Ball Python
Care
Lifespan
20 - 30 years on average.
Adult size
4 - 5ft for females, 3 - 4ft for males. Most growth is done during the first 3 years, becoming fully grown by around 5 years.
Housing
As with most snakes, Ball Pythons/Royal Pythons are agoraphobic meaning large open spaces can be stressful. Baby snakes are recommended to be housed in smaller enclosures such as a 2ft vivarium and upgraded as their length increases: we recommend upgrading once their length exceeds the length + width of their enclosure.
Once fully grown, we recommend a minimum enclosure size of 4x2x2ft for females and 4x1x1ft for males. We recommend providing ample cover as well as branches to allow for climbing due to Royals semi-arboreal nature.
Heating
For heating, heat mats can be used to provide a hot spot especially for babies, however we recommend overhead heat sources such as Deep Heat Projectors on dimming stats, protected by a heat guard. These provide a more accurate hot spot and gradient and reduce the risk of burning.
Recommended temps in the enclosure are: A hotspot of 32 - 35c provided during the day, which we recommend maintaining throughout the night. We recommend monitoring temperatures with a reliable thermometer.
Lighting
UVB lighting is a beneficial option for this species. Benefits include aiding in the shedding cycle, higher iridescence, and aiding in the synthesis of calcium, therefore preventing Metabolic Bone Disease. If you choose to provide UVB lighting, a low output kit such as a 2.4% kit is ideal. We recommend that lighting is provided on a 12 hour light cycle (for example 8am- 8pm) to replicate day and night.
Humidity
We recommend maintaining humidity between 50%- 60%, spraying occasionally. When the Royal enters shed, we recommend raising humidity to 70% to assist in the removal of shed, moss hides can be provided to aid in this.
Water
We recommend that fresh water is provided daily in a water bowl. We recommend a large bowl that the snake can bathe in.
Diet
Snake diet varies greatly based on age, weight, and size. Generally speaking, we recommend feeding baby snakes once a week and adults once every 2-6 weeks based on food item size. Rats are the preferred food item for royals due to their size and larger fat deposits, more useful for heavy body snakes.
Other items can be offered to change up diet such as multimammates, a more natural food source.
Care should be taken not to make the snake overweight as this can reduce life span and cause complications down the line.
As with many snakes, Royals can fast: long periods of time where they do not eat. This is nothing to worry about and regular weight checks during this period can be used to monitor weight loss; very minimal during fasting. Males are more prone to fast, especially during breeding seasons at the end and beginning of the year.
For more information and advice on feeding proportions and fast, please ask our staff members in store or via Facebook.
Handling
Ball pythons are generally a very laid back and docile species of snake, often opting to ‘ball up’ when stressed. Babies are more shy than adults but with consistent work can become incredibly friendly snakes which do not mind being handled. Handling can be done regularly, once or twice a day, with handling sessions not exceeding 30 minutes so as to not cause stress or make the snake cold.
We recommend that handling is not done on the day of feeding and 2 days after, as to not cause regurgitation.