Indian Python do I have one?

[IVvDEMONvVI]

Is my snake here in these pix an Indian Python? Sorry if the pix aren't that great. If I do what is their value and how rare?

http://www.hometown.aol.com/xvvdrkphenixvvx/images/ind01.jpg

[bebo]

Doesn't appear to be. Was it sold to you as one? They are rare, and getting more rare all the time.

[boa]

looks to me like a normal burmese python with a different pattern to it.

[Invictus]

Looks like a regular burm to me as well.

[Mike177]

i would have to vote burm. most of the indian pythons i have seen are much lighter.

[T.O-SK8TER]

You have to check the eyes!

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/241347/imagebig_03-02pixb.jpg

[bebo]

Excellent example T.O ! Definately should help him figure it out.

[T.O-SK8TER]

Thanks, I researched this a while back and this was really the only physical way other than size to tell the difference between the two. You can not judge by colour and pattern because it differs too much between animals, its like trying to look at a boas colour and pattern and say its a columbian( you cant be sure just on these facts!)

[sheldon]

It's a burm.I seen a Indian 10 years ago.Very light compared to a burm.

[Zoe]

sheldon - you cant base the breed on the colour/pattern, because both are extremely variable.

Zoe

[JuliusSqueezer]

OK...first of all, the snake is a burm. There is nothing even remotely indian about this snake other than they are closely related....but the differences are easy to spot and as others have said here, it has nothing to do with the color.

second of all...the graphic taken from the mark Oshea page does not compare pupils. Both species have vertical pupils. It just so happens that one is illustrated more open. Had they both been in direct sunlight when posing for the artist, I'm certain that they would both have tiny little cateye slits. If you look carefully, you will see that it is a comparison of the supralabial scales and nothing more. I can see where it looks like they are comparing pupils and they really should have made them the same.

The quickest way to spot an indian or sri lankan python is to look at the arrowhead marking on the head. Burms are pointy and bold. Indian's are blunt or fade drastically around where the eyes are.

Pretty much though...because of the price difference and because they are extremely rare now in the US, I'm pretty sure you won't stumble into one unknowingly any more likely than buying a brazilian BCC by someone thinking it's a columbian.

[IVvDEMONvVI]

I saw an 'Indian Python' other day @ the lfs and mine had looked just like it. I will try to post better pix soon. Thanx for all the help everyone.

[JuliusSqueezer]

Indian pythons are the main species of asian rock pythons. Burms are a subspecies of indian rock pytho so yes...there are many similarities. Just look at the scales below the eyes and the spear head. Nothing else really matters because otherwise they can look almost exactly alike. Generally Indians have a lighter back ground and more spacing in the pattern but so can burms at times as well as Indians can at times be darker... It also isn't unlikely that someone has a burm at a petstore somewhere labeled wrong either from ignorance or from desire to rip someone off.

[creander]

I think its a crossbreed, between a normal Burm and indian.

[sparkon16]

lol people should start to use the scientific names because it just gets more confusing from here!

Shaggy

[paul_le_snake]

id agree with everyone else so far. true indian pythons are rare and on cites 1,they are the nominate form of the asian rock pythons. the third sub species the sri lankan form (pimbura) has recently had some doubt thrown over its validity. even nowadays hybrids are fairly rare mainly because of the difficulties in importing indian pythons.
basic colouration is very different in the molurus group, the burm is the easiest to distinguish whereas the sri lankan and indian are very similar, one way is that the pattern on the sri lankan is USUALLY more ragid around the edges.
cheers
paul