What Is a Black Snake With Yellow Diamonds?
A black snake with yellow diamonds is a diamond python, or morelia spilota spilota. It is a non-venomous snake found in Indonesia, Australia and New Guinea.
Adult pythons tend to grow to 2.7 to 4 meters in length and weigh between 4 to 10 kilograms. The females usually grow larger than the males. Diamond python heads have a triangle shape and are known for their beauty. They have white spots with diamond patterns on their scales. Their color is generally black with gold or white marks, while others have light and dark markings. They typically eat small mammals, bats, birds and lizards. Captive diamond pythons typically eat mice and rats.
Wild diamond pythons thrive in rain forests, caves, open grass areas and trees that allow for hollow spaces. They also thrive in grasslands, which is why they’re sometimes considered tree snakes. Most disturbing to some people, diamond pythons are often found near people’s homes. However, they enter areas of human habitation to chase down small rodents. They are mostly nocturnal, so people might see them at night and become frightened, but they are unlikely to attack. Like other snakes, the diamond python can swallow larger prey, and it has the ability to consume prey larger than its own head.
