# Python curtus breitensteini (*Python breitensteini*) The Breitenstein's Python is a beautiful snake with colorful scales. It loves to climb trees and can be found in the forests of Southeast Asia. This snake is gentle and prefers to hide rather than scare people. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Python curtus breitensteini](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Python_breitensteini.jpg&width=800) Photo: The original uploader was Dawson at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Python_breitensteini.jpg) ## Appearance The Python curtus breitensteini is a stout, heavy-bodied snake with a relatively short tail and a broad, flattened head. Its scales display varying shades of brown, tan, and reddish-brown, often with irregular dark blotches or patterns along its back and sides. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Serpentes - **Family:** Pythonidae - **Genus:** Python ## Interesting facts - Mother pythons coil around their eggs to keep them safe and warm until they hatch! - These pythons are master ambush hunters, patiently waiting for prey to pass by! - They use heat-sensing pits on their face to "see" warm-blooded prey, even in darkness! - Unlike many snakes, these pythons have a very short, stubby tail! ## Special abilities - **Infrared Vision:** Python curtus breitensteini can "see" in the dark using heat-sensing pits on its lips that help them locate warm-blooded prey. - **Powerful Squeeze:** Python curtus breitensteini can constrict its prey with immense strength because of its muscular body, stopping blood flow and breathing. - **Forest Camouflage:** Python curtus breitensteini has blotchy brown and tan scales that help them blend perfectly into the leaf litter. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 120-200 cm - **Weight:** 5-15 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-20 years - **Speed:** 8 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 10-25 - **Incubation:** 60-75 days ## Diet & Feeding These pythons eat various small mammals and birds, ambushing them from hiding spots. - **Primary Foods:** Rats, Mice, Birds, Shrews - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Black Rat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-rat) (*Rattus rattus*) — Main prey item in their rainforest habitat. - **Hunts:** Asian House Shrew (*Suncus murinus*) — Preys on small shrews found in forest undergrowth. - **Hunts:** [Red Junglefowl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-junglefowl) (*Gallus gallus*) — Occasionally preys on ground-dwelling junglefowl. - **Eaten by:** King Cobra (*Ophiophagus hannah*) — Smaller pythons can be prey for the King Cobra. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Always watch from a distance and never try to touch wild snakes. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Python curtus breitensteini? Compare the full body pattern, build, head markings and tail. Color can shift with age and lighting. Rules of thumb about triangular heads or round pupils aren't a reliable way to tell whether a snake is venomous. Snake Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Python curtus breitensteini? 120-200 cm ### How much does Python curtus breitensteini weigh? 5-15 kg ### How long does Python curtus breitensteini live? 10-20 years ### How fast can Python curtus breitensteini move? 8 km/h ### What does Python curtus breitensteini eat? These pythons eat various small mammals and birds, ambushing them from hiding spots. ### Where is Python curtus breitensteini usually found? Forests ### How does Python curtus breitensteini hunt? Ambush ## Where to spot - [Sierra Safari Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sierra-safari-zoo) — Nevada, US · Zoo - [Reptile Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/reptile-gardens) — South Dakota, US · Zoo ## More Reptiles - [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*) - [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) - [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*) - [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*) --- Source: [Python curtus breitensteini: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/python-curtus-breitensteini)