| Captive Care & Husbandry of the Ball Pythons (Python regius) |
Natural Environment
Ball pythons are a terrestrial African snake. They inhabit grasslands
and savannas, often residing in underground tunnels dug by other
creatures such as meerkats. Males average four feet in length, while
females can top five feet. Ball pythons are best purchased as captive
bred animals. Most chain pet stores sell captive hatched babies which
are produced from eggs of wild caught specimens. These animals
tend to have trouble with parasites and feeding. Captive bred pythons
come in incredible colors and patterns, from striking albinos in yellow
and white, to pied ball pythons with "cow-like" spots.
Vivarium Size & Design
Ball Pythons do need a fairly large vivarium as adults, but babies can
be started in a 20 gallon vivarium. A hatchling will very quickly outgrow
a 10 gallon-- these should not be used. Ball pythons require two hides.
One should be on the hot side of the vivarium, and the other on the cool
side. They seem to enjoy tight, dark hides such as caves. We also
recommend locking screen tops on all enclosures as ball pythons are
accomplished escape artists. If you do have an escape, the good
news is most balls can be found within 10 feet of their cage. Look
inside dark tight crevices close to sources of heat.
Another method of caging are custom built stacking cages which are
almost fully enclosed and hold temperature and humidity much better
than aquariums with screen lids. These cages can be purchased via
websites such as Animal Plastics, Boaphile, and Freedom Breeders
(see our Links page).
We keep our ball pythons exclusively on aspen bedding, however,
newspaper or paper towels can also be used. Cedar or pine chips,
coconut bark and Repti-bark are NOT recommended due to dustiness
which can collect in the belly scales of your python and lead to infection.
Temperature
Ball pythons can be maintained with a cool side of 80 degrees and a
hotter basking spot in the low-mid 90's. This can be achieved with a
basking bulb and/or an under the tank heater (UTH) depending on the
ambient temperatures of the room where your snake is housed. The
vivarium should have a temperature gradient so that your python can
thermoregulate.
WARNING! All heating devices should be used with a rheostat/light
dimmer or thermostat to control temperature output. Failure to control
your heating device may result in serious burns and/or death for your
python.
Lighting
Special UV lighting is not required for this species, but a basking bulb
will may be needed to keep temperatures in an acceptable range if
you use a glass aquarium with a screen lid.
Humidity
Humidity levels for ball pythons should be around 80 to 85 percent. The
solid custom caging systems maintain humidity levels better than
aquariums with screen tops. Providing a water dish large enough for
your ball python to fully submerge in will increase humidity levels. Large
ceramic dog bowls are excellent (and cheap!) alternatives to the fancy
and tough to clean fake-rock bowls sold at pet stores. Keeping a moist
humid hide will also help give the snake a very humid spot to help with
shedding. Ball pythons can have many problems with shedding in
lower humidity environments. They often get stuck eye-caps and
pieces of shed. Since using the cage system instead of aquariums
with screen lids, all of our ball pythons have shed completely and with
no difficulty.
Feeding
Feeding problems are the number one frustration for new ball python
owners, and the biggest reason why we believe that ball pythons do
not make good beginner snakes. Ball pythons, especially males, will
go off feed for months at a time for seemingly no reason. This naturally
causes a lot of stress on a new, inexperienced keeper. If the snake is
otherwise healthy and not losing weight, periods of fasting should be
considered normal. Ball pythons have no problem going for long
periods without eating, and while food should be offered weekly, they
may not always eat.
We at MDR only use Frozen/Thawed prey for our reptiles. Ball pythons
can be tough to switch over, but by using very hot (steaming) thawed
rodents and "walking" them across the entrance to the hide the snake
is in, you should be able to compel even the most stubborn of snakes.
Baby ball pythons can start with fuzzy rats and increase in size to small
rats as adults. Feeding once per week in the evening seems to work
well.
Temperament & Handling
Ball pythons are some of the sweetest, most mellow snakes out there.
They are quite laid back and most seem to take handling well. They
should be allowed a week to settle in to a new home and 48 hours
after each feeding without handling in order to keep them from
regurgitating their meals, but otherwise they seem content to be
handled. Most of our ball pythons are notoriously head shy, and prefer
not to be touched on or near their heads. Falling asleep with a ball in
your lap in front of the TV is not unheard of, and most people wake up
later with the snake still in place, although this is of course not
recommended!
Gender & Compatability
There are no temperament differences in males versus females,
however the females do grow larger. Males do have a reputation for
going off feed more in the late winter and spring as they crave female
attention, but we at MDR have not noticed a difference in this trait so
far. Ball pythons, like all snakes, should never be kept in the same
enclosure. There are many reasons for this, but the most critical
reasons include identification of illness or regurgitation of a meal, in
addition to the possibility of cannibalism. In spite of popular opinion,
two snakes curled up together are not buddies-- they are two animals
competing for the same space. Constant, forced competition stresses
snakes out, and if you cannot afford two cages, you should not
purchase a second snake. MDR will not knowingly sell to people who
cohabitate.
Lifespan
Ball pythons are reported to live up to 40 years in captivity, but 20-30
years is more typical. These are long-lived snakes and care should be
taken when considering the addition of one to your household.
Ball pythons are a terrestrial African snake. They inhabit grasslands
and savannas, often residing in underground tunnels dug by other
creatures such as meerkats. Males average four feet in length, while
females can top five feet. Ball pythons are best purchased as captive
bred animals. Most chain pet stores sell captive hatched babies which
are produced from eggs of wild caught specimens. These animals
tend to have trouble with parasites and feeding. Captive bred pythons
come in incredible colors and patterns, from striking albinos in yellow
and white, to pied ball pythons with "cow-like" spots.
Vivarium Size & Design
Ball Pythons do need a fairly large vivarium as adults, but babies can
be started in a 20 gallon vivarium. A hatchling will very quickly outgrow
a 10 gallon-- these should not be used. Ball pythons require two hides.
One should be on the hot side of the vivarium, and the other on the cool
side. They seem to enjoy tight, dark hides such as caves. We also
recommend locking screen tops on all enclosures as ball pythons are
accomplished escape artists. If you do have an escape, the good
news is most balls can be found within 10 feet of their cage. Look
inside dark tight crevices close to sources of heat.
Another method of caging are custom built stacking cages which are
almost fully enclosed and hold temperature and humidity much better
than aquariums with screen lids. These cages can be purchased via
websites such as Animal Plastics, Boaphile, and Freedom Breeders
(see our Links page).
We keep our ball pythons exclusively on aspen bedding, however,
newspaper or paper towels can also be used. Cedar or pine chips,
coconut bark and Repti-bark are NOT recommended due to dustiness
which can collect in the belly scales of your python and lead to infection.
Temperature
Ball pythons can be maintained with a cool side of 80 degrees and a
hotter basking spot in the low-mid 90's. This can be achieved with a
basking bulb and/or an under the tank heater (UTH) depending on the
ambient temperatures of the room where your snake is housed. The
vivarium should have a temperature gradient so that your python can
thermoregulate.
WARNING! All heating devices should be used with a rheostat/light
dimmer or thermostat to control temperature output. Failure to control
your heating device may result in serious burns and/or death for your
python.
Lighting
Special UV lighting is not required for this species, but a basking bulb
will may be needed to keep temperatures in an acceptable range if
you use a glass aquarium with a screen lid.
Humidity
Humidity levels for ball pythons should be around 80 to 85 percent. The
solid custom caging systems maintain humidity levels better than
aquariums with screen tops. Providing a water dish large enough for
your ball python to fully submerge in will increase humidity levels. Large
ceramic dog bowls are excellent (and cheap!) alternatives to the fancy
and tough to clean fake-rock bowls sold at pet stores. Keeping a moist
humid hide will also help give the snake a very humid spot to help with
shedding. Ball pythons can have many problems with shedding in
lower humidity environments. They often get stuck eye-caps and
pieces of shed. Since using the cage system instead of aquariums
with screen lids, all of our ball pythons have shed completely and with
no difficulty.
Feeding
Feeding problems are the number one frustration for new ball python
owners, and the biggest reason why we believe that ball pythons do
not make good beginner snakes. Ball pythons, especially males, will
go off feed for months at a time for seemingly no reason. This naturally
causes a lot of stress on a new, inexperienced keeper. If the snake is
otherwise healthy and not losing weight, periods of fasting should be
considered normal. Ball pythons have no problem going for long
periods without eating, and while food should be offered weekly, they
may not always eat.
We at MDR only use Frozen/Thawed prey for our reptiles. Ball pythons
can be tough to switch over, but by using very hot (steaming) thawed
rodents and "walking" them across the entrance to the hide the snake
is in, you should be able to compel even the most stubborn of snakes.
Baby ball pythons can start with fuzzy rats and increase in size to small
rats as adults. Feeding once per week in the evening seems to work
well.
Temperament & Handling
Ball pythons are some of the sweetest, most mellow snakes out there.
They are quite laid back and most seem to take handling well. They
should be allowed a week to settle in to a new home and 48 hours
after each feeding without handling in order to keep them from
regurgitating their meals, but otherwise they seem content to be
handled. Most of our ball pythons are notoriously head shy, and prefer
not to be touched on or near their heads. Falling asleep with a ball in
your lap in front of the TV is not unheard of, and most people wake up
later with the snake still in place, although this is of course not
recommended!
Gender & Compatability
There are no temperament differences in males versus females,
however the females do grow larger. Males do have a reputation for
going off feed more in the late winter and spring as they crave female
attention, but we at MDR have not noticed a difference in this trait so
far. Ball pythons, like all snakes, should never be kept in the same
enclosure. There are many reasons for this, but the most critical
reasons include identification of illness or regurgitation of a meal, in
addition to the possibility of cannibalism. In spite of popular opinion,
two snakes curled up together are not buddies-- they are two animals
competing for the same space. Constant, forced competition stresses
snakes out, and if you cannot afford two cages, you should not
purchase a second snake. MDR will not knowingly sell to people who
cohabitate.
Lifespan
Ball pythons are reported to live up to 40 years in captivity, but 20-30
years is more typical. These are long-lived snakes and care should be
taken when considering the addition of one to your household.
Humid hides are always a big hit with our ball pythons-- though the logistics can
at times be challenging!!
at times be challenging!!
Seth is a standard normal ball python, around twelve months of age in this photo.
Ball pythons really like to squeeze themselves into tight hides.
Our albino female, Anne, and her mate, a het-albino male named Antonio.
When crossed, we should get 50% albino offspring.
When crossed, we should get 50% albino offspring.
Ball pythons can be good animals for handling if properly
acclimated.
acclimated.
