Woma Pythons - Anyone have one?

[medicinhed]

Interested in Womas? Anyone have stories/tips/breeders you recommend?

[NBLADE]

Interested in Womas? Anyone have stories/tips/breeders you recommend?

What was it you would like to know? They are great snakes, can be very food orientated and most bites come from them just mistaking you for food, one of my old males used to slam the prey against the side and just crush it that way rather than coil, which is apparently what they do in the wild as in burrows they can't get a coil round the prey, but my female constricts food normally.

As youngsters they are very inquisitive snakes, normally great feeders, never had a problem feeding woma, and they look great.

[medicinhed]

Any complications in husbandry? Not easy to find them 'round here.

[NBLADE]

Any complications in husbandry? Not easy to find them 'round here.

They are simple to keep really, i tend to use beech chips or dryer orchid bark, cold end around the high 70's to low 80's, with a basking area of around 90 to 92. Adults are normally ok in a 4x2x2, but i prefer to use 5fters for larger females. Not hard to keep at all, they used to be real expensive and hard to get here, but now with a lot more people successfully breeding them they have become easier to find and at a lot more reasonable price.

[kit1212]

I'm the same way I love Woma's; their coloration is so gorgeous and from what I've researched they seem like pretty straight forward snakes in terms of care and husbandry. This store in my area has a baby ( might be more of a juvenile from the size; its always coiled and in a hide when I visit) that is very pretty.

[andcad]

Shoot, sorry. I violated a forum rule. I will PM you dude.

[Desert]

Woma pythons rock. Been breeding them for years. Here are a coupla photos to share.

[medicinhed]

How long do they retain their orange head? What are price ranges? I'd prefer to not obsess over this breed, but it's high up on the list on acquisitions. I know what to look for in BPs and BRBs. What do you look for in a WP ? Thx!

[Desert]

The head stays orange throughout life. Regarding what to look for, they are quite variable in appearance, so it is a matter of personal taste. Thin bands, wide bands, dark bands, light bands, almost no bands. Brown, gold, yellow, red, they've got it all. They are a fantastic snake.

[medicinhed]

Cool. Thank you. I'm dialing in an empty 55 terrarium. And looking around for one. I just heard great things about temperament and easy feeding. Any idea why they seem relatively hard to find? As compared to other reptiles in the pet trade I mean.

[Desert]

Cool. Thank you. I'm dialing in an empty 55 terrarium. And looking around for one. I just heard great things about temperament and easy feeding. Any idea why they seem relatively hard to find? As compared to other reptiles in the pet trade I mean.

Their temperament is noteworthy, as is their feeding response! I think people tend to mistake the former for the latter.

re pet trade
The reason is because they probably don't qualify as a pet trade animal in the first place. For example, compare them with the ball python fundamentals--

Unlike ball pythons, Woma pythons are not exported by the range country. So zero pet trade imports.

Compared to people breeding ball pythons, there are just a microfraction of people working with Woma pythons on a serious level.

Woma pythons, compared to ball pythons, are a relatively poorly known animal amongst the reptile community. There just aren't enough of them around to garner the same attention as that caused by the entry of large numbers into the pet trade.

[medicinhed]

Great response. Super informed. Thank you. The herp store in my town has a male with a scar on its neck. Will scars shed out or is it perm? Better to get a hatchling or jive then an adult? What are reasonable prices? I think you mentioned you a breeder? Could you pm me info? Or if it is not a rule breaker for the forum, maybe you could post it here? Thx again.

[smoothie4l]

I have a Woma~!
They are amazing animals to work with, although mine is a little on the aggressive side and has some difficulty feeding. But I'm sure that's just my individual..
It doesn't really matter what age, what ever you want. And the breeder I got my snake from tried to sell her for $600 but I got the price down to $350. (which I thought was more fair)

Just make sure where ever you're getting you're new snake, that it's not wild caught and look out for strange bumbs and the such..

[Aaron_S]

I have a Woma~!
They are amazing animals to work with, although mine is a little on the aggressive side and has some difficulty feeding. But I'm sure that's just my individual..
It doesn't really matter what age, what ever you want. And the breeder I got my snake from tried to sell her for $600 but I got the price down to $350. (which I thought was more fair)

Just make sure where ever you're getting you're new snake, that it's not wild caught and look out for strange bumbs and the such..

This species is from Australia. There are no wild caught specimens outside of that Continent.

Anyway, I think you got a smokin' deal on this one if it's a female.

[digizure]

I just bought two females and I'm still looking for a breeder with various pattern/color woma pythons. Does anybody know where I can find the "uncommon" womas? Thanks!

[Aaron_S]

I just bought two females and I'm still looking for a breeder with various pattern/color woma pythons. Does anybody know where I can find the "uncommon" womas? Thanks!

I don't think they exist. If they do, probably only in Australia.

[Starbuck]

Nice thread! I've been considering a woma as my next snake, and almost everything i've read mentions that crazy feeding response :)
All the woma's I have seen for sale here in NY have a very dark almost black nose/mask, and the 'orange' of the head is far less distinct. I have also seen very young snakes for less than 100$, at expos, from well established sellers with good references.

[smy_749]

Nice thread! I've been considering a woma as my next snake, and almost everything i've read mentions that crazy feeding response :)
All the woma's I have seen for sale here in NY have a very dark almost black nose/mask, and the 'orange' of the head is far less distinct. I have also seen very young snakes for less than 100$, at expos, from well established sellers with good references.

Time is money :-P, and so is feeding. So many people are shocked when they see the difference between adults and juvies, I was one of them. I thought that a baby would be more expensive, because its almost like buying "new" and older ones were "used" lol....stupid I know but alot of people think this way.

[Starbuck]

i think the most expensive womas ive seen have been proven/gravid/retired breeders, at around 600$. I also think they are becoming a bit more popular, as I have seen many more at more recent expos, from new sellers as well. It used to be you would maybe see ONE or TWO large animals, now its not uncommon for a dozen or so tables to have babies of various ages. I think one of the best parts of snake keeping is watching them grow :)

[digizure]

Yeah, they DO have them in Australia but I am sure that some people in the US have them too. It's just a matter of time before I find them. :)

[Aaron_S]

Yeah, they DO have them in Australia but I am sure that some people in the US have them too. It's just a matter of time before I find them. :)

I doubt it since all the other morph stuff isn't here but good luck.

[digizure]

Oh ye of little faith.

[millertime89]

Ben Rennick has a couple lines he's working on, and there are several people here with the contacts in Oz to legally import stuff if you're willing to pay a high enough price. But mostly its just line bred stuff. Although there is some seemingly polygenic stuff popping up.

[red ink]

Ben Rennick has a couple lines he's working on, and there are several people here with the contacts in Oz to illegally import stuff if you're willing to pay a high enough price. But mostly its just line bred stuff. Although there is some seemingly polygenic stuff popping up.

Fixed it for you mate.... No such thing as legal exports for the pet trade. If a zoological permits are being "abused" to supply the pet trade I'm sure the Australian govt would love to know if you care to name them.

[Aaron_S]

Fixed it for you mate.... No such thing as legal exports for the pet trade. If a zoological permits are being "abused" to supply the pet trade I'm sure the Australian govt would love to know if you care to name them.

Why would he? To him it's all "legal". He won't be able to get his "legal" animals anymore and be the "cool guy".

[Zincubus]

Any complications in husbandry? Not easy to find them 'round here.

I've had a couple of youngster a while back and recall the breeder telling me that they couldn't tolerate any kind of moisture and to treat them like desert snakes .... not certain that he was correct , though I did follow his advice for the short time I had them .

[Desert]

Woma pythons can get infections if humidity drops too low, such as during dry cold winters in the midwest or deserts. If you're uncomfortably dry, then they probably are too. I simply keep ambient relative humidity at 40-50 percent.

[millertime89]

Why would he? To him it's all "legal". He won't be able to get his "legal" animals anymore and be the "cool guy".

I don't have anything straight from Oz, and plenty of people know who the guy is and what he does. No big secret. Its how rough scaled pythons became available in the states, Kameron from Bushmaster.
edit: and Inland carpets, and albino carpets, and a few other random things that I know I'm forgetting know.

[mygabriella]

I have a male. They are awesome, very docile. Agressive eaters though!!

[Aaron_S]

I don't have anything straight from Oz, and plenty of people know who the guy is and what he does. No big secret. Its how rough scaled pythons became available in the states, Kameron from Bushmaster.
edit: and Inland carpets, and albino carpets, and a few other random things that I know I'm forgetting know.

Doesn't make it legal as you claim.

Speeding is illegal and everybody does it. Doesn't make it legal.

[KORBIN5895]

I think I am getting a pair!

[millertime89]

Doesn't make it legal as you claim.

Speeding is illegal and everybody does it. Doesn't make it legal.

Keep telling yourself whatever you need tot o sleep at night Skippy.

[digizure]

How did the woma get here in the first place?

[KORBIN5895]

Fixed it for you mate.... No such thing as legal exports for the pet trade. If a zoological permits are being "abused" to supply the pet trade I'm sure the Australian govt would love to know if you care to name them.

Thanks for the solid answer from someone that knows.

[Aaron_S]

Keep telling yourself whatever you need tot o sleep at night Skippy.

Alright DC, you can get all upset because people correct your bad information for those that want to keep things legit.

My favourite part is this quote...

I don't have anything straight from Oz, and plenty of people know who the guy is and what he does. No big secret. Its how rough scaled pythons became available in the states, Kameron from Bushmaster.
edit: and Inland carpets, and albino carpets, and a few other random things that I know I'm forgetting know.

You make it sound like these people are some humanitarian that deserves something for bringing some morphs in through smuggling. I'm pretty sure that the hobby would live on if they never came over seas. There's so many other options no one needs to break the law.

[Aaron_S]

How did the woma get here in the first place?

I believe at some point the borders were open and some probably got in then. Unfortunately smuggling is a huge part of this industry. The "grandfathers" mostly smuggled and are kind of dirt bags.

[millertime89]

You guys are comical, you really are. Korbin you really ought to stop drinking the mykee/Aaron koolaid.

[Desert]

CITES didn't begin until 1977.

I have documented legal origin for my woma pythons, though I agree most all woma pythons in the US are of undocumented origin.

[KORBIN5895]

You guys are comical, you really are. Korbin you really ought to stop drinking the mykee/Aaron koolaid.

Your reading comprehension obviously sucks. Red ink said that all exports are illegal. If that's true ( and I trust his word far beyond yours) then your contact is basically smuggling. The fact that you condone it makes you look sketchy. That fact that you publicly condone it on a public forum makes you a fool.

[millertime89]

OR just more knowledgeable about the system and the situation than either of you guys. You trust whoever you want to trust, I know Kameron isn't breaking any laws because despite what you guys seem to think there are legal exports in very controlled quantities and conditions.

[KORBIN5895]

OR just more knowledgeable about the system and the situation than either of you guys. You trust whoever you want to trust, I know Kameron isn't breaking any laws because despite what you guys seem to think there are legal exports in very controlled quantities and conditions.

Let me refer you to someone living in oz that has a way better understanding than you....

Fixed it for you mate.... No such thing as legal exports for the pet trade. If a zoological permits are being "abused" to supply the pet trade I'm sure the Australian govt would love to know if you care to name them.

Now Kameron isn't that idiot you invited here from Bigticslittledicks is it?

[red ink]

OR just more knowledgeable about the system and the situation than either of you guys. You trust whoever you want to trust, I know Kameron isn't breaking any laws because despite what you guys seem to think there are legal exports in very controlled quantities and conditions.

Absolutely and I repeat absolutely not possible to supply the pet trade with exported native Australian fauna from Oz.... all Australian reptile keepers are licensed reptile keepers which can only trade with other licensed keepers. All our transactions are recorded in our private wildlife keepers record book and a census is sent to the respective state governing body annually stating all or any wildlife trading we did. Even if we didn't do a any transactions we still have to send a census stating we did not trade and the numbers of animals in our possession remains the same. This keeps tabs of the numbers of native fauna in each private keepers possession. The return form shows the number of animals bred v traded v died v kept at the time of the census and this is correlated in their system from the numbers we submitted from the same time the year before.

Each time we trade in fauna with other license keeper interstate we need to apply for either an import or export permit depending on the circumstance. This needs to be approved in writing from the state governing body before the transaction can occur with a permit number provided otherwise we would be in breach of our license conditions. We then need in a declaration to the state governing body to confirm that the transaction did or did not occur in accordance to the stipulations we have provided in the import/export permit application.

I made a mistake once of forgetting to send back a declaration and it totally slipped my mind that I hadn't.... till the next time I tried to apply for another permit which was promptly denied with a letter sent back to me (as well as my original hard copy application) stating I was in breach of license conditions and no permits will be issued going forward till this breach was rectified.

I wonder how it would go if I sent in an export application permit with the senders address ending with the acronym USA?

I'm certain I would get a phone call from the Department of Sustainability and Environment.. possibly followed by a site inspection and a inspection of my records book with a microscope. Could be worse I guess I could have a surprise with Department of Primary Industries officers knocking at my door escorted by the boys in blue with warrant in hand to "inspect" the premises.

Now given all given Australian fauna is CITES protected there is HELL NO WAY any private individual can trade in Australian fauna internationally. For one our customs officials are purposely trained to screen for these items as well as K9s specially trained to detect fauna. Heck anybody that has been to Australia knows what happens if you tell the customs officials you have fruit in your bag... or if that cute beagle sits down next to pretending to ask for a pat.

Therefore when "shipping" any Australian fauna it will undergo stringent inspection of paperwork. Usually these are accompanied by individuals who work for a government agency or a zoological institution as stated these are the only ways that customs will load the item onto the plane. The items and packaging are carefully inspected as it's a long haul flight. It isn't as simple as stuffing tim into socks, then bags, then concealed. This definitely is not a proper/endorsed container to "ship" Australian fauna... or is it?

Of course there are ways around our stringent screening as it isn't fool proof and fauna does leave Australia (as well as come in).... though we call that by a different word around this part of the world.

Care to share some of the documentation for everybody to have a squiz at... just for people to see what a CITES approved document looks like as I'm sure none of us have seen one from the Australian Govt... heck I know I haven't but that's because I'm not allowed as a private citizen to trade in Australian fauna internationally.

[Aaron_S]

OR just more knowledgeable about the system and the situation than either of you guys. You trust whoever you want to trust, I know Kameron isn't breaking any laws because despite what you guys seem to think there are legal exports in very controlled quantities and conditions.

Speaking of kool-aid when do you figure you'll stop guzzling it DC?

NO export is supposed to be for private collections. You're welcome to think because Kameron is public that it's okay but there's tons of law breakers not in jail and they'll be caught too.

I would venture that officials don't care about Kameron...they want the zoo people and the people involved at the top of the smuggling.


Also...OWNED! Thanks Red Ink.

[digizure]

Don't get me wrong. I am against smuggling any animals. I just hope that someone will legally get them here. Maybe that someone would pay a lot of money then eventually sell them in the US.

[millertime89]

Don't get me wrong. I am against smuggling any animals. I just hope that someone will legally get them here. Maybe that someone would pay a lot of money then eventually sell them in the US.

You just figured out how the system works.
Loop holes, grey areas, and money, lots of money.

[Lankyrob]

You just figured out how the system works.
Loop holes, grey areas, and money, lots of money.

Still doesnt make it legal tho, no matter whatthe money involved it is still smuggling and those doing it should be jailed indefinitely

[KORBIN5895]

You just figured out how the system works.
Loop holes, grey areas, and money, lots of money.

Wow. Greater ethics there bud.

[Aaron_S]

You just figured out how the system works.
Loop holes, grey areas, and money, lots of money.

Wait...is it grey areas, loop holes and paying enough to entice someone that it'll cover the lawyer costs if they get caught or is it legal like you say here?

Ben Rennick has a couple lines he's working on, and there are several people here with the contacts in Oz to legally import stuff if you're willing to pay a high enough price.

Wait...don't you also say "several" people with the Oz contacts but yet only name one? So how many are there? Just Kameron or several?

Lastly, if it's all legit and okay since they do it publicly why don't you post the process since you're 'more knowledgeable about the system" than me or anyone else.

Like I said, why go after the dumbass at the bottom when the people who are probably abusing zoological importation/exportation as a "loop hole" or "grey area" (read smuggling) is the real target. If Kameron stopped or got caught I'm sure they could just hire you to fill the dumbass spot...eh DC?

[Aaron_S]

Wow. Greater ethics there bud.

Whoa whoa whoa Kevin...

These guys have the highest amount of ethics. They are bringing in stuff that the hobby in North America WILL NOT survive without.

I for one believe they should be given some sort of "Tom Crutchfield Award."

New slogan! "DC for Crutchfield Award!"

Has a ring to it.

[red ink]

There isn't any "loop hole" to make money... there's just a bunch of A-holes that do.

[pierro]

Here's mine at lunch time.. :p

Enjoy ;)

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