The pygmy python (Antaresia perthensis) belongs to the order Squamate.

Distribution of the dwarf python.

The pygmy python is found in the Pilbara region of north-west Australia and occasionally in north-east Queensland.

Australian pygmy python (Antaresia perthensis)

Habitats of the dwarf python.

Pygmy pythons are numerous and widespread snakes in the tropical savanna and in the hottest and driest areas of Australia. These regions are characterized by very little rainfall, which usually falls during the summer season. The habitat consists of flat surface areas with sparse vegetation, which, as a rule, consists of low herbaceous bushes and low-growing eucalyptus trees.

Pygmy pythons hide in lush spinifex bushes during the day to escape the harsh Australian sun. This type of snake hides in large termite mounds, under stones, where the reptiles spend almost all daylight hours. Typically, pygmy pythons share refuge with other species of reptiles, including black-headed pythons, brown snakes, moon snakes, broad sand skinks, and spiny skinks. There is speculation that pygmy pythons visit these mounds because daytime temperatures in the sand mound can reach 38 C, which is ideal conditions for the reproduction of these snakes. Inside the mounds, pygmy pythons and other snakes intertwine with each other in the form of large balls. At this time, pythons rest and escape from overheating.

External signs of a dwarf python.

Pygmy pythons are the smallest pythons in the world, measuring only about 60 cm and weighing 200 g. When they emerge from their eggs, these tiny snakes are only about 17 cm long and weigh 4 grams. Females are slightly larger than males. The head is short and wedge-shaped, the body is thick, with developed muscles. The dorsal side is usually a dark red brick color and patterned. Pattern in the form of four black marks. As a rule, patterns and colors are brighter in young snakes, sometimes the pattern disappears completely as pythons mature. On the ventral side of the body the color is creamy white.


All pythons, including pygmy pythons, move forward in a straight line. This method of movement is achieved due to the rigidity of their ribs, which provides reliable support for the body, helping to move forward. Thus, pygmy pythons crawl on the ground and trees.

Reproduction of the dwarf python.

Like most small snakes, pygmy pythons exhibit mating behavior where several males and females intertwine in a ball. This reaction is believed to be the result of the female's pheromones. Females release pheromones in response to a decrease in temperature environment. The male's reproductive organ is a bifurcated hemipenes, which is hidden in the tail. Dwarf python eggs develop at sufficient temperatures, which is important for breeding.

If the development of embryos occurs at insufficient temperatures, then many eggs do not develop or snakes emerge from them with a congenital defect, such as spinal kyphosis. Lower incubation temperatures may also result in abnormalities such as blackening or discoloration. To assist in the development process, the female dwarf python uses a small egg tooth located in front, it helps to break through the dense shell of the eggs so that the embryos receive the oxygen necessary for respiration. Caring for the offspring of dwarf pythons is expressed in the fact that female pythons wrap themselves around the clutch to protect the eggs while they develop. As soon as young snakes appear, they immediately become independent.

Pygmy pythons live more than 25 years in the wild. In captivity, the age is somewhat shorter, up to 20 years.

Diet of the dwarf python.

Pygmy pythons kill prey by constricting it in the coils of their body. Although constrictions involve continuous compression, they actually occur periodically. Since muscle contraction requires a large number of energy, then contracting muscles at intervals allows you to save energy. In this case, the python does not immediately release the strangled victim, but again very quickly squeezes it if it continues to resist.

Pygmy pythons, night hunters. Hunting at night helps them avoid the extreme temperatures that occur in dry areas during the day. They use smell to track their prey, using their forked tongue to “taste” the air, and the information received is transmitted to the Jacobson’s organ in the oral cavity. The forked tongue of pythons is both an organ of smell and taste; it is in constant motion, determining the presence of various particles in the air, soil and water, thus determining the presence of prey or predators. In addition, snakes have IR-sensitive receptors in the deep grooves between the nostrils and the eye. These structures allow reptiles to "see" the radiated heat of mammals.

Pygmy pythons detect the approach of other animals by weak vibrations in the air and on the soil.

Their diet changes with age, with young snakes typically feeding on small reptiles, including geckos and skinks. As they grow older, their diet shifts towards eating small mammals, such as those that snakes catch in an amazing way. Pygmy pythons crawl onto an ambush-friendly ledge at the entrance to a cave and attack bats when they take off or fly in.

Adult snakes also feed on amphibians. Digestion of food almost always begins when a snake swallows a prey, because saliva and gastric juice, which completely covers the prey, contain strong enzymes that break down food. The duration of digestion strongly depends on the size of the prey and the type of prey caught, sometimes big catch The dwarf python digests for several days, crawling into a secluded place.

Meaning for a person.

Pygmy pythons are not aggressive snakes, therefore they are in demand as pets. They adapt well to conditions in captivity and are not demanding of special housing and feeding conditions.

Threats to the dwarf python.

Pygmy pythons are distributed throughout natural environment a habitat. The only serious threat that poses a danger to this species of snakes is death under the wheels of cars, since pythons often cross roads during peak hours of the working day. In addition, dwarf pythons are the subject of smuggling, and attempts to export this species illegally outside Australia have become more frequent. These actions are classified as crimes, punishable by large fines and prison sentences.

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Opossum (in Latin - belongs to the family of mammals, a species of marsupials. The animal represents the very ancient and most specific marsupials. They presumably appeared at the end Cretaceous period. Now all available opossums live in the New World. After the appearance of the isthmus that connected South America with North America, most of the marsupials disappeared. In competition with animals moving from the north, only opossums managed to survive. Close relative opossums from America - the rat possum. Also distinguished are the pygmy, Australian, and Virginia opossum.

The animal itself is small in size. Length 7.5-50 cm, tail 5-56 cm. The muzzle is pointed and elongated. The tail is sometimes completely, and sometimes only at the end, bare, exciting, and sometimes at the base it is enlarged with fatty deposits. The body is covered with small but thick fur, the color of which changes from gray with yellowish-brown to black. The limbs are short, five-fingered. The rear paws are better developed than the front paws. Has 50 teeth.

Where do opossums live?

Habitats range from southeastern Canada to Argentina and the Antilles. Forests, semi-desert and steppe zones- their favorite habitats. Less common in highlands. In nature, there is a species of aquatic opossum. The animal is most active at night. Leads a solitary lifestyle, except during mating time.

Features of behavior.

The tail serves as the opossum's fifth leg; it often hangs upside down on it.
Animals are omnivores or insectivores. Interesting fact is that the opossum is a good artist. If he is scared, he immediately lies down on the ground and pretends to be dead. At the same time, he foams at the mouth, his eyes glaze over, and a foul-smelling secretion releases from the anal glands. Such a sophisticated trick often saves the life of the animal.

Maintenance at home.

It is better to start before 2 months of age.
The opossum is a small but active animal. He requires a lot of space and needs a spacious cage in which he will warm up.
The opossum needs company. therefore, if there is only one possum living in the house, the owners are forced to take on the role of a companion. But if you have two animals, the cage should be larger. It is better to start before 2 months of age.

And now the best part - the photo gallery. Opossums are many different animals.

What claws!

This is how opossums are born. Unique photo.

Photo. Female opossums carry their babies.

And yet, take your time and be sure to watch an interesting documentary « Wonderful nature. Episode 9. Possums.»

IN Australian Zoo Taronga this year over 20 cubs of the so-called dwarf flying couscous(Acrobates pygmaeus). This is the smallest of the flying marsupial mammals, and among other mammals it is one of the smallest. In size, this animal as an adult is only 6.5-8 cm long and weighs 10-14 g.

Recently, 12 female dwarf flying cuscus gave birth at the zoo, and now they are raising their young together. It is curious that in the last stages of pregnancy, in females, the abdomen becomes so large that it becomes very difficult for them to move, that is, the cubs are born quite large relative to the mother’s body. In fact, they are born no larger than a grain of rice, and litters usually contain 2 to 4 babies. But for such a small animal this is a burden.

In order not to disturb mothers with babies, keepers have not yet examined them and therefore do not know exactly how many cubs were born. They only give an approximate number of about 20.

Keeper Rob Dockerill is proud to say that Taronga Zoo was the first to deliberately breed these tiny cuscus and the babies born are the most large group simultaneous appearance of offspring over many years. The zoo began breeding dwarf flying cuscus in 1988 and over the past ten years, over 200 babies have been born.

The pygmy flying cuscus is also called the pygmy flying possum or simply the pygmy flying squirrel. English name This animal - feathertail glider - literally translates as "feather-tailed glider".

About the number of existing individuals of a given species in wildlife nothing is known for sure, but it is common enough that it is not considered a rare or endangered species. Nevertheless, it is obvious that their situation is difficult, since they have many predatory enemies from foxes to cats, and the forests where they live are being reduced due to logging.

A group of dwarf flying cuscus live in an enclosure in the zoo's Australian Nightlife Exhibit. nightlife). They mainly live on eucalyptus trees and feed on insect larvae and sweet plant sap.

When it gets cold, they can fall into torpor, and their body temperature can drop to 2°C. Numbness can last up to 2 weeks.



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Australian pygmy or spotted python
(Antaresia maculosa)

Family Boas or pseudopods (Boidae)
Subfamily Pythons (Pithoninae)
Genus Australian dwarf pythons (Antaresia)
Size: length varies from 80 to 140 centimeters.
Degree of toxicity: non-toxic.

A small snake that lives in the northern regions of Australia.
The common color of the snake is dark brown, chocolate, light brown or olive with small spots. Timid by nature, pythons make ideal pets. Their calmness, good disposition and small size

attract breeders. They serve as food small mammals , lizards and birds. Having caught its prey, the python throws its rings over it and squeezes them until the victim stops breathing. The snake then calmly swallows the dead prey, starting from the head. Typically, the prey of these snakes are rodents and even the bats
who are approaching their shelters. Reptiles choose caves and rocks as their homes, but there must certainly be water nearby. Average duration

The lifespan of spotted pythons in the wild is 20-30 years. In captivity, life expectancy depends on proper care.

A female spotted python lays up to 15 eggs. She carefully wraps herself around the masonry and warms it, contracting the muscles. Before the cubs hatch, the female does not eat anything for three months. Juveniles often bite, although adults practically do not bite.
Snake nurse
Are there many miracles in the world? Enough! Let us also add to them an unusual snake, which is in the care of the owls.
This service is used by very unusual representatives of the owl kingdom - these are North American owls. These are small birds with rusty or dark gray plumage with a complex pattern. The head is “decorated” with a pair of ears, which are only extensions of feathers and are not related to the auditory organs of owls. Rather, such ears serve as an indicator of mood: the bird can raise them vertically or press them to its head. Cutworms are primarily found in northeastern Mexico and east of the North American Rocky Mountains. They also have another, very unusual name: screech owls. When in danger, they make sounds reminiscent of a dog barking. They resemble earthworms, they are small in size, and generally do not exceed 30 centimeters. They live underground or among rocks. The diet of such snakes consists of termites and other various insects. This is what makes them attractive “collaborators” for owls. Birds carefully take these little ones out of their hiding places and carry them to their nests.
There are two not very different opinions as to what really is the reason for such population growth. Some believe that owls provide snakes with food, and they, in turn, protect the chicks and “home” from pests and hostile hunters. Despite their small size, they, as representatives of the snake kingdom, are still dangerous. Another opinion related to the reason for such cohabitation is the following: owls want to protect the prey they brought from insects. Basically, the diet of owls includes headless mice, sometimes various beetles. In order to protect their treats from insects, cutworms “invite” snakes. The latter eat the larvae of hated pests that threaten the cutworm's prey. They also eat leftover food left by the owlets, thereby maintaining cleanliness and order in the nest.
Such nurses have been found in most of the nests of these cunning birds.
Scientists were able to find out that the wards of such nannies have a higher chance of survival, and, what is no less surprising, the development of such chicks occurs much faster.

These are the unusual cohabitants found in the wild. There are about two hundred species of marsupials on planet Earth. Of these, two thirds consider Australia their homeland. This continent, due to its isolation from other continents, has preserved its own unique fauna

. The most famous Australian marsupials are the kangaroo and the koala. But there are other animals that have a fold of skin on their belly. The opossum family also belongs to these. But it's not that simple. Not all species have a bag. Plus, not all opossums live in Australia. Most of their species live only on the American continent. In this article you will learn what kind of animal the pygmy possum is. A photo of this cute baby will soften the heart even if not at all, especially when the baby sleeps confidentially in human palms.

Despite their different body structure, size, diet and lifestyle, most have one common anatomical feature. This is a bursa, which is a fold of skin on the female's abdomen. It can be either very deep or barely noticeable, opening forward or backward. Many Australian endemics are united by this anatomical feature, extinct in animal species living on other continents. But at the same time, it is found not only on the Green Continent and in but also in the South and North America. Why is this abdominal cavity needed? The fact is that marsupial babies are born underdeveloped. After all, pregnancy does not last long - 8-40 days. These are actually embryos. For example, in a kangaroo, a newborn reaches only three centimeters in length. But they are very tenacious. Newborns climb their mother's belly in search of a pouch. There they find a nipple and fall to it for many weeks. Even after reaching maturity, the young, in case of danger, seek shelter in their mother’s pouch. But opossums showed their uniqueness here too. Not all of them have bags. Some of them are equipped with a rudimentary fold, and some do not have any trace of it. For example, the pygmy possum does not have a brood pouch.

Brief description of the family

The opossum family has about eighty species. Most of them live in equatorial forests Central and South America. Outwardly, these small animals, 7-50 centimeters in size, resemble mice or rats. Moreover, some species have a bare, hairless tail. However, unlike rodents, this appendage plays a very important role in the life of the animal. Opossums use their tails to cling to tree branches and use them to “steer” when jumping. Sometimes it is thickened at the base with fat deposits. Opossums most often live in treetops, but there are species that lead a terrestrial or semi-aquatic lifestyle. They mainly feed on insects, but there are also those whose food is nectar from flowers. The pygmy possum (Marmosa murina), also called the Aenean mouse, lives in trees in tropical forests between the Amazon and Orinoco rivers. These animals are active at dusk.

Despite the name, this is not the smallest member of the family. Its length can reach up to 31 centimeters, of which more than half is the grasping bare tail. The fur coat of the animal is yellowish-gray on top, and the belly is a lighter color. As already mentioned, this species of opossum does not have a pouch. The animal lives in the crowns of trees - in hollows, voids under the bark. The Aenean mouse is truly omnivorous. Doesn't disdain bird eggs. But most of all she loves fruits, as well as a variety of crickets and other insects. The lifespan of this mouse reaches eight years. The female brings 10-12 cubs to the litter. For lack of a bag, the babies simply hang on her nipples. And when the cubs grow a little, they move onto their mother’s back.

Other species of pygmy possums

This tiny animal can be called an elf. It feeds exclusively on flower nectar and fruits, like a moth. Meet the eastern pygmy possum, or dormouse. Its length is 12 centimeters, and eight of them are the tail. Dormice are active in summer and inactive in winter, which is why they received their second nickname. When the opossum is well fed, it deposits fat at the base of its tail. The bare-tailed possum, which lives in Brazil, Argentina and Peru, is also a dwarf. It does not have a bag, and its body length reaches 15 centimeters. And the Chuck opossum is considered the record holder among Lilliputians. The length of his body is only 68 millimeters.

In fact, these small animals are a completely different family - Burramyidae. And they call them possums. This name was given to the animals by James Cook, who described a representative of the species during the discovery of Queensland. The captain, far from biology, compared the new animal with the American opossum he knew. But in his notes he made a blot: he missed the initial letter “o”. This is how the name “possum” stuck to the Australian animal. Scientists now identify five species of the Burramyidae family. They are found in eastern Australia and New Guinea. Of these, only one species - mountain couscous - flows into hibernation. The Australian pygmy possum has a well-defined, forward-opening pouch. This animal has small rounded ears and a long, prehensile tail.