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 recommended 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.
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>