.
  • Do not handle or move a female coiled around eggs without direction from the ecologist and relevant authority.
  • Take an injured animal to a veterinarian or authorised wildlife carer as soon as practicable, using the approved wildlife-care contact.
  • Do not attempt to feed, treat or permanently retain the animal on site.

During habitat disturbance: Stop-work triggers and records

Stop work in the immediate area if a python, clutch, brooding female or injured animal is found, or if a shelter feature becomes unstable or cannot be safely inspected.

The fauna spotter catcher and project ecologist should decide when the area can be released and whether the method, exclusion area or staging needs to change.

  • Record the date, time, location, habitat feature, animal condition, photographs, handler, action taken, release location and authority or permit reference.
  • Record all habitat features removed, retained or damaged, including hollow timber, burrows, caves, crevices, trees, outcrops and escarpments.
  • Report any unexpected mortality, injury, clutch disturbance or non-compliance to the project environmental officer and relevant authority.

After habitat disturbance: Post-clearance checks

Confirm that clearing was completed as approved and that retained habitat remains usable. The sources do not set a species-specific post-clearance monitoring period, so monitoring should follow approval conditions and the project fauna management plan.

Inspect the cleared area and retained edges for animals, injured fauna, eggs, carcasses and newly exposed burrows, hollow timber, caves or crevices.

Check that exclusion fencing, stockpiles and temporary access routes have not trapped animals or blocked movement between retained shelter features.

Have the ecologist or fauna spotter catcher release the area only after the inspection is recorded.

  • Complete a final check of each staged clearing area before removing fauna controls.
  • Reinspect retained habitat after machinery has left if vibration, collapse or material movement could have affected shelter features.
  • Update the fauna register and spatial project records with all findings and outcomes.

After habitat disturbance: Monitoring and reporting

Monitor retained and rehabilitated habitat where required by approval conditions or where the risk assessment identifies ongoing disturbance, habitat loss or injury risk.

Use the same location and observation fields as the pre-clearance and clearing records so changes can be assessed.

  • Report confirmed sightings and mortality records to the relevant state wildlife database.
  • Report management outcomes, incidents, relocations, injuries and habitat-feature losses to the project environmental officer and approval authority where required.
  • Keep fauna records, photographs, permits, release details and database submission references with the project environmental records.

Rehabilitation actions: Restore habitat features

Rehabilitation should restore shelter, hunting habitat and connectivity used by this ground-hunting, nocturnal python. The supplied sources identify habitat types and shelter features but do not nominate plant species, nest-box designs, stocking densities or monitoring targets.

Re-establish woodland or forest cover appropriate to the local ecological community and retain open access to suitable ground habitat for hunting.

Retain or reinstate hollow timber, stable logs, rocks, crevices and other shelter features where they can be placed safely and lawfully.

Rehabilitate connections between retained habitat patches, burrows, trees, caves and outcrops where practicable.

Use nest boxes only where the ecologist identifies a suitable local need and specifies a design, placement and maintenance regime.

Relevant habitat: Coastal woodlands and forests, dry centre, outcrops and escarpments

Shelter features: Abandoned burrows, hollow timber, trees, caves and crevices

  • Use locally appropriate native plant species selected for the project’s ecological community rather than applying a generic planting list.
  • Keep logs and rocks stable, with gaps that do not create unsafe traps for fauna or people.
  • Do not seal or fill an occupied burrow, cave or crevice without an approved fauna response.

Rehabilitation actions: Manage recovery and measure success

Control weeds and prevent new stockpiles, rubbish and access tracks from reducing shelter or hunting habitat.

Manage fire in accordance with the local ecological community, approval conditions and advice from the land manager, because the supplied sources do not provide a children’s python fire regime.

Set monitoring measures before works finish, including survival of plantings, retention of shelter features, connectivity, signs of animal use and any python records.

  • Inspect rehabilitation areas at the intervals required by approval conditions or the project rehabilitation plan.
  • Replace failed plantings and repair erosion, damaged logs, rocks, exclusion fencing or other habitat features identified during monitoring.
  • Submit post-rehabilitation sightings and mortality records to the relevant state wildlife database.
  • Review the rehabilitation method if monitoring shows that shelter features have been removed, access has been blocked or the site is not being used.

Sources