[4] Oviparous, females seldom lay more than a dozen large eggs (however, much larger clutches have been reported).

The female remains coiled around the eggs during the incubation period, and may shiver to produce heat.

They are often regarded as unpredictable and aggressive, but captive-bred individuals tend to be more docile than wild-caught specimens.

The Sumatran short-tailed python has been extensively harvested for leather; an estimated 100,000 individuals are taken for this purpose each year.

Authors who elevate particular island populations to species status note that the skins are readily distinguished.