Keeping a royal python cage size. How to care for a ball python

6,000 - 48,000 rub.

(Python regius)

Class - reptiles
Order - scaly

Family - pseudopods

Genus - true pythons

Appearance

One of the smallest pythons, reaches a length of 1.2-1.5 m.

The body is thick, powerful with a short tail. The large, wide head is well demarcated from the neck. The pattern on the body consists of alternating irregular light brown and dark brown or almost black spots and stripes, in some places separated by a light edging. The belly is white or cream in color, sometimes with scattered small dark spots.

Habitat

Distributed in Western and Central Africa. The species' range covers Senegal, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Benin, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Sudan and Uganda.

Inhabits equatorial forests and savannas.

Lifestyle

Mainly nocturnal animal. Spends the day in shelters (burrows, hollows, fallen leaves), and at night or at dusk goes out hunting. Swims well and willingly enters the water. Can climb trees. When in danger, it curls up into a tight ball, hiding its head inside the body rings. For this characteristic feature The royal python is sometimes called the “ball python” or “ball python”.

The diet of royal pythons in the wild consists mainly of small mammals such as rats, African striped mice, shrews. Sometimes eats birds.

Reproduction

Both male and female pythons have claws (remnants of hind limbs) on either side of the cloacal opening, but males have larger claws. Females are usually somewhat larger than males. Mating occurs in June-November. Pregnancy lasts 120-140 days, after which the female lays 3 to 11 (usually 4-6) eggs measuring 75-80x55-60 mm. The female curls up around the clutch and “incubates” it for 68-90 days. When hatching, young pythons reach medium length body 43 cm and weight about 46-47 g.

The royal python is one of the most popular snakes kept in captivity. This is largely due to the small size and relatively peaceful and calm nature of the royal python. Keeping this snake in captivity is not a big problem.

To keep a royal python you need a horizontal type. Optimal size terrarium - approximately 80x50x50cm, but its dimensions can be larger (for example, length 100 cm). There must be a drinking bowl in the terrarium, from which the python will drink water and into which it can fit entirely during molting. You can use sawdust, sphagnum, gravel or coconut substrate, as well as regular white napkins. One or more shelters are required. must be maintained at +30-32°C during the day and +25-26°C at night. The terrarium is heated using a heating element - a thermal cord (thermal stones cannot be used) and an incandescent lamp, previously isolated from the animal with a well-attached mesh. Humidity should be maintained by spraying as the substrate dries. It is necessary to place one or more shelters in the terrarium; you can also place driftwood, branches and durable artificial plants there for the python to climb.

Adult pythons are given rats, small rabbits, and chickens. Mice of the appropriate size are suitable for children. The feeding frequency for adult snakes is once every 10 days, for young snakes - once every 5 days. You can train snakes to eat pre-killed rodents.

Life expectancy in captivity is up to 20-30 years.

Python regius or royal python, a representative of reptiles belonging to the genus of true pythons, is non-venomous snake and is great for home keeping. Habitat in natural conditions - Africa in the central and western parts.

Appearance

This reptile grows only one and a half meters in length. While other pythons can reach ten meters.

Has a head wider than the neck. The body is thick, and the shortened tail is quite powerful. The color consists of spots various shapes, which are characterized by dark and light brown, as well as black shades. Belly in white or cream tones. Some individuals have dark spots.

Diet and way of living

These reptiles live in the forests of the equator and savannas. The royal python hunts at night. During the daytime, the snake needs shelter, which it finds in hollows or burrows, under snags and fallen leaves.

This reptile can climb trees and is an excellent swimmer.

A distinctive feature of the royal python: if the snake senses danger, it curls up into a spherical ball, sticking its head between the coils. This characteristic gave the animal its second name, Ball Python.

Reptile food in natural conditions includes small animals - shrews, various types from the mouse family. From time to time, a python may feast on a small bird.

Pairing

Individuals of both sexes have vestigial limbs near the cloaca. However, males have larger claws. Males are smaller than females, but it is difficult for a non-specialist to distinguish.

The mating season lasts from June to November. Pregnancy lasts four to five months, ending with the laying of three to eleven eggs with an average diameter of 70 mm. The female incubates the eggs for two to three months.

Newborn reptiles weigh about 46 grams and are 43 cm long.

Features of care in captivity

Python regius or royal python is a popular species for keeping in pets and menageries. This can be explained by its character (calmer compared to other snakes) and relatively short length.

For life outside wildlife The reptile needs a horizontal terrarium eighty centimeters long, fifty centimeters wide and high. It is recommended to use containers larger size(from a meter in length).

In the terrarium for drinking and bathing during molting there should be a drinking bowl - a bath. The container must be thoroughly rinsed and refilled clean water regularly. In addition, there should be bedding from:

• undyed napkins,
• sphagnum,
• sawdust,
• gravel,
• coconut substrate (can be found in stores with indoor and garden plants).

Periodically, the substrate must be moistened to maintain a humid microclimate.

In order for an animal to take cover during the day, you need:

• driftwood,
• plants,
• artificial canopies.

The temperature inside the terrarium should be different during the day and at night. During the day, the air should warm up to thirty-two degrees Celsius, and at night it should be a little cooler - about twenty-six.

As heating elements an incandescent lamp is used (it is insulated with a mesh) and a thermal cord (it is not recommended to use thermal stones).

Food in captivity

Adult pythons can eat:

• chickens,
• rabbits,
• mice and rats.

The number of feedings depends on age: young animals eat more often - once every five days, while older individuals digest food for ten days.

Experts advise training your snake to eat non-living rodents. They can be frozen and thawed before use.

Sometimes the royal python may go hungry. Even in natural environment habitats Python regius picks at food and does not eat for a long time. A hunger strike can also be associated with the mating period. However, a snake may also refuse to feed due to stress.

In some cases, the reptile needs vitamin and mineral supplements. But a preliminary consultation with a snake specialist (herpetologist) is mandatory.

Additional information

There are no pronounced sexual differences between individuals. But females have a shorter tail compared to males.

The lifespan of a royal python in captivity can reach thirty years.

If there are several pythons, then each one should be placed in a separate terrarium.

Through selection, specialists obtained almost one and a half thousand morphological characteristics. They mainly concern skin. There are even species that have no scales.

Did you like the article? Take it to your wall and support the project!

The royal python is known to many exotic reptile owners as the ball python or ball python. This completely non-venomous and non-aggressive snake belongs to the genus of true pythons, which are widespread throughout Africa.

Description of the royal python

Royal pythons are one of the smallest pythons, and the length of an adult individual, as a rule, does not exceed one and a half meters. The reptile has a thick and fairly powerful body with a short tail. The head is wide and large, has a well-defined, noticeable demarcation from the cervical region.

The pattern on the body is represented by alternating irregular stripes and spots of light brown and dark brown color or almost black. Some areas of the body may have attractive white edging. The abdominal part is white or cream colored with rare and slightly pronounced dark spots.

Royal python morphs

In captivity, through long-term selection work, numerous interesting morphological changes in the coloration of the reptile's skin, which were the result of various genetic mutations, were obtained and fixed.

This is interesting! The most popular morphs in home keeping are “albino”, “orange ghost”, “spider” and “woma”, as well as “platinum morphism”.

Today, “morphs” with different colors and unusual design, as well as individuals almost completely devoid of integumentary scales, which gives the reptile a very original appearance.

Habitat in the wild

The zone of the main mass distribution of the royal python extends from western territories continent to central Africa. Pythons live in open forest areas and in shrouds, next to large enough bodies of water in which the reptiles can cool off on too hot days.

Pythons spend a significant part of the day in burrows, and their most active hours are at dawn and dusk.

Prey, diet

In natural conditions, royal pythons most often hunt small lizards, as well as smaller snakes, earth rats and shrews. The diet may also include birds, their eggs and small mammals.

Lifestyle, enemies of snakes

Royal pythons swim very well and willingly take water treatments.. The reptile climbs trees quite quickly. The main threat to the species is large lizards and crocodiles, as well big birds, including eagles and carnivorous mammals. In case of danger, the python is capable of relatively quickly curling up into a tight ball from the rings of its body, for which it received its unusual name"ball python" or "ball python".

Royal python at home

IN recent years More and more terrarium keepers give preference to such a fairly unpretentious and very interesting reptile, like a royal python. To be successful, you will need to purchase a good terrarium, and also carefully read the basic rules of care.

Construction of the terrarium

Before purchasing a terrarium, you should remember that a fairly spacious, preferably horizontal, home is suitable for keeping a royal python at home. For young individuals, terrariums with a volume of up to 30-35 liters are optimal. More adult pythons need to be provided with a “room” approximately one and a half meters long, equipped with a translucent front wall made of glass or acrylic. A prerequisite for proper maintenance is the presence of a mesh lid that can provide high-quality ventilation of the entire internal space.

Important! The minimum dimensions of a terrarium for baby pythons can be approximately 40x25x10 cm, and for adult royal pythons, the “dwelling” cannot be less than 60x40x20 cm.

The optimal bedding would be cypress mulch, as well as paper towels or the artificial substrate option “Astroturf”. Do not use wood shavings or sawdust. It is very important to arrange a significant number of secret corners inside the terrariums under driftwood, branches or relatively large, but not sharp shards, where the reptile will hide throughout the daylight hours.

Standard temperature regime The content of the royal python should be 25.0-29.4 o C during the daytime. In the heating zone, the temperature can be at 31-32 o C. At night, the temperature in the common area should be reduced to 21.0-23.4 o C. For additional heating, a heating pad or a modern ceramic-type heater can be used.

Important! A spacious and very stable reservoir with a water temperature of 22.0-26.0 o C should be created in the terrarium for bathing the reptile. Water must be replaced daily.

During the day, fluorescent lamps with a power of 60-75 W, located in the upper part of the terrarium, are used for lighting. It is necessary to maintain a certain regime daylight hours, which is approximately twelve hours. IN summer period Daylight hours can be increased by a couple of hours. It is not recommended to spray water from household spray bottles in the presence of an artificial reservoir. High humidity often causes many diseases in the royal python.

Royal python diet

A reptile of this species belongs to the category of carnivores, therefore, even in captivity, the diet should be represented by relatively small mice, medium-sized rats, hamsters, as well as chickens or quails. Food should be killed and frozen first. Immediately before feeding, the food must be thoroughly defrosted at room temperature.

The frequency of feeding should be based on age pet, and also be sure to take into account the temperature of the contents, the size of the prey and the level of activity of the reptile. As a rule, young and active individuals receive food a couple of times a week. It is recommended to feed adult royal pythons about once a week.

This is interesting! It should be remembered that a specific feature of the species is the predisposition of royal pythons to obesity, so the quantity and quality of food must be very carefully controlled.

IN winter period, especially in conditions of low temperatures, pythons eat little and reluctantly, or even refuse to eat for several weeks in a row, which is not a sign of illness, but refers to physiological characteristics reptiles. Females expecting offspring do not feed until they lay eggs. Pythons need to be fed in the evening or after dusk. The reptile should always have clean, fresh water in its access area.

Lifespan

The average lifespan of royal pythons when kept in comfortable conditions at home is approximately twenty to thirty years. Individuals living in natural, natural conditions rarely cross the ten-year threshold.

House snake diseases, prevention

Big problems can arise if a pet python does not eat for more than one month. In this case, you need to strictly control the reptile’s weight, and if it decreases significantly, force feed the pet. Typically, pythons long time refuse to eat due to stomatitis, the presence of which can be determined by a careful examination of the reptile’s mouth.

In addition to stomatitis, the royal python is susceptible to the following diseases:

• dystocia is a disease associated with a violation of the oviposition process, and accompanied by the stoppage of the egg in the genital tract;
• exhaustion of various origins and severity;
• prolapse of organs from the cloaca;
• disekdis;
• acute or chronic respiratory syndrome;
• Cryptosporidiosis is a protozoal disease accompanied by significant depletion of the reptile.

Compliance with maintenance rules and timely prevention can minimize the risk of royal python diseases and also prevent the development of severe complications.

Python breeding

The royal python reaches sexual maturity at the age of three years in natural conditions, and one and a half years - when kept in captivity. The breeding season occurs from the first ten days of September to mid-November. The female's pregnancy lasts approximately one and a half months, and the incubation period takes about two months and occurs at a temperature of 32 o C.

There are no pronounced differences between males and females. Comparative visual inspection allows us to note a longer tail with a thickening in the area of ​​the cloaca in males. Females have a relatively short tail and complete absence thickenings. The claw-like rudiments in the anal area of ​​males are more powerful and longer. Females are distinguished by a fairly powerful physique and large size. The body length of baby pythons born is 41-43 cm, and their body weight does not exceed 46-47 g.

Shedding

Before the onset of molting, the royal python experiences a characteristic clouding of the eyes, on which a very peculiar and clearly visible film is formed. At this time, it is necessary to increase the humidity level inside the terrarium. It is allowed to supplement the reptile’s diet with special vitamin complexes.

Snakes in many cultures are symbols of wisdom, grace and determination. They received this characteristic for their slow, flexible, sliding movements, a bewitching gaze and a rare but sharp throw during an attack on the victim, which is always crowned with success. Their skin is pleasant to the touch and attracts with its smoothness and original pattern.

The most common types of snakes to keep at home are royal and tiger pythons. They are unpretentious in care, but very interesting to observe and charge with energy of calm and concentration of strength.

The active life of these creatures takes place at night, which must be taken into account when choosing a pet.

Special recognition in lately received albino pythons. They are distinguished by their non-trivial coloring. They cannot exist in nature, but at home they live quite easily. Due to increased demand, breeders have found ways to artificially breed such pythons.

Arranging the space

In nature, pythons live in hot climatic conditions With high humidity, spending most of their time in trees or in water. They need to arrange their home space accordingly.

The terrarium should be doubled longer pet so that it can move comfortably. Females are usually larger than males, so when purchasing a small python, you must immediately take into account its species, age and gender when purchasing accessories.

The presence of branches, a heat source and a reservoir are of decisive importance for the arrangement of the place.

In nature, pythons hide in inconspicuous places, or rather, do not attract outside attention, which is confirmed by their color and body structure. After eating, they spend a lot of time alone, positioned so as not to differ from their shelter. For this at home, branches located horizontally along the length of the terrarium are suitable.