Care Sheet for PythonsAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 4.57 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 07/13/2004 |
Main Category: | Snakes |
Sub Category: | Pythons |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | AzezenSari |
Years Experience: | Under 1 Year |
Species: | (Python Regius) Ball Python |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | Specifically meant for the requirements of Python Regius. |
Sexing and Characteristics: | Ball Pythons, or Royal Pythons, are among the smallest of the python species. Their average size reaching 3-5 feet, although some, most likely females, can reach up to 6 ft in length. Their small size and eye pleasing patterns make the Ball Python one of the most popular snakes kept in the U.S. Most people who purchase these magnificent snakes are unaware of their needs, blinded by the low prices that they are currently marketed for. Ball Pythons are notorious as finicky eaters, especially if you have purchased an imported snake from the wild. With gerbils and jerboas as this species’ natural prey item, feeding mice to an imported snake may prove extremely difficult. The best snakes to purchase would be captive bred hatchlings. Ask the person you are purchasing from, whether it be a pet store or a breeder, to feed the snake before purchasing. This will ensure that the snake is eating regularly. Also when purchasing a snake be aware of its terrarium. A healthy snake’s enviroment should be clean with no fecal matter lying in the substrate. Ask the person if they would allow you to handle the snake, check the eyes and nose area for any moving specs. A sure sign of mites or other external parasite. The nostrils should be clear, and the mouth (ask person if you may view the inside of the snakes mouth) should be a pinkish white clear of any suspicious fluids. Run your hand along the snake, feeling for bumps or dents, indications of broken ribs. Finally the snake should be alert. Tongue flicking every few seconds and a firm but gentle grip on you. Look for hatchlings, 14" to 20" long.
Sexing can be determined by a probing technique only to be performed by a veterinarian who specializes in reptiles. But generally females have larger heads than males and on opposite sides of the vent area, there should be spurs, Vestigial remnants of this species evolution from lizard-like animal to legless animal. In males the spurs are usually bigger, but this is not always the ca |
Mostly Active During: | Night |
Substrate and Water Needs: | In my opinion, the best substrate material is Astro-turf as it is easily maintained, inexpensive, and re-usable. Other substrates that are popular are newspaper, unprinted is preferred, but if printed, do not use areas with color ink, there is belief that color ink is harmful to a snake’s health. Paper towel, easily cleaned and best for spotting external parasites. Bark chips, fir and cypress, are safe, but aspen, pine and cedar can become lodged in the mouth during feeding causing a number of heath problems. Cedar is alo extremely harmful to your snake’s health and sould be avoided at all costs.
Clean water is important to your snakes health and should be provided in a container that allows the length of the snake’s body to become submerged, this is especially important for a healthy shed. Some owners like to provide a top piece for their snake’s water container, something like a Rubbermaid container with a whole cut into the top, allowing the snake some privacy.
Try to avoid leaving wet substrate material inside of your snake’s home. This can lead to fungus build-up as well as provide a breeding site for bacteria. |
Lighting and UVB: | Since Ball Pythons are nocturnal, they do not need any special UV lighting. Most of their time spent during the day is spet in the shelter of a burrow avoiding day-time predators. be that as it may, there should still be a photo-period of about 12-14 hours a day, this can be achieved with a heating lamp that is used for basking, or a regular incandescant lightbulb. This light should be turned off for about 10-12 hours during the night to mimic the natural night and day ratio in the wild. If you wish to view your snake at night, a red or black light can be used since snakes are unable to see at such frequencies. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | My snakes are kept in a terrarium with a heat gradient. This means that at several areas of the terrarium the temperature varies, allowing my snakes to move around to temperatures they feel comfortable at. In the basking area, during the day, the temperature is about 93-95 degrees. In the night it is allowed to drop to around 88 degrees, kept this way with an undertank heating pad. The cooler area is at 83 degrees during the day, and around 75 degrees at night. If you are going to use the gradient heat terrarium, I suggest purchasing two thermometers, one to be placed an inch from the bottom on each side. This system seems to be working well with my snakes.
The humidity shouldn’t drop any lower than 55%, and should be kept at an average of 60%. I would advise that you invest in a humidity gauge. These are fairly inexpensive and will give you a pretty accurate reading. During shedding, I would suggest letting the humidity rise a few degrees to help produce a successful shed. |
Heating and Equipment: | Heating your snakes terrarium can be achieved with a variety of products. Heat lamps with aluminum reflectors, undertank heat pads, ceramic bulbs which give off heat without light. All vary in quality and price. I use a combination of a heat lamp and undertank heat pad. If you are to use a heat lamp be sure to keep it out of your snake’s reach.
Equipment for your snakes terrarium, too, vary in price and quality. It is vital that your snake is provided with a hide-box. A snug shelter that the snake can retreat to for privacy. This can be anywhere from a cereal box to an ornate store-bought product. Although Ball Pythons are terrestrial, they are just as comfortable in trees, which is why providing a sturdy climbing branch, preferably placed under a heat lamp, will allow the snake something to do. Fake greenery can be placed randomly all over the terrarium, allowing more privacy for your snake. For succesful sheds, I recommend placing a sterile rock in your snakes terrarium, something to rub against during the shedding period. These are the basic neccessities for a ball python, feel free to add any other accessories provided you know what is safe. |
Caging Provided: | It is advised that you keep one snake per tank. BPs, like all snakes are generally solitary animals and like their privacy. My snakes are kept in 20 gallon tanks. They will most likely grow out of tham so I have other, larger tanks I keep as spares. I’ve heard of people keeping their snakes in modified Rubbermaid containers, with air holes and whatnot. They claim it is better for them since Ball Pythons don’t necessarily need large spaces. Oh well, go with what works for you I guess. |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | As I have previously stated, Ball Pythons are notoriously picky eaters. Some have been known to fast for months at a time, which is normal, but if you notice significant weight loss a visit to the vet is in order. I don’t let my snakes go without eating for any longer than 8 months, seeking veterinary help soon after. You should feed your BP pre-killed or frozen/thawed food. Live prey animals can and will injure your snake if left unattended. Pre-killed food is more humane to the prey as death will be faster than the suffocation process. With tongs, dangle the prey by the tail over your snakes head, which should strike and coil in a few seconds. However, if your snake will not take pre-killed food, and you must use live, then never leave a prey animal unattended with your snake. If within 10 minutes the snake doesn’t take the prey then remove it and try again in a few days.
When it is feed time, I would suggest moving your snake to another facility specifically used for feeding. This way, your snake’s tank isn’t associated with feeding and will lessen the chances of it mistaking your hands for food. After feeding and pacing the snake back into it’s facility, resist handling your snake for a few days, 3 days minimum, or else the snake may regurgitate the mouse. As you can imagine this would be an unpleasant experience...
Feeding Guide:
Hatchling (14"-20"): Mice: Fuzzies <every 7-10 days>
Youth (20"-36"): Mice: Adults <every 10-14 days>
Sub Adult (36"-48"): Rat: Fuzzies <every 12-14 days>
Adult (48"+): Rat: Small-Medium <every 14 days>
Do not feed prey items that are larger than the width of your snake. This is a rough guide, not specific. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | BPs do not need any extra or special supplements as all of their vitamins and whatnot comes from their prey food. |
Maintenance: | Maintenance for this snake is fairly easy. Clean any fecal matter as soon as possible and remove any wet substrate material. I would suggest a thorough cleaning every month with a safe disinfectant. |
Some Words on this Species: | I own two ball pythons and they are magnificent. I have yet to encounter any of those infamous feeding problems these species tend to have. |
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