Python Profile

It is spring and the snakes are beginning to show themselves.

The other night while wandering in the rainforest  I almost stepped on this large python. It measured about 2.5 m in length and seemed unperturbed so I got up and close!

At the time I did not notice the tick just beyond the head. It appears that the snake is getting ready to shed its skin. What happens to the attached ticks when this happens? Do they drop off, or does the skin just fracture around them? Someone will know.

The tick is the grey disk. It has not been there for long as it appears to not have fed very much, otherwise it would be balloon-like.