Caring for a royal python. How to care for a ball python Royal boa care why he sleeps in water

Over the past decade and a half, the fashion for keeping exotic animals at home has rapidly developed in our country: from ostriches to tigers. Today, the most popular pets, oddly enough, include snakes.

Of course we're talking about not about deadly poisonous reptiles, but about more peaceful creatures from the constrictor family. The royal python is especially favored by exotic lovers. It is also called a ball python or ball python. This unpretentious African snake, not exceeding one and a half meters in length, has won the hearts of people thanks to its interesting coloring and peaceful character.

How to choose?

For those who are getting a python for the first time, the best option is to buy a baby that has recently hatched. The baby snake must be able to feed on its own, be at least 40 centimeters long, have shiny skin and developed muscles.

You should start looking for a pet in May, since the mass birth of cubs on snake farms occurs in late spring.

Where to keep it?

Of course, before you bring a ball python into your home, you need to set up a terrarium. Snakes take every opportunity to escape, and therefore the task of limiting pet in movements must be decided with the utmost care. Especially if there are other animals in the house besides the python - cats, dogs, rodents.

The pet products market today is widely represented different kinds terrariums. Or you can build a “house” for the python with your own hands. In this case, it is best to use materials made of glass, plastic or wood. A container for a snake - ready-made or homemade - must have:

— a sliding transparent wall on the facade;

- waterproofing coating with inside;

- rounded corners and edges.

In such a terrarium it is convenient to clean and feed the ball python.

Many people believe that large snakes need very spacious rooms, but this is not the case. In nature, the royal python rarely climbs trees, preferring life on the ground. Therefore, the width and length of the container must be greater than the height. The optimal terrarium area for a ball python is approximately 100 by 50 centimeters.

However, the size of the container is not as important as the humidity level and temperature. These are vital criteria for reptiles. The ball python will feel comfortable at 27-28 degrees Celsius. A large bowl of water will allow the air inside the terrarium to remain humid, like in the African tropics.

What to feed?

It is necessary to feed a snake of any age once every 7-10 days; more frequent attempts to feed the python will only irritate it. Sometimes reptiles can go without food for six months or longer.

As a rule, royal pythons prefer to eat living creatures: rats, mice, rabbits, birds. You should buy animals to feed your snake from trusted pet stores, because animals bought at poultry markets may be sick. However, snakes that are kept in captivity from birth can learn to eat defrosted meat. At one time, an adult can eat from 400 to 800 grams of food.

Remember when good care and upbringing, a ball python can live in captivity for more than 50 years and become a friend of the whole family no worse than ordinary dogs or cats.

The royal python is non-venomous snake, belonging to the genus of true pythons. Widely distributed in Africa. The reptile is often kept at home due to its unpretentiousness. She is not at all aggressive, has a peaceful character and calmly treats people. A snake can attack only in exceptional cases when it is in serious danger, but this happens extremely rarely. The royal python can be successfully bred in captivity.

Description

The royal python can be found in nature in tropical forests with high humidity. Its activity is most often observed at night. During the day, the snake hides in shelters (hollows, holes, fallen leaves), and at dusk it goes out to hunt. Loves water and swims well. Capable of climbing trees. When threatened, it curls up into a tight ball, hiding its head inside.

According to the description, the royal python is a small snake, the length of which is 1.5 meters. Her body is thick and powerful, and her tail is short. The muscles of the body are so well developed that when a snake squeezes and squeezes its victim, it is impossible for it to escape. The head is large, wide, with a pronounced demarcation from the cervical region. The snake's body is covered with golden and black scales that shimmer beautifully. There is also a piebald color, which was obtained as a result of breeding work. On the head is a golden-yellow triangle called the crown. The branched tongue acts as a tactile organ. Puberty occurs at the age of 3–5 years. The royal python lives for about 45 years.

The snake's character is balanced. She rarely bites, and her bites are not poisonous. Can exist peacefully with members of its own species. A python living at home is calm and obedient.

Morphs

As a result of long-term selection work, numerous morphological changes have occurred in the color of the python. The most popular morphs of the royal python include the following:

Morphs	Description
Lesser Platinum	This snake has a unique coloration, combining platinum and brown.
Butter	Instead of platinum, this morph has an ash-sand shade that predominates, which combines beautifully with the smoky color. Sometimes there are copper or bronze options
Regius	The snake's body is covered with brownish and black scales
Super Lesser	The albino morph is a solid white color without any spots. His eyes are bright blue
Orange Ghost	It differs from the others in its bright orange body color with white streaks. Eyes golden or black
Woma	The morph is of an unusual color, reminiscent of a leopard or tiger skin. The main color is sand or brown. The entire body is covered with asymmetrical stripes of darker spots. Head and eyes are black

Conditions of detention

Although royal pythons are unpretentious animals, they need to be provided comfortable conditions content.

The terrarium should be chosen in a large size. For young individuals, purchase a tank of 40–80 liters. When the pet reaches a length of one meter, the terrarium is replaced with a new, larger one. Snakes often crawl out into the wild. To prevent this from happening, the lid must be made of glass or strong wire.

The bottom of the terrarium is covered with fillers. It can be:

• special artificial substrate;
• paper or torn newspapers;
• cypress shavings.

In the terrarium, they must arrange secluded places for the reptile, where it will hide if necessary. You can use a shoebox or flower pot. In addition, you can purchase a rocky mound, an empty tree trunk, driftwood and other items at a pet store. In this case, the pet needs to have room to move.

The terrarium is illuminated with wide-spectrum fluorescent lamps. They allow light to spread as much as possible throughout the entire area of ​​the home. For heating, use a regular incandescent lamp or a special mat placed under the tank. The temperature during the day is +25...+27 degrees, and at night it should drop to +20...+22 degrees. This is necessary for feeling normal pet.

Snakes love to swim. The humidity in the terrarium is maintained at the required level using an artificial pond, which is installed inside the tank. The water temperature in it should be +25 degrees, it needs to be replaced every day.

Feeding

In nature, the python's food is small mammals and birds. A reptile that lives at home should be fed small rabbits, chickens, mice and rats. The young are mostly fed mice. It is recommended to take non-live food for snakes. It is advisable to first freeze it and defrost it before giving it to the python. The snake's eating time is twilight or night.

Because of physiological characteristics Pythons tend to be overweight, so their diet should be balanced.

Young reptiles are offered food once every 5 days, adults - once every 10 days. This is due to long digestion of food. Special vitamins and minerals designed for snakes can be added to the diet.

Reproduction

Royal pythons can breed in captivity in June - November. This process can be further stimulated by reducing the temperature in the terrarium to +21 degrees. This lowering of the regime has a beneficial effect on the reptiles, and they begin mating games.

If everything goes well, the female lays 4–6 eggs in 120–140 days. After this, the incubation period begins, which lasts up to 90 days. The female can warm the offspring with her body, otherwise the eggs should be placed in an incubator with a temperature of +35 degrees. Hatched pythons weigh 46 g and their body length reaches 43 cm.

Diseases

Due to improper care, the snake can be susceptible to various diseases. The first signs that your pet is sick are refusal to eat and weight loss. If the body weight has decreased quite significantly, the reptile must be force-fed. If the python still refuses to eat, it most likely has stomatitis, a fairly common disease.

To cure the disease, dead tissue, pus and blood clots are removed from the oral cavity with a gauze swab, which is moistened with hydrogen peroxide. First, the mucous membrane is treated with an antiseptic (an aqueous solution of potassium permanganate, furatsilin), and then with an antibacterial drug. An effective result was shown by a 0.5% solution of Dioxidin together with Septefril.

Other python diseases include:

• dystocia;
• chronic or acute respiratory syndrome;
• exhaustion;
• disekdis.

The royal python, unlike the boa constrictor, does not pose a danger to humans. It has a peaceful character, which is why this reptile is most often kept at home.

IN last years Royal pythons have become very popular. More and more keepers prefer these calm and beautiful snakes African origin. They are not fussy in their maintenance and can even tolerate small mistakes made by amateurs.

Royal pythons are also called ball pythons or ball pythons. These snakes are not poisonous.

Description of royal pythons

This type of python is one of the smallest. The body length of royal pythons ranges from 1.2 to 2 meters. The body of these snakes is powerful, thick, and the tail is short.

A pattern of alternating stripes runs across the body irregular shape dark brown or light brown in color and dark brown or black spots. The belly is creamy or white color, sometimes small dark spots may be scattered across it.

Distribution and lifestyle of royal pythons

These snakes live in Central and West Africa: in Mali, Senegal, Guinea, Niger, Ghana Sudan, Chad and the like. Royal pythons live in savannas and equatorial forests.

These snakes are nocturnal; during the day they sleep in shelters (hollows, burrows, leaf litter), and at night they begin to hunt. They can swim well and enjoy going into the water. In addition, they can climb trees.

If a python is in danger, it curls up into a strong ball, inside which it hides its head, which is where the name “ball python” comes from.

Royal python diet

IN wildlife these snakes hunt mainly small mammals: rats, shrews, striped mice, also sometimes eat birds.

Keeping royal pythons in a terrarium

These pythons are kept in horizontal terrariums. The optimal size is 100x60x60 centimeters.

During the day, the temperature in the terrarium is maintained in a warm corner to 28 degrees, and in a cool corner - up to 25 degrees. At night, the temperature is lowered in the cool corner to 18 degrees, and in the warm corner to 20 degrees.

Royal pythons are nocturnal animals, so they do not require the use of ultraviolet lamps. Light and heat the terrarium with incandescent lamps or a heating cable.

Since the habitats of royal pythons are African savannas, then it is not recommended to add excessive humidity in the terrarium; it should be maintained at 50-60%, but during the molting period it is increased to 70-80% to make it easier for the snake to shed its old skin.

It is imperative to arrange a shelter for the snake that will be suitable in size. There should also be a bowl of water in which the python will fit completely. Pythons will not drink standing water, so it should always be fresh.

Features of feeding royal pythons

Royal pythons are fed rats and mice. They can also be given Mongolian gerbils which are bred in captivity. It is not recommended to feed the python with hamsters, as it may then not accept other food.

Be sure to select food according to size, as the snake can sometimes get scared big catch. Until the age of six months, royal pythons are fed once a week, growing individuals are given food once every 10 days, and adult individuals - no more than once every 2-3 weeks. Excess food can cause obesity in snakes, which causes a decrease in the snake's reproductive abilities and a deterioration in its condition.

After feeding, the pythons are not disturbed for 2-3 days. At this time, do not allow the temperature in the terrarium to change, as this may cause regurgitation. Adult pythons experience seasonal food refusals, this is associated with the breeding season.

Royal pythons molt

Before molting, royal pythons, like many other snakes, have cloudy eyes and a kind of film forms on them. At this time, increase the humidity in the terrarium. You can add vitamins to your food. Vitamins are added once a month. But it is worth considering that not all vitamins are useful for pythons; they cannot be used vitamins A, D, E, K, for example, vitamin D removes calcium from the python’s body.

Reproduction of royal pythons

These snakes reach sexual maturity at a certain weight: the minimum weight for females is 1.5 kilograms, and for males - 750 grams.

On early stages During pregnancy, females actively take food, but in later stages they completely refuse it. They try to stay in the warmer parts of the terrarium. The gestation period is 128 days.

Before laying eggs, the female begins to look for a suitable place. At this time, the female is carefully monitored so that she does not choose the wrong place and lay eggs, for example, next to a heating device. To do this, the terrarium must contain a container with damp moss, in which a large female can completely fit.

The temperature of the moss should not be more than 31 degrees. When the temperature drops briefly to 25 degrees, the embryos are able to survive, but when the temperature rises to 32 degrees, they are guaranteed to die.

During the period of hatching eggs, females do not curl up into a ball; if something threatens them, they actively attack and protect the offspring. There should be a drinking bowl next to the female so that she can reach it without getting out of the container with the eggs.

It is recommended that all keepers keep diaries in which they indicate the type of snake, its gender, time of acquisition and approximate age. In the same journal, health status, molting, laying, and changes in behavior are noted.

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Not all people like crawling creatures, especially snakes. However, among such creatures there are representatives of exotic pets, and lovers of such may be interested in the royal python. This species is very popular among snakes. IN natural conditions western part of Africa and this species of snake lives. These snakes love to be located in savannas or in open forests close to water, where they escape hot conditions, but they spend most of their time in their burrows.

The royal python is active at night and in the evening, as it is during this period that it hunts lizards, small mammals and birds

If royal pythons are kept in captivity, then good conditions they won't be picky.

These pets can bite, but this happens very rarely, only in emergency cases, otherwise they usually take the form of a ball, which is why sometimes such a python is called a “ball python.” Pythons live in the wild for about 10 years, but at home they can live up to 30 years.

Sexual maturity occurs at three or five years of age. As a result, the list of advantages of the royal python includes such as peacefulness and non-aggression, unpretentiousness in maintenance, beautiful coloring, the most small size from other representatives of pythons.

However, there is also a drawback: the python lives at night, and during the day it lives in shelters

The royal python has quite muscular body, the diameter of which is from ten to fifteen centimeters.

There is a large triangular spot on the head, as well as lateral oculotemporal stripes, which are connected by a yellow stripe.

In terms of color, they come in more black, yellow and beige colors; these are the colors that predominate. It is for its unusual coloring that this python is called royal.

It is impossible not to mention such a python weapon as the tongue. And this python’s weapon is long and branched. The body size of females and males is different. Females are longer than males, the former up to 1.8 meters long, and the latter up to one meter.

Royal pythons grow quite quickly; in the first three years they grow thirty centimeters every year

It is not difficult to care for such a very unique pet. You need to choose either a plastic or glass terrarium for them.

Until adulthood, you can keep a python in a terrarium, the volume of which is 35 liters, but then the place for their residence should be increased, so that the size of the home is at least twice as large longer pythons.

However, do not forget about such a part of the terrarium as the lid, otherwise the python will happily walk around the house, but the lid must have ventilation. As bedding in the terrarium, you can use an artificial substrate, as well as paper towels, but not sawdust.

Do not forget to arrange secluded places for the python in which it will hide, just like in the wild. The temperature should be from 25 to 29 degrees during the day, and from 20 to 23 at night. It is important to use additional lighting, in which the lamps will be located at the top of the terrarium.

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 king 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 time in the trees or in the water. They need to arrange their home space accordingly.

The terrarium should be twice the length of the 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.