Woma Python - Aspidites ramsay
HABITAT PHOTO
Woma python  Aspidites ramsayi

The Woma python has a large distribution area and throughout the woma's extensive range there are several recognized morphs. Here in the Pilbara the woma's are a genetically smaller race than other areas but possibly no smaller than the womas found from the Tanami desert area.

In the Pilbara I have found that the average weight of an adult woma in the wild to be about 550 grams. This is no doubt a direct consequence of diet e.g. lack of medium sized mammals. Observing the stomach contents of road kill woma's have shown that one of their food favorites is the Spiny Tailed monitor Varanus acanthurus.

Way further south the Woma's are huge in comparison and many specimens have weighed in at 5 kgs. These large south western Woma's often take advantage of, and inhabit rabbit warrens and regularly prey upon the previous occupants. Living in the Pilbara I have yet to see a Woma big enough to consume a rabbit and further more have never seen rabbits in the wild here.

Dr David Pearson, a science officer from the Conservation and Land Management Department, has been doing morphology work on the south western population for some time now and hopefully he will give us an insight to any conclusion or results he has come to for us to post here. There has been in the past great concern in regards to the status of the population of woma's that are found down in the south east of W.A.
These woma's are very rare and have nearly been wiped out due to introduced feral animals. It is my belief however that these Woma's are no different genetically than the Woma's found from S.A, and are very similar to the populations that are found on our south western coast. All of the Woma's found in these areas are large animals compared to our race way up north.

I will be trying to establish if there is any scalation difference in the near future. What I generally have found however, is that in lower parts of the Pilbara Woma's normally have a single loreal scale, as opposed to two or more elsewhere. In south western parts of Queensland there is a population of woma's that look different again and have by many been referred to as the Colaris woma's due to their dark coloured rings around their eyes that is often retained as an adult. Unfortunately at the present time this morph is poorly represented in captivity and besides myself and three other known reptile keepers who have a few, I am not aware of any others held legally.

Woma's generally make excellent pets and have proved to be hardy captives. Here in Western Australia however, woma's are still uncommon in captivity. Woma's are very easy to breed so hopefully in the next few years as more breeders get hold of them they will be breed in sufficient numbers to make them commonly available.