Western New York Herpetological Society
www.wnyherp.org
©
2001 - 2002 by Western New York Herpetological Society
This document is for guidance only and should not be used as the sole source of information. New information is being developed
daily. It is recommend that a concerted effort be made to maintain up-to-date knowledge of the animals of interest.
Common Name:
Ball Python or Royal Python Latin name: Python regius
Native to:
Central and Western Africa
Size:
Adults average in size from three to five feet
Life span:
Ball pythons are one of the longest-lived snakes. It is not unusual for these
pythons to live 20 – 30 years in captivity. One specimen lived for 47 years at the
Philadelphia Zoo.
General appearance:
Ball pythons are named for their defense behavior of rolling into a
tight ball with their head in the middle. Like all other pythons, ball pythons have
spurs at their vents. There are many different color morphs and patterns available
today in captive bred specimens. The “standard” ball python has large chocolate
brown markings with lighter medium-brown spots interspersed between the
darker spots. The belly is generally off-white or a pale gray.
Housing requirements:
Enclosure:
Remember that all snakes are escape artists and when designing an
enclosure it is of the utmost importance that whatever enclosure is used is
made as escape-proof as possible. Generally an adult ball python should
be kept is a 30-gallon sized enclosure (12 inches x 36 inches).
Temperature:
Daytime temperatures should be maintained at 80° - 85° F with a
basking temperature of 90° - 95° F. Nighttime temperatures should be 75°
- 80° F.
Heat/Light:
There has been no evidence to suggest that photoperiods affect the
keeping of this species. If a regular photoperiod is provided it is
recommended to use fluorescent bulbs in order to minimize the extra heat
generated by incandescent bulbs.
When providing heat, do NOT use hot rocks. Hot rocks are notoriously
unpredictable and can cause serious burn injuries to your animal. Red
basking bulbs or ceramic emitters can be used to generate basking spots.
Under the tank heating pads can also be used to help raise the ambient
temperature of the enclosure. It is recommended to routinely check the
temperatures of the enclosure with thermometers.
Western New York Herpetological Society
www.wnyherp.org
©
2001 - 2002 by Western New York Herpetological Society
This document is for guidance only and should not be used as the sole source of information. New information is being developed
daily. It is recommend that a concerted effort be made to maintain up-to-date knowledge of the animals of interest.
Substrate:
Newspaper and newsprint make excellent substrate even though it is
not very attractive. It is easy to clean and is excellent to use when
acclimating new specimens to their enclosure. Wood shavings can also be
used, though cedar should never be used and some pine can also cause
health problems as well. Aspen shavings are usually an excellent choice if
using wood shavings. If keeping the snake on wood shavings, care should
be taken when feeding the snake to avoid shavings becoming lodged in the
snake’s mouth.
Diet:
Like all snakes, ball pythons are strictly carnivorous. Adult ball pythons can be
fed two to three adult mice per week. Hatchlings and juvenile animals can be fed
one appropriately sized prey item per week (i.e fuzzies for hatchlings, hoppers for
slightly older animals).
It is important to note here that ball pythons are notorious for not eating on a
regular schedule. This is especially true of wild caught specimens. Whenever
possible try to obtain captive bred snakes that have already fed to minimize
problems eating. If your new ball python does not eat immediately it is important
to not panic. Ball pythons have been known to go months without eating and
there are records of ball pythons of not eating for 22 months. Often a variety of
foods may need to be offered in order to get the snake to eat and often many will
only eat live food. If you are experience difficulty getting your ball python to eat
you may need to consult several more in-depth texts on the subject. One excellent
resource is
The Ball Python Manual (see references below).
Maintenance:
Fresh water should be offered daily. If using newsprint then clean as
needed. Wood shavings should be spot cleaned as needed. Periodically, the
enclosure should be disinfected. A 5% bleach solution makes an excellent
disinfectant. Be sure to rinse the enclosure thoroughly after disinfecting. As
always, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling your ball python or
any cage accessories.
Other references or recommended reading:
de Vosjoli, Phillip, et al.
The Ball Python Manual. Santee: Advanced Vivarium Series
1995
Knutson, Billy. “Ball Python Care Sheet.” The Python Hunter. Retrieved 8 October 2001
<http://www.pythonhunter.com/care.html>
Kaplan, Melissa. “Ball Pythons.” Updated 26 March 2000. Retrieved 8 October 2001
<http://www.sonic.net/melissk/ball.html>