A coiled brown Timor python resting in an enclosure. — Photo: MKFI, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Timor Python

Malayopython timoriensis (also called Python timoriensis)

An active, high-strung Indonesian python that, despite its name, doesn't live on the island of Timor.

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About the Timor Python

Timor pythons average 5 to 8 feet long and weigh up to 20 pounds; females are a bit bigger. They are green-brown with a dark pattern, and their skin can shine with rainbow colors. They live in open forests and grasslands of Indonesia's Lesser Sunda Islands, such as Flores and Lomblen. They eat small reptiles, birds, mice and rats.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Malayopython timoriensis (also called Python timoriensis)^[1][2]
Size: 5 to 8 feet long.^[1]
Weight: Up to 20 pounds.^[1]
Lifespan: Over 20 years.^[1]
Diet: Carnivore. Small reptiles, birds, mice and rats.^[1]
Habitat: Open forests and grasslands.^[1]
Where it lives: The Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia, such as Flores and Lomblen.^[1]
Babies: About 5 eggs, guarded by the mother for 9 to 10 weeks.^[1]
Conservation status: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List, assessed 2019).^[2]

Fun facts

Timor pythons don't live on Timor.^[1]
Mothers 'shiver' to keep their eggs at the right temperature.^[1]
Their skin can shimmer with rainbow colors.^[1]

Vocabulary

constrictor: A snake that kills prey by wrapping around it and squeezing.
metabolism: How fast an animal's body uses energy.
iridescent: Shimmering with colors that change in different light.
cold-blooded: Having a body temperature that changes with the surroundings; also called ectothermic.
vulnerable: A conservation label meaning a species faces a high risk of dying out in the wild.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Reptile Discovery CenterSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Timor python.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/timor-python (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Malayopython timoriensis (Timor Python).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/104842394/104854030 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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