According to taxonomy, pythons belong to the boa constrictor family, a subfamily of snakes. This animal in adulthood can reach a length of 12 meters. As a rule, adults live in the tropics and subtropics. Such a large animal can easily swallow a whole boar, wild wolf and other fairly large animal. If we talk about people, pythons practically do not attack them.
Two types of pythons can be well suited for home keeping: the royal python and tiger python. Albino pythons are very popular. this type These animals have no skin coloring. The thing is that such pythons have completely white skin and they cannot survive in the wild. Zoologists and breeders can easily breed such individuals in specially created conditions.
Keeping such animals requires special conditions. First of all, you need to purchase a large terrarium for large snakes. This terrarium must be equipped with an additional heat source. Python constantly needs clean water, he needs it to quench his thirst and bathe. In addition, a certain number of things must be placed in a horizontal position in the terrarium. This is necessary in order to bring the animal’s habitat closer to its natural one.
Python loves high humidity air, for its comfortable existence a humidity of about 90% is required. To achieve such conditions in the terrarium, it must be sprayed with water 2 times a day. When the space allows, you can purchase a pool for your pet. During the day, the temperature should be approximately 26-28 degrees; at night, 23 degrees will be enough. The heat source should be placed on one of the branches located in the terrarium; this is necessary so that the animal can warm up while lying on this source. The temperature of the heating device should not fall below 35 degrees.
IN natural conditions This type of snake is quite slow, unless of course the animal is well-fed. When hunting, a python tracks its prey for a long time, and then suddenly attacks it and grabs its head with its teeth. After this, the python wraps rings around the body of the prey. Now all he can do is swallow his prey completely. If we talk about pythons that live in circuses and zoos, they mainly feed on mice, rabbits and rats.
When caring for a python, you need to know that this type of snake is not interested in dead prey. They must be given only living victims. The thing is that dead animals no longer emit infrared heat, and the python reacts precisely to it. As soon as the snake senses such radiation, its hunting instinct awakens.
A python must ensure that it is dead before it can completely devour its prey. As soon as this happens, it begins to slowly absorb the victim entirely. At the same time, his mouth opens very wide. When a python swallows its victim, it feels as if its body is being pulled over the carcass of the dead animal. From start to finish, a python's meal takes about 20 minutes.
As soon as the python is full, it curls up into a ball and remains in this position until the food is completely digested. If speak about natural environment habitat, then the intervals between meals in pythons vary depending on how large the last catch. If the snake has feasted on a large animal, then the next hunting trip will occur in about 4 weeks. But in captivity, pythons need to be fed at least 2 times a week. It should be noted that snakes molt, and how often this process occurs is influenced by the age of the animal. If the individual is young, then shedding occurs once a month; if the animal is already old, then skin change occurs much less frequently.
In this article I will tell you everything about how to keep royal python at home, what kind of terrarium he needs, how to arrange a terrarium so that the python is comfortable and what to feed the royal python.
Royal python is not very major representative kind. With a rather small size (males reach a length of one and a half meters, females up to almost two meters), this species has a very powerful body. The body thickness of an adult snake can be fifteen centimeters. With such a thickness, if the python shrinks, even an adult man will not have enough strength to unclench it.
Thanks to its small size, amazing coloring and many shapes, the royal python is becoming a popular pet among exotic lovers.
Before purchasing a snake, you should find out whether it was born in captivity or caught from the wild. I recommend buying only those snakes that have already been born in captivity and with early age. There are several reasons for this:
- A snake that was born in captivity adapts much more easily to home conditions. While she is small, she tolerates changing conditions relatively painlessly, which cannot be said about adult snakes. Snakes caught in the wild very rarely get used to home conditions and in most cases die.
- When buying a snake that was born in captivity, you can definitely find out its age, and knowing this data already, you can understand whether the snake was kept normally or was underfed. There are cases when the snake, on the contrary, is overfed. This is very harmful if you want to breed a royal python. I was very lucky when I bought my python. I took him literally two weeks after he hatched and I personally monitor his growth.
Keeping this snake at home is not very easy; you need to especially carefully monitor the living conditions of young snakes. After you buy a python, it may be stressed for the first week and may refuse to eat. That's exactly what happened to me. Then I transplanted it into a small container, 40x40x40 centimeters, placed an incandescent lamp on top and maintained a temperature of at least 27 degrees and a high humidity of 80 percent. Plus there was a container of water inside so the snake could bathe.
A week after these conditions, my python ate its first mouse and began to eat steadily. To keep an adult snake you need a fairly large terrarium. The dimensions of my terrarium are 70x40x50. One corner of the terrarium must be heated to 32 degrees. You can use either artificial litter or coconut as bedding. I prefer to use coconut. It retains moisture much better and the aroma of pure coconut is pleasant.
It is necessary to put several shelters in the terrarium. These could be empty pots, snags (driftwood), a piece of bark, caves, and much more where the snake can hide. In nature, royal pythons climb onto branches and can hunt from them. It would be a good idea to place a large branch so that the snake can hunt from above. Also in the terrarium there should be a cup with clean water. Pythons not only drink water, but also love to swim in it. As the snake grows, increase the volume of the cup.
Young royal pythons should be fed twice a week with an adult mouse, provided that it is maintained heat, and the snake managed to digest the food. Adult pythons can be fed once a week or two weeks. big rat. When snakes begin to feed on rats, they begin to grow much faster, this is due to the fact that they are more nutritious.
From my experience I can suggest the following feeding regimen:
- While your python is small, buy him one adult mouse once a week and keep the temperature around 27 degrees and humidity 80 percent.
- As soon as your snake grows 30 centimeters, you can try offering it a small rat, slightly larger than an adult mouse. And so gradually increase the size of the food object.
- Adult rats can be given only when the python reaches its maximum size one and a half or two meters and will have a massive body, otherwise the rat may damage it. In my opinion, it is better to give several young rats in turn than to risk the animal.
- My royal python is very good at eating chickens, plus they are cheaper than rats and won't harm your animal. So if you can get chicks of the right size, feed them instead.
Do you like royal pythons? Do you already have such a pet or are you just looking to get one?
53 comments: Royal python. Features of keeping at home.
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 adult, 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 coloration were obtained and fixed. skin reptiles resulting from various genetic mutations.
This is interesting! Most popular in home care The morphs are "albino", "orange ghost", "spider" and "woma", as well as the "platinum morphism".
Today, “morphs” with different colors and unusual patterns are very well known, as well as individuals that are 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 the western territories of the 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 are very good swimmers and readily accept 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 last years More and more terrarium keepers give preference to such a fairly unpretentious in maintenance 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 terrariums inside significant amount secret corners under snags, branches or relatively large, but not sharp shards, where the reptile will hide throughout the daylight hours.
The standard temperature regime for keeping a 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 is 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. Spray water from household spray bottles if available. artificial reservoir Not recommended. High humidity often causes many diseases of 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 giving food should be based on the age of the pet, and also be sure to take into account the temperature of the keeping, 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, especially in conditions 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 the physiological characteristics of the reptile. Females expecting offspring do not feed until they lay eggs. Pythons need to be fed evening hours or after dusk. The reptile should always have clean, fresh water in its access area.
Lifespan
Average lifespan of royal pythons when created comfortable conditions in home care 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. As a rule, pythons refuse to eat for a long time 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 a complete lack of thickening. 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, despite the fact that many people seem slippery, cold and disgusting, are considered very beautiful animals. Many peoples perceive the snake as a symbol of wisdom and beauty. In the tropics and subtropics of the Eastern Hemisphere there are many different snakes, both small and huge, among them there are 22 species of pythons. Python snakes are large reptiles.
In this article we will talk about the tiger python, which is included in the list of the largest snakes in the whole world. The name “tiger” comes from the fact that the color of these huge creatures partially resembles the color of tigers; the range of these predators also coincides to some extent.
Tiger python: subspecies, description
In our modern times, more and more often such huge snakes can be found in private properties, in home terrariums. One of the most popular boa constrictors to keep in a house or apartment are tiger pythons. Exotic lovers are not stopped even by the fact that these beautiful creatures very large (there are known cases when a reptile of this species reached sizes of more than 9 meters). In nature, tiger pythons are divided into subspecies:
- Double-banded (dark tiger python).
- Indian ( light python brindle).
- Ceylon tiger python.
Double-ribbon and Indian pythons have similar patterns - large dark red spots on a brownish background irregular shape. There are small spots on the sides, inside of which there are light circles - eyes. Dark python differs from the light one in a more saturated color and the absence of white eyes in the lateral spots. It grows up to 8 meters and has a very cool and evil disposition. The Indian one is inferior to its dark relative in size; it does not grow more than 6 meters; the light python has a much calmer character than the aggressive two-ribbon boa constrictor.
The Ceylon python is in no way inferior to the other two subspecies in the beauty of its color and pattern. It has an easy-going and calm disposition; the length of such a snake is no more than 4 meters.
When talking about what kind of pythons there are in nature, it is impossible not to remember the albino boa constrictor. This beautiful creature is much more beautiful than its dark relatives. The albino tiger python cannot survive in wildlife, since it does not have a protective color. Such a snake with bright yellow skin, which wonderfully shimmers in the rays of light, is successfully grown and bred in captivity. The body of this handsome man is white, only his back is painted with patterns of yellow spots, because of this coloring, the albino snake received the name “Golden Python”.
Before you get a snake like this in your home big size, it is necessary to arrange a suitable terrarium for it. The snake house must be equipped with additional heating; it is necessary to create an environment close to nature. To do this, it is enough to place branches, driftwood and stones in the terrarium. At the same time, pay attention to the fact that there are no sharp corners on them that could pet may get hurt.
For the normal existence of a python, it regularly requires fresh water. Therefore, mini-pools and drinking bowls are necessary for animals. They also need to be installed in order to maintain high air humidity (90%) in the snake kingdom. The temperature in the terrarium should be about 27 degrees during the day and about 23 degrees at night. For heating, it is better to choose one of the branches, placing a heat source above it. Thus, the reptile will have its own comfortable and warm “sofa”. In such a resting place it should be 33-35 degrees.
Nutrition
The tiger python will need everything as it grows. more food. First, the owner needs to decide which feeding method he will use. If you give a predator live food, then the natural hunting instincts will play in it with redoubled force. This is not always desirable, and the python’s victim may injure your pet in self-defense.
If you feed the handsome guy frozen food, then these problems will immediately disappear. The python will not be too bloodthirsty, and the possibility of injury in the heat of a hunting battle is excluded in itself.
The first feeding consists of one mouse once a week. Then the python, which reaches 1.5 m in length, will need a larger rodent, such as a rat. When is brindle a pet will cross the 2 m line, it is recommended to use rabbits and chickens as food.
Shedding
All reptiles change their beautiful skin from time to time. During intensive growth, young pythons “change clothes” in this way once a month. An adult tiger python molts once every few months. There is no exact definition of the frequency of molting. A snake can change its skin once every 3 months, or maybe once every 6 months, it depends on environment, on age, on the size of the reptile giant.
Reproduction
With proper care, the tiger python reproduces well in captivity. The female of this large species of snake is considered one of the most best moms among reptiles. After the mating period, she lays eggs (8-50 pieces), their number depends on the size and age of the expectant mother.
Having made a clutch, the mother wraps herself around it and begins incubation. The incubation period ranges from 70 to 80 days at a temperature of about 30 degrees. Temperature supported by muscle contractions tiger "mother hen". In due time, small pythons are born 40-60 cm long.
Python snakes: interesting facts
Snakes can not only terrify people; there are many tame pythons in home terrariums that live peacefully next to humans. But no matter how peaceful the reptile pet may be, it still remains a predator with power dangerous to human life. The owner should always remember this giant snake, about whose life many interesting facts are known.
In places where pythons live in their natural environment, residents rural areas they are treated like domestic cats that exterminate rodents. Having noticed such a snake neighborhood near his house, the owner is only happy and is not at all afraid.
Pythons have a unique jaw structure that is too loosely attached to the bones of the skull. During a meal, the predator pulls one jaw onto the victim, while the other jaw, or rather the teeth located on it, holds the prey. Then, alternating between grabbing the teeth and pulling on the jaw, the python completely swallows the food.
The bite of a tiger python is terrifying and dangerous. It is almost impossible to escape from the mouth of this monster. To protect citizens from irresponsible owners of huge reptiles, some authorities settlements They are beginning to pass laws that prohibit keeping snakes in home terrariums whose length exceeds 1.8 m.
If a person decides to settle such a huge miracle of nature next to him, then he should know that the tiger python has an amazing ability to break terrariums like simple cardboard boxes. Resting its nose against one wall of its house and its tail against the other, the snake begins to straighten out like a spring. As a result of such exercises, the predator is free. So you need to approach the choice of terrarium with all seriousness.
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