In this article, I will tell you all about how to keep royal python at home, what kind of terrarium he needs, how to equip the terrarium so that the python is comfortable and how to feed the royal python.

royal python is not a very large representative of its kind. With a fairly small size (males reach a length of one and a half meters, females almost two meters), this species has a very powerful body. The thickness of the body 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.

Due to its small size, amazing coloration and many forms, the royal python is becoming a popular pet for exotic lovers.

Before buying a snake, you should find out if it was born in captivity or caught from nature. I recommend buying only those snakes that were born already in captivity and with early age. There are several reasons for this:

A snake that was born in captivity is much easier to adapt to home conditions. While she is small, she endures a change of conditions relatively painlessly, which cannot be said about adult snakes. Snakes caught in nature very rarely get used to home conditions and in most cases die.
When buying a snake that was born in captivity, you will definitely be able to find out its age, and knowing this data already, you will be able to 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 royal python. I was very lucky when I bought my python. I took him literally two weeks after he hatched and I personally follow his growth.

Keeping this snake at home is not very easy, you need to carefully monitor the conditions for keeping young snakes. After you buy a python, he may have stress for the first week and may refuse to eat. I had exactly that. Then I transplanted it into a small container, 40x40x40 centimeters, put 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 that the snake could bathe.

A week after these conditions, my python ate his 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. As bedding, you can use either artificial bedding or coconut. I prefer to use coconut. It retains moisture much better and the aroma of pure coconut is pleasant.

In the terrarium, be sure to put a few shelters. These can be empty pots, snags (snags), a piece of bark, caves and much more where the snake can hide. In nature, royal pythons climb branches and can hunt from them. It will not be superfluous to put a large branch so that the snake hunts from a height. Also in the terrarium 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 king pythons should be fed twice a week to an adult mouse, provided that the temperature is maintained and the snake has had time to digest the food. Adult pythons can be fed once a week or two weeks with a large 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 scheme:

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 up to 30 centimeters, you can try to offer it a small rat, slightly larger than an adult mouse. And so gradually increase the size of the food object.
Adult rats should only be given when the python has reached its maximum size of one and a half or two meters and has 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 animals.
My king python is very good at eating chickens, plus they are cheaper than rats and can't hurt your animal. So if you can get chickens right size you better feed them.

Do you like royal pythons? Do you already have such a pet or just want to get one?

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royal python

The royal python (Python regius), the smallest representative of the genus, not exceeding one and a half meters in length, inhabits the countries of Western and Equatorial Africa- from Senegal to Nigeria and Cameroon. The head pattern consists of a large dark triangular spot on top and lateral oculotemporal stripes, between which lies a narrow yellow stripe. The coloration of the body of the royal python is very characteristic - two dorsal-lateral dark stripes run along the body from the head, connected by dark transverse bridges. Towards the middle of the body, the distance between the bars increases, they themselves expand, and the longitudinal stripes are interrupted in places, and additional spots appear on the light dorsal fields.

On the sides down from these bands descend irregular shape protrusions covering light lateral spots, inside which, in turn, there is a dark spot. The royal python hunts small animals and birds, which it guards, having settled down somewhere on the branches of a tree and hanging down the front part of the body. In case of danger, he rolls up into a tight ball, hiding his head inside it, and at this time one person cannot unfold it. That is why in some countries it is called "ball python" (ball python).

Pythons are kept in horizontal-type terrariums, as these pythons lead a predominantly terrestrial lifestyle. The size of the terrarium depends on the size of the animals. So, for a pair of Angolan pythons (Python anchieta), the smallest representatives of the genus, only 130 cm long, a terrarium measuring 100x60x70 cm is quite sufficient. For all pythons of this genus, several strong branches must be placed in the terrarium, not only because pythons love to crawl, but also in order to more fully use the volume of the terrarium, especially with significant sizes of animals. Lighting and heating sources in terrariums for ethyl snakes are equipped according to general principles. The temperature of the content of pythons is 28-32 C during the day and a little less at night.

Humidity levels should be high when keeping these snakes, especially when keeping this python (Python regius). For this purpose, the terrarium is sprayed, moisture-retaining types of soil are used, and large swimming pool. The latter is absolutely necessary, since all pythons spend a lot of time in the water, especially before molting. The water temperature should be about 25 C. They feed snakes with rodents and birds, large snakes can eat rabbits.

Python feeding

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

The frequency of feeding a python depends on its age, temperature of keeping, 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. Moulting snakes don't eat at all. Royal pythons are prone to obesity. They feed pythons in the evening or at dusk.

If the python does not eat for more than 1-4 months, carefully monitor its weight. If the king python has lost too much weight, you have to force-feed him, or try to put the snake in a small space and put a live mouse (not dairy, but already a little independent, which cannot harm the snake) in the same place. The mouse will run over the snake and annoy it. In most cases, reptiles eat the food offered. If the python refuses to eat further, check his mouth, he may have stomatitis.

Python breeding

Pythons of the central genus mate late autumn- at the beginning of winter. 20-30 days before this, the snakes are seated and kept at more than low temperatures(18-20 C) and shorter daylight hours singly. Most pythons in captivity incubate their clutches themselves, otherwise they can be successfully artificially incubated at 28-32 C and 100% humidity.

After 7-10 days after birth, young pythons molt and begin to feed on small mice. Pythons reach sexual maturity at different ages. Thus, it is known to receive offspring from a female dark tiger python (Python molurus bivittatus) at the age of only 18 months, although this is usually 3.5-4 years. Large pythons later reach maturity - the youngest female reticulated python, which brought offspring in captivity, was 5.5 years old, hieroglyphic - 6 years.

Over the past few years, royal pythons have become very popular. True, this is not surprising. With its beautiful coloration, size and character, this species has become one of the most frequently found in domestic collections, and tens of thousands of these animals are exported from Africa every year. These snakes can forgive some content mistakes and are quite suitable for beginner hobbyists.

In the terrarium, these animals need the same things as in nature. However, it is impossible to reproduce all the conditions of the changing environment in which a wild animal is found in nature. Therefore, when keeping in captivity, we focus our efforts on those conditions and requirements that are absolutely necessary for the life and health of the pet.

If we take into account the huge habitat of pythons as a genus, then the same requirements for terrarium living conditions cause slight surprise. Some pythons are terrestrial, others are arboreal; some come from humid areas, others from dry areas. However, most of them feel great in a terrarium under the same conditions. In fairness, the same can be said about most tropical boas.

Thus, providing the basic needs of a royal python is not difficult, but requires several pieces of equipment.

in the terrarium

The first and most important element of the necessary equipment is the terrarium itself. Its main function is to safely restrain the snake. Remember that snakes kept in a terrarium have a lot of free time, and if there is the slightest opportunity to escape, sooner or later they will use it.

My own first terrariums were a variety of cracked aquariums with glass topped down with a brick or book. Today, however, it is possible to buy great amount beautiful finished terrariums. And it's also not difficult to build a terrarium for a royal python with your own hands or convert a suitable household container into a terrarium.

Wood, plastic and glass - all these materials are great for making a terrarium. Currently, I enjoy using plastic terrariums with sliding windows on the front wall. These terrariums have a waterproof coating on the inside, which makes them easy to clean and disinfect. All edges and corners are rounded, so there are no gaps or corners that are difficult to clean. The terrariums themselves are light and have good review. And the best part is, you don't have to make them yourself!

Royal pythons are terrestrial animals that rarely climb branches. The area of the terrarium, on the basis of this, is a much more important indicator than the height.
A baby python will be comfortable in a small container the size of a shoebox. An adult python can live its entire life in an 80 x 45 cm terrarium. These are the minimum dimensions required. Larger terrariums are welcome, but too big sizes can cause feeding difficulties; sometimes it is problematic for a snake to find food in large quantities. In addition, over large areas it is more difficult to maintain the necessary microclimate.

Despite the fact that the main purpose of the terrarium is to keep the snake from escaping, it must also create special conditions necessary for the comfortable life of its inhabitant. Correct temperature and humidity levels are vital for reptiles.

The king python comes from drier areas than most of its Python brethren. However, it is important to keep the air humidity at a sufficient high level. In nature, royal pythons spend most of their time in burrows where the air is humid. Wild snakes are not exposed to dry hot air, as it seems at first glance on their natural environment a habitat. In captivity, given the choice, they will also choose a wetter location.
Royal pythons, like tropical animals, need more high temperatures than those that are common in our apartments. Because of this, terrariums with animals must be additionally heated. The ideal air temperature in the terrarium is 26-27C.

There are several ways to heat a terrarium. I use heating cords or heating mats. It is also possible to use incandescent lamps or ceramic heaters for this purpose. It is believed that snakes are color blind and cannot see the light of a red light bulb. I myself think that snakes see red, but at least they are not constantly exposed to white light, as is the case with the round-the-clock use of an ordinary incandescent lamp in as a heater. Heating mats and ceramic heaters emit no visible light and convert electricity into heat more efficiently.

At first glance, it may seem that you need to warm up the entire terrarium, but this is not so. AT wild nature snakes have the ability to choose the temperature that is optimal for them in this moment time. We can provide temperature control for the snake by placing the heating element in only one corner of the terrarium.

The temperature will be high near the heat source, and will decrease as you move away from it. And the snake will be able to choose the temperature in which it is in this moment needs. A temperature gradient of 26-32C is ideal for royal pythons. The temperature of the heat source itself may be higher, but this is not a problem as long as the specified warm and cold corner temperatures are observed.

When night falls on the earth, vivo the air temperature always drops. Therefore, a slight drop in temperature at night in a terrarium is quite possible, and even desirable during the breeding season.
If you use a heating element located under the bottom of the terrarium (cords, mats), then its area should not exceed 1/4-1/3 of the bottom surface. If you notice that the snake spends most of its time in one corner, then it is likely that the temperature regime needs to be adjusted.

The temperature in the cage with the royal python can be controlled using a thermostat, dimmer or by simply selecting the right heater according to the size of the terrarium.

The thermometer in the terrarium has a very importance under control temperature regime. I get a lot of calls from beginner breeders who have problems with animals who don't even know what the temperature is in their snake's terrarium.

Sticker thermometers, which are sold everywhere, are not very suitable for measuring the air temperature in a terrarium: they, in fact, show the temperature of the wall to which they are glued, and this is not the same thing.

Thermometers should be placed where the snake spends most of its time. For a royal python, this is the floor level. Temperatures elsewhere are less significant. If you are not using a thermostat, keep in mind that fluctuations in indoor temperature will cause the temperature inside the terrarium to change.

The amount of heat that a heating element must produce to keep the terrarium at the right temperature depends on several variables. First of all - on the size of the terrarium and its design, as well as its location and the size of the ventilation and any other openings. Obviously, larger terrariums require a more powerful heater, and terrariums made of wood retain heat better than plastic or glass ones.

The terrarium must be provided with ventilation holes, but it should not be forgotten that heat and humidity are easier to maintain at the proper level if the size of the ventilation is reduced. The location of the ventilation holes also plays an important role.

Since warm air rises, the vents located at the top of the terrarium will lead to unnecessary heat loss. In this case, the heating element will work more intensively to heat the terrarium, and this, in turn, will lead to a decrease in air humidity. Ideally, small ventilation holes are best located at the ends of the terrarium.

The snake must always have access to clean water. Heavy ceramic bowls are well suited, which will be difficult for a python to turn over. If the bowl is large, then the evaporation of water in it will help maintain the required level of humidity. For maximum evaporation of water, it is better to place the bowl in a warm corner.

However, it must not be forgotten that in warm water Bacteria multiply quickly, so you need to regularly change the water and wash the bowl.
There are several terrarium substrates that are great for terrariums with royal pythons. I myself use newspaper because it is a cheap adsorbent, relatively sterile and readily available.
Some ground wood substrates (mulches and chips) have a more balanced combination of utility and aesthetics than newspapers. Aspen and pine based substrates can be used, but cedar must be avoided. Often used in rodent substrates, cedar wood chips can be toxic to some reptiles.

"Artificial turf" mats and similar products can also be used as underlays in a terrarium. They are easy to clean and sterilize, as well as cut to size.
Living plants in a terrarium are very beautiful, but they are difficult to grow and also make cleaning difficult.

Pet selection.

Ideally, a royal python should be captive bred. I'm not saying this because I breed them myself - it really is the best way. Buying an animal bred in captivity will not harm the natural population. Captive-born snakes do not have the acclimatization problems that wild-caught snakes suffer from.

Royal python babies are some of the most widely available reptiles in the trade today, and most are farm bred. In late May-April, kites hatch from eggs laid by pregnant females caught in the wild in Ghana, Togo and Benin. These kites are exported to large quantities. Despite the fact that they are conceived in nature, they are born, in fact, in captivity. Most of them are exported within days of hatching. If properly cared for, they make excellent pets. A beginner who buys the first snake will most likely get just one.

When choosing a royal python, pay attention to the fact that the baby has good weight and muscle tone. Should not appear dehydrated or have remnants of a previous shedding. If possible, get confirmation that the snake is self-feeding.

Royal pythons are highly undervalued in the reptile market, and as a result, don't always get the care and attention they deserve. If it is not possible to take a snake that has been well cared for, one should try to take a recently brought one.

Dinner time

Adult royal pythons caught in the wild tend to have a hard time acclimatizing in captivity. They often refuse food for long periods.
Royal pythons are long-lived. The record for living in captivity for them is 50 years. Therefore, some of the adult animals caught in the wild may well be very old. And getting used to new conditions can be very long and difficult for such animals. Using the imagination, it is not difficult to imagine the shock of a wild snake that finds itself in an aquarium in a bedroom in Cincinnati.

Almost every one of these stubborn snakes starts eating sooner or later. There are a few things you can do to help your snake acclimate. First, make sure the temperature and humidity in the terrarium is within the optimal range. In addition, it is necessary to provide the snake with a place in which it can hide. Remember that in nature these snakes live in burrows, so the ideal hiding place should have a small opening, be dark and allow the snake to feel securely hidden. This simple condition will minimize stress in their lives. The shelter should be tight enough that the snake can feel the walls when inside.

It must be understood that in the wild, snakes can rarely be found on the open surface, when they are easily accessible to predators. And according to the serpent's understanding, you are a predator! Do not touch the snake until it begins to feed regularly on its own. Attempts to tame will only exacerbate stress and prolong the period of adaptation.

If the snake refuses to eat mice, try offering rats. If the rat doesn't work, try giving the gerbil, a food that many stubborn starving people are tempted to eat. Remember that although the snake feeds on rodents in nature, our rats and mice are of a completely different species and may seem completely unfamiliar to it.

Baby royal pythons may start feeding on juvenile mice. Newly hatched kites are small, and many beginning kite breeders feel that a smaller meal would be more appropriate. While some pythons will eat mouse pebbles, a larger, more active mouse will more quickly induce a feeding behavior in a snake that has never eaten before.

Growing pythons can be given larger mice, two mice, small rats, and eventually adult rats. I have one large royal python that occasionally gets calves.
Never leave a live food rodent unattended in a terrarium. If the snake refuses to eat it, he can seriously bite her.

Feed your snake once a week or so. I keep a record of snake activity, noting the dates of feeding, molting and rutting. Such recordings can be used to better understand the behavior of the snake depending on the time of year.

Some king pythons, especially if they are not bred animals, will fast from time to time, even if they were fed regularly before that. This is usually not a cause for concern. Just make sure conditions are optimal and continue to offer food weekly. And don't lose patience. Most of the pythons will start eating again after a while.

Basic about breeding

Most captive-bred king pythons breed willingly. Sexual behavior can be stimulated by lowering nighttime temperatures to 21C in autumn. After such a temperature decrease, partners often begin to show interest in each other.

Mating takes place over several weeks. Females develop follicles, ovulate and lay eggs over the next three or four months. Clutch sizes vary from three to twelve eggs, usually seven. The eggs can be incubated by the female herself, but an incubator can be used for this purpose. At a temperature of 32C, serpents hatch from eggs after 55 days.

The coloring and pattern of wild-caught royal pythons is almost identical, although there are exceptions. Some of these exceptions turned out to be hereditary. Currently, these unusual color traits are genetically fixed and available for purchase. Many of the morphs are scarce and have a high price. Most morphs are derived from one, sometimes two wild-caught, unusually colored snakes.

Since royal pythons have few offspring and breed only once a year, it takes a long time to breed and make a new morph available. Some interesting morphs can be found for sale, and new ones, though not often, still continue to appear.

The royal python has become one of the most popular reptiles kept as pets due to its visual appeal, availability and low price. They have a calm disposition, are unpretentious and live well in captivity. In fact, I have kept royal pythons for about 30 years and they are still one of my favorite snakes.

The royal python is non-venomous snake belonging to the genus of true pythons. Widely distributed in Africa. Often, a reptile is kept at home because of its unpretentiousness. She is not aggressive at all, has a peaceful character and calmly treats a person. 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 in nature can be found in tropical forests with high humidity. Its activity is most often observed at night. During the day, the snake hides in shelters (hollows, burrows, fallen leaves), and at dusk it goes hunting. Loves the water and swims well. Able to climb trees. In case of a threat, it rolls 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 the tail is short. The muscles of the body are so well developed that when the snake squeezes and squeezes its prey, it is impossible for it to escape. The head is large, wide, with a pronounced delimitation from the cervical region. The body of the snake is covered with golden and black scales that shimmer beautifully. There is also a piebald color, which was obtained as a result of selection work. On the head is a golden yellow triangle called the crown. A 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 character of the snake is balanced. It rarely bites, and its bites are not poisonous. Can peacefully exist with members of its own species. A python living at home is calm and obedient.

morphs

As a result of long-term breeding 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 is a unique coloration that combines a shade of platinum and brown.
Butter	In this morph, instead of platinum, an ash-sand shade prevails, which combines beautifully with a smoky color. Sometimes there are copper or bronze options
Regius	The body of the snake is covered with brownish and black scales.
Super Lesser	Albino morph is solid white without any spots. His eyes are bright blue
orange ghost	It differs from the rest in a bright orange body color with white stains. Golden or black eyes
woma	Morph of an unusual color, reminiscent of a leopard or tiger skin. The main color is sand or brown. The whole 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 with comfortable conditions.

The terrarium should be large. For young individuals, a tank of 40–80 liters is purchased. When the pet reaches a length of one meter, the terrarium is changed to a new, more voluminous 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, secluded places are necessarily equipped for the reptile, where it will hide if necessary. To do this, you can adapt a shoe box or a flower pot. In addition, you can purchase a rocky mound, an empty tree trunk, driftwood and other items at the pet store. In this case, the pet needs to leave room for movement.

Illuminate the terrarium with a wide range of fluorescent lamps. They allow light to spread as much as possible over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe dwelling. An ordinary incandescent lamp or a special rug placed under the tank is used as heating. The temperature during the day is +25…+27 degrees, and at night it should drop to +20…+22 degrees. This is necessary for the normal well-being of the pet.

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

Feeding

In nature, python food is small mammals and birds. A reptile that lives at home should be fed small rabbits, chickens, mice and rats. Young individuals are mainly fed mice. Food for the snake is recommended to take not live. It is advisable to pre-freeze it, and before giving it to the python, defrost it. The snake's meal 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 the long digestion of food. Special vitamins and minerals intended for snakes can be introduced into the diet.

reproduction

Royal pythons can breed in captivity in June - November. This process can be further stimulated by lowering the temperature in the terrarium to +21 degrees. Such a lowering of the regime favorably affects the reptiles, and mating games begin in them.

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

Diseases

Due to improper care, the snake can be exposed to various diseases. The first signs that a pet is sick are food refusal and weight loss. If the body weight has decreased quite significantly, the reptile needs to be force-fed. If the python refuses to eat in this case, most likely he has stomatitis - a fairly common disease.

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

Other python diseases include:

dystocia;
chronic or acute respiratory syndrome;
exhaustion;
disecdis.

The royal python, unlike the boa constrictor, does not pose a danger to humans. It is distinguished by a peaceful character, therefore it is precisely such a reptile that is most often kept at home.