Caring for a royal python. How to care for a ball python Royal python at home

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 of the 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.

Royal python, is known to many owners of exotic reptiles 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! 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 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 hours most active occur 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 last years More and more terrarium keepers are giving preference to such a fairly unpretentious and very interesting reptile as the 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 Astroturf artificial substrate option. 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 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.

Lamps are used for lighting during the day daylight with a power of 60-75 W, located in the upper part of the terrarium. It is necessary to maintain a certain regime daylight hours, which is approximately twelve hours. In summer, 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 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, 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

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 pet python hasn't eaten 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 reveals a longer tail with thickening in the cloaca area 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.

Name: royal python, ball python.

The royal python's habitat ranges from western to central Africa (north of the equator). Pythons are found in open forests and shrouds, near water, where the snakes cool off in the heat. Most The royal python spends the day in its burrows. It is a crepuscular animal that is most active at dawn and dusk. In the wild, royal pythons hunt lizards, small snakes, amphibians, birds and small mammals.

On the python’s head there is a large dark triangular spot on top; on the side there are lateral oculotemporal stripes, between which lies a yellow stripe.
Females and males have "anal spurs" that resemble small claws on either side of the anus. Like other snakes, royal pythons have a very sensitive, branched tongue, which they use as a sensory organ.

Female royal pythons are larger than males and reach lengths of up to 1.8 m, although the most common snakes are 1.2 m in size. The royal python has a very muscular body, 10-15 cm in diameter, males are thinner and their heads are smaller than those of females. Male royal pythons have larger "anal spurs" than females. Young pythons grow 30 cm every year (during the first three years). Puberty occurs at the age of 3-5 years.

IN wildlife pythons live up to 10 years, in captivity 20-30 years.

Royal pythons rarely bite; if something threatens them, they curl into a tight ball, hiding their heads inside. It is because of this feature that the python got its name “ball python”. They can be kept with other snakes as these pythons are docile and easy to keep.

When choosing a terrarium for a royal python, you need to remember that they grow big size, therefore the terrarium should be quite spacious, preferably horizontal. Young pythons can be kept in 17-35 liter terrariums; after they grow to 90 cm, they are moved to a terrarium with a glass or acrylic front wall. The perimeter of the terrarium should be at least twice the length of the snake.

The terrarium must be closed with a lid on top, as the snake can escape. A mesh lid is desirable to ensure good ventilation. Cypress mulch, paper towels, newspapers or Astroturf artificial substrate are used as bedding. You should always have clean bedding on hand. Do not use sawdust as bedding.

Create many secret places in the terrarium where the snake can hide, for example, put flower pots without soil, cardboard boxes. Place several strong branches. All objects in the terrarium must have no sharp corners. The royal python will hide in shelters for most of the daylight hours.

The temperature of keeping a royal python should be around 25-29.4°C during the day, with a heating zone (in this zone the temperature should reach 32°C) and 20-24°C at night. Additional heating can be provided by placing a ceramic heater under half the bottom of the terrarium, a heating pad, or on top of the terrarium. During the day, the terrarium is illuminated with 75-watt (or lower) light bulbs placed at the top of the terrarium.

Do not use hot stones to heat the terrarium!

Measure the temperature in several parts of the terrarium day and night using a thermometer. Don't forget to measure the temperature under the light bulb and near the bottom of the terrarium.

To maintain the proper temperature, it is better to use thermostats for this purpose. The terrarium should be placed away from the heating system, batteries, and other objects that may be additional sources high temperatures.

For daytime lighting, full-spectrum fluorescent lamps are used.

For the royal python, you must always maintain a certain length of daylight hours: 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. In summer, daylight hours can be increased by 2 hours, and reduced by 2 hours in winter.

In the terrarium you need to create a spacious pond in which the python will swim. The pond must be stable so that the python cannot overturn it. The water temperature should be 22-26°C. The water is changed every day. Spraying water from a spray bottle is not recommended, as royal pythons need low humidity, as when high humidity pythons get sick quickly.

Royal pythons are carnivores; in captivity, young pythons eat small mice; adult snakes feed on mice, rats, hamsters, chickens or quails. Food must be killed and frozen. Before feeding, food is thawed. Avoid feeding live food, as it can cause serious injury to snakes, and rodents can also become infected with various diseases.

The frequency of feeding a python depends on its age, temperature, size of prey and activity of the snake. Young snakes eat 1-2 times a week, adults can eat once every 1-2 weeks. In winter, if the temperature is low, the snake eats even less or refuses to eat at all for several weeks. Pregnant females do not feed until they lay eggs. Snakes that shed do not eat at all. Royal pythons are prone to obesity. Pythons are fed in the evening or at dusk.

If your python has not eaten for more than 1-4 months, carefully monitor its weight. If the royal python has lost too much weight, you have to force feed it, or try placing the snake in a small space and putting a live mouse in there (not a baby mouse, but already a little independent, which cannot harm the snake). The mouse will run around the snake and irritate it. In most cases, reptiles eat the food offered. If the python continues to refuse food, check its mouth to see if it has stomatitis. This is an oviparous species. There are 2-9 eggs in a clutch. The incubation period is 66-75 days.

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6,000 - 48,000 rub.

(Python regius)

Class - reptiles
Order - scaly

Family - pseudopods

Genus - true pythons

Appearance

One of the smallest pythons, reaching 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 primarily of small mammals such as rats, African striped mice, and 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 from 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 middle 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. The optimal size of a terrarium is approximately 80x50x50cm, but its dimensions can be larger (for example, length 100 cm). The terrarium must have a drinking bowl, 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.