Ball Python or Royal Python

Description:
   The Ball Python is the smallest of the African python species. They will grow to between three and five feet (.91 to 1.27 m) with females generally larger than males. Hatchlings usually emerge at 8 to 12” (20 - 51 cm). They have a robust body with a short tail. Their natural coloring is a dark brown background, broken with irregular cream colored or yellowish buff patches. There are many unusual color and pattern variations.
   Being a wide bodied snake, they use rectilinear movement to crawl forward in a perfectly straight line. This is where they press sections of their body into the ground and then use their muscles to propel them forward.

Care and Feeding:
   They are a constrictor and their diet consists of small rodents. They will eat mice and rats throughout their lives. They are nocturnal, so feed at night. Small Ball Pythons will feed on small “fuzzy” mice (once a week) and will begin to consume larger mice and even small rats as they grow. Adults will feed on adult mice or small rats (one or two every week to ten days).
   Ball Pythons will often refuse food if they are handled excessively or when their habitat changes. They will need time to get comfortable in new surroundings.
   Fresh water in a good size water dish should always be available. A shallow water dish works well. The python will usually climb in and may get water on the substrate. If this happens, the substrate should be changed or alternatively, the python can be soaked in a separate water dish once a week.

Environment:
   The ball python is a terrestrial rain forest snake, so should be housed in a woodland type terrarium with high humidity. See terrarium set-ups described under Basic Reptile and Amphibian Care for more information on woodland terrariums.
   Adult Ball Pythons require a terrarium that is roughly 36” long x 18” wide (91 x 46 cm), or 24” long x 12” wide (60 x 30 cm) for a younger python. Hatchling Ball Pythons will thrive in a smaller enclosure approximately 10” wide and 12” long (25 x 30 cm), roughly the size of a ten-gallon terrarium.
   Young Ball Pythons can be kept on a substrate of paper towel. It is easy to clean, inexpensive, and allows you to closely monitor the enclosure for cleanliness and fecal material. For a more naturalistic setup, you can use cypress mulch and aspen bedding. We do not recommend using newspaper as it is messy and ugly.
   A good size water dish will provide a place for soaking and drinking. A heavy limb with plant vining is good for climbing on. One cage accessory that is a must for a Ball Python is the hide box. These are secretive snakes that will spend a great deal of their time hiding. The snake should be allowed to wedge itself tightly into the shelter so it will feel secure. Commercial plastic shelters, clay flowerpots, and a variety of other shelters can be used.

Temperature and Lighting requirements:
   The Ball Python enclosure should always be large enough to provide the Ball Python with a warm side and a cool side. This can be accomplished best by placing a small heating pad under one corner of the enclosure. The ideal temperature range is 80° to 85 °F during the day and a warmer area that remains in the 88° to 90° F range. They can easily tolerate a drop at night to 75° to 78 °F.

Social Behavior/Activities:
   By nature, Ball Pythons are secretive and spend most of their days hiding in tight-fitting shelters. They are nocturnal so are more active at night. These snakes can be housed alone or in groups with other snakes of similar size and habits.

Handling:
   Ball Pythons can become very tame, however as small babies, they are quite secretive and nervous. They will spend most of their time coiled in a tight ball or hiding in their shelters. As they grow (and are held more often by the keeper) they become less timid and will actually begin to explore their enclosure and climb about on the keeper’s hands. (Be careful as they can disappear quite quickly when you run to the kitchen for a drink or take a phone call.)

Breeding/Reproduction:
   These snakes, if not babies, need to be probe sexed for positive sex identification. They are typically sexually mature between 2 and 3 1/2 years though occasionally a ball python will be mature at about 18 months. A healthy pair of Ball Pythons will usually show interest in breeding at two years of age. (Males usually sooner and females occasionally longer, depending on the feeding schedule.) A sexually mature male is typically a 30 to 36” (76 - 91 cm) animal, while a female will need to be in the 40” (102 cm) and 1000 gram+ range. Typically the female is introduced into the male’s enclosure after each snake has been fed well.
   They have small clutches, in the 4 to 8 egg range. They will breed in the cool, rainy seasons. In nature, after laying the female then broods the eggs. You can let the female incubate the eggs herself (in a nest box) or you can remove the eggs to be incubated in an incubator. If they are removed, the eggs should be incubated in a mixture of damp vermiculite.
   The eggs will hatch in 50 to 60 days at an incubation temperature of 82° to 86° F (28 - 30° C). The hatchlings range from 10" (25.4 cm) to 17" (43.2 cm) in length.

Ailments:
   As most Ball Pythons available to keepers are captive-hatched babies, there are relatively few health concerns as long as they are kept in a proper enclosure and are fed the proper diet. Many Ball Pythons are farm-raised in Africa and arrive by the thousands each year. These should be watched closely in the early days as they can have feeding issues and occasionally arrive with other problems. Some illness to be aware of are:
   Mites and ticks: These small ectoparasites are occasionally seen on pet snakes. They typically arrive with imported pythons or are infested when they are housed at a reptile dealer’s facilities. They should be removed as they feed on blood from the host (your python) and can cause stress and can carry diseases. There are a wide range of products available to keepers for the removal of these parasites.
   Respiratory illnesses: Pythons that are kept too cool can get respiratory issues that can be life-threatening. Signs of problems include frequent yawning, gaping, gasping or opening of the mouth, and bubbling from the nose. Seek veterinary help if you see a combination of any of these signs. (A snake will yawn to realign its jaws after feeding. This is a normal behavior.)
   Dermal Fungal Infections: If a Ball Python is kept too cool or too humid for an extended period of time, the snake may develop skin lesions that will become crusty and bloody. A keeper should immediately look at his or her enclosure and make sure that the snake is being kept warm and dry enough. Clean the lesions with a gentle wash of Betadine or antibiotic cream until it heals.
   “Mouth Rot”: If a snake’s mouth does not shut well or if you see unhealthy exposed gum tissue, this may be a sign of infective stomatitis or “mouth rot”. Healthy gums are a light pinkish white without marks or red veining. Red splotches or other discolored areas may be early signs of “mouth rot”.
   Shedding Problems: Stuck sheds, retained eye caps, and other shedding problems are occasionally seen in Ball Pythons. Though the area in which they live is relatively hot and dry, they do spend a great deal of time in burrows, underground, and even in termite nests. These areas are not only warm, but are also humid. So, when a Ball Python is ready to shed (first signs are opacity of the eyes), the humidity within the enclosure or especially under the shelter should be raised. This will allow for proper shedding.
   Rodent Bites: Never leave a live feeder rodent in a snake’s enclosure. A freaked out mouse or rat may attack the snake. Though they are great predators, many captive Ball Pythons are attacked by live rodents each year and many of them die horrible deaths. Either remove the rodent if it is not eaten right away or feed your snake pre-killed prey.

Availability:
   The Ball Python is one of the most widely available snakes in the pet industry. They can be purchased as either a wild caught or a captive bred snake. Though the captive bred Ball Python may cost a bit more, it is generally more docile initially and more inclined to eat.
   Many Ball Pythons available each year are farm-raised in Africa and exported to the U.S. pet trade. These animals are generally healthy and feeding well, but some may have minor problems such as skin sores or lack of appetite. There are also thousands of captive-hatched Ball Pythons available each year and many more to be produced in the future.
   For a great pet, find a snake that is normally patterned ($25 to $40 each) and feeding well. You will find these snakes at a better reptile or pet stores, on-line, or at a reptile show or expo. It is always cheaper and less stressful on the animal if you can hand-pick it and you have the opportunity to look it over for good weight, clean mouth, good eyes, and general healthy appearance.