Tanimbar Python (Simalia nauta)

Common Name: Tanimbar Python
Scientific Name: Simalia nauta
Source: CF
Adult Size: Typically 2–2.5m, occasionally reaching up to 3m
Native Range: Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia

Enclosure: A custom-built Viperia PVC vivarium sized to suit — use the Vivarium Calculator to spec the right dimensions. Adults require a large, well-structured enclosure with sturdy climbing branches, secure hides at both the warm and cool ends, a bioactive-friendly or moisture-retaining substrate, and excellent ventilation alongside maintained humidity.
Heating: Basking spot of around 32°C, ambient warm side of 28°C, cool side around 24–26°C, with a gentle night-time drop to 22–24°C
Humidity: 60–80%; achieved using a moisture-retaining substrate such as coco coir or cypress mulch, regular light misting, and a large water vessel inside the enclosure
UVB: A 6% UVB tube run along most of the vivarium's width, positioned so the animal can bask approximately 20–30cm from the lamp — while Tanimbar pythons are largely crepuscular and nocturnal, low-level UVB exposure supports long-term health and is widely recommended for large pythons
Diet: Appropriately sized frozen-thawed rodents (rats or similarly sized prey), offered every 10–14 days for juveniles and every 2–4 weeks for adults, adjusted based on body condition

ABOUT THIS SPECIES

The Tanimbar python is a striking island species from the Tanimbar archipelago in eastern Indonesia, closely related to the well-known scrub and amethystine pythons of the broader Simalia group. It is prized in the hobby for its lean, athletic build and exceptional iridescent sheen — in good light, the scales shimmer with a blue-purple gloss that sets it apart from most other large pythons available in the UK trade.

This is a species best suited to experienced keepers who are comfortable handling a large, confident, and sometimes assertive snake; younger or more recently imported animals in particular can be nippy, though they typically settle well with consistent, calm handling. If you enjoy an active, visually impressive python and can commit to providing a genuinely spacious, well-managed enclosure, the Tanimbar python is a deeply rewarding species to keep.