The royal python is perhaps the most “wooden” snake in captivity. Here I will write briefly some of the events associated with this animal, so as not to forget. Then perhaps for some moments there will be full-fledged recordings.

Basic conditions for keeping a royal python at home >>>.

Brief content diary

February

16.02.2018 years purchased the Royal python (lat. Python regius). Girl, 55 cm. The last feeding was on February 15, 2018. The age of the royal python is approximately 4 months.
20.02.2018 was proposed live mouse. Either she was offered incorrectly, or there was still stress after the move and she refused it.
22.02.2018 the python did not show proper activity and she was again offered a live mouse. With grief in half, she coped with it
26.02.2018 one mouse came out.
Outcome: for half a month two mice.

March

23.03.2018 noticed that it will shed.
28.03.2018 on the night of the 27th to the 28th she shed very well with a whole stocking. Refuses to eat.
31.03.2018 There was an idea to give a runner and freeze immediately after it. Didn't roll. She ate the runner, refused to freeze. Will have to re-freeze.
Outcome: one runner and molt.

April

07.04.2018 ate a live mouse. starting on the 1st, a live mouse was offered almost every day. 5-6 the mouse was not offered. I ate on the 7th)))
16.04.2018 I ate a live mouse almost from my hand. While I teach her to eat a mouse, not freely wandering, but from her hand.
20.04.2018 I ate a live mouse almost from my hand. Attacked when the mouse hung (held by the tail). She knocked the mouse out of her hand, the mouse fell on her. As soon as the mouse turned its face towards it, the mouse was attacked and eaten. I am glad that I entered a normal diet - once every 4-5 days. Eats without slipping from the branch.
23.04.2018 - pooped. Break from February 26th. almost two months!!!
29.04.2018 The mouse killed, but did not immediately eat. Spit it out. although she sucked her head. Stumbled and ate a live mouse. Doesn't eat out of hand. We need to release the mouse. The snake does not hunt. Waiting for the mouse to poke her in the nose. Only after that eat.
Outcome: 4 mice, which is very small for this age of the Royal Python.

May

05.05.2018 - pooped.
07.05.2018 - Same problem. I killed a mouse and crawled around it for a long time, trying to grab it by the ass, then by the side to start eating. It took about 15 minutes from the moment she killed and began to settle down, before she swallowed the tip of her tail.
12.05.2018 suggested the mouse. Half an hour zero reaction. At first, at least she turned her head in his direction, then they each began to live their own lives. It was decided to release the mouse. Serpent on "adrenaline" bare hand did not want to climb. Tried to drive the mouse into the opposite corner from the snake. Python regius has already begun to show interest in me. The python's head was covered with a disposable paper towel. A mouse crawled under the same towel. After waiting a bit, he removed the towel. It was fucked up. Regius is attacking me, and a mouse is hiding behind his "back". In general, he began trying to extract the mouse. The mouse rushed around the terrarium like crazy, I tried not to get under attack by the python. When a mouse, running away from me, touched a python, the python politely bit her thighs. From this, the mouse became completely dull and began to pinch into all the cracks and hide in them. In the next run past the python was attacked. Timeline: The mouse and python spent approximately 30 minutes. After that I started trying to catch the mouse. I drove the mouse around the python for about five minutes, after five minutes the python killed the mouse, but quickly lost interest and went about its business for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, he returned to the mouse and swallowed. It took another five minutes. ufff….
14.05.2018 - the beginning of the molt. it was noticed that the eyes seemed to have begun to grow cloudy. Set up a house in the evening. By morning she was in it and did not get out until the end of the molt. 05/12/2018 gave her a “water bath” (wetted the whole coconut with water. The humidity jumped to 80% and slowly dropped to 70% for a couple of days)
20.05.2018 it was noticed that the house was moved from its place. As a result, the python shed and pooped and peed, lay aside from the feces. A mouse was immediately offered, which was eaten without much thought.
24.05.2018 it seemed to me that in the eyes of the royal python there was longing and a plea for a mouse. Gave me a mouse. The mouse started to sniff the python, but was immediately eaten. It looks like the royal python is entering a normal diet.
Outcome: 4 mice.

June

04.06.2018 - pooped.
18.06.2018 the runner who was born with us left for dinner. She ate almost as soon as he ran up to her.
20.06.2018 fed another runner. Sensation that she does not want to eat adult mice. But before that she ate them!!!
25.06.2018 Finally, they ate a mouse that had been bitten back in early May. The mouse became a scientist and constantly wound circles around the terrarium from the python. I didn't leave him for more than 30 minutes earlier. Now it was clear that the python was interested in him and I decided to leave the mouse to the bitter end. The mouse drove itself onto a branch under the very ceiling. I was afraid to jump from such a height, but there is no way back, because. a python crept up to him along a branch. The python attacked the already driven mouse, but grabbed it not conveniently. After several attempts to swallow, he dropped the mouse, but caught it by the tail. Wrapped around one more time and tried to swallow again. In this one, he again dropped the mouse, but could no longer catch it. Without getting off the branch, he hung down to the ground, grabbed the mouse better right by the head, climbed with him onto the branch and swallowed it long and hard. After about 20 minutes, the mouse was gone. It seems that adult mice do not like her as much as runners. It's very hard for her to swallow them.
27.06.2018 literally a day after eating an adult mouse, a slider was offered. Went very well, as expected.
30.06.2018 there was a feeling that the royal python would soon begin to molt, but it was not believed that so quickly. Little time after the last molt. Feed did not offer, although most likely it's time. The feeling that the royal python eats little for its age.
Outcome: three runners, one mouse.

July

02.07.2018 blurred eyes. Brought the humidity up to 70-77% (it flutters depending on external conditions), put a shelter. I didn’t immediately climb into the shelter, I climbed onto a branch.
07.07.2018 molting, pooped
08.07.2018 adult mouse. I killed it right away, then I adapted to eat for a very long time. The mouse did not clean up, by morning she ate it.
12.07.2018 - a mouse from a litter that was born with us. Mature, but not the largest. She attacked without getting off the branch and dropped it several times, trying to swallow. But she ate it quickly, without any problems.
17.07.2018 - adult mouse Ate for the first time in the morning at 10:30. Usually I feed an hour later, when the light and heating in the terrarium are turned off. The python is most active at this time, and then Agrippina sprawled something in the morning, decided to feed, ate.
21.07.2018 - pooped
24.07.2018 - adult mouse
30.07.2018 - young (the size of an adult mouse) Djungarian hamster
Outcome: 5 KOs (4 mice + young hamster).

August

06.08.2018 - adult mouse
10.08.2018 - adult mouse
13.08.2018 - adult mouse fed mother
16.08.2018 - pooped. Break 26 days. during this period ate five mice
19.08.2018 - previous feedings after 3 or 4 days. On the sixth day, a mouse was offered. They refused to eat. So that it does not become a habit of refusing food next. feeding will be on the 24th or 25th (11-12 days after the last feeding). You may have to give two mice in a row or on the same day or with a break of three days.
23.08.2018 - adult mouse
Outcome: 4 KOs

September

03.09.2018 - live mouse.
06.09.2018 - live mouse.
21.09.2018 - 8 went on vacation, upon arrival two mice at once.
Result: 4 KOs

October

10/10/2018 - jungarik
10/15/2018 - one mouse
10/30/2018 - one mouse
Result: 4 KOs

November

11/3/2018 - molting, pooped
11/4/2018 - one mouse

December

12/22/2018 - one mouse

Python is about a year old. This concludes my detailed diary. I think that this was the most interesting thing - how the python eats, sheds, poops when you just took him home when he was very small. With teenagers it is already easier, and by this time you will already know the habits and characteristics of your pet.

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~55 centimeters
02/22/2018 - live mouse ( 7 days)
02/26/2018 - pooped
03/27/2018 - molt
03/31/2018 - live runner ( 37 days)
04/07/2018 - live mouse ( 7 days)
04/16/2018 - live mouse ( 9 days)
04/20/2018 - live mouse ( 4 days)
04/23/2018 - pooped (56 days)
04/29/2018 - live mouse ( 9 days)
05/05/2018 - pooped (12 days)
05/07/2018 - live mouse ( 8 days)
May 12 - live mouse ( 5 days)
05/20/2018 - molt(54 days), pooped (15 days), live mouse ( 8 days). ~67-68 centimeters. (3 months growth ~15 centimeters)
05/24/2018 - live mouse ( 4 days)
06/04/2018 - pooped (15 days)
06/18/2018 - slider ( 25 days)
06/20/2018 - slider ( 2 days)
06/25/2018 - adult mouse ( 5 days)
06/27/2018 - slider ( 2 days)
07/07/2018 - molting(48 days), pooped ( 33 days), ~78 centimeters.
07/08/2018 - adult mouse ( 11 days).
07/12/2018 - adult mouse ( 4 days)
07/17/2018 - adult mouse ( 5 days)
07/21/2018 - pooped (14 days). Weight 373 grams.
07/24/2018 - adult mouse ( 7 days)
07/30/2018 - a young (the size of an adult mouse) Djungarian hamster ( 6 days)
08/06/2018 - adult mouse ( 7 days)
08/10/18 - adult mouse ( 4 days)
08/13/18 - adult mouse ( 3 days)
08/16/2018 - pooped (26 days).
08/23/18 - adult mouse ( 10 days)
09/03/2018 - molt ( 58 days), pooped ( 18 days), live mouse ( 11 days)
09/06/2018 - mouse ( 3 days)
09/21/2018 - two mice ( 15 days)
10/10/2018 - dzhungarik ( 19 days)
10/15/2018 — one mouse ( 5 days)
10/30/2018 — one mouse ( 4 days)
11/3/2018 - molt ( 61 days), pooped
11/4/2018 — one mouse ( 1 day)
12/22/2018 — one mouse ( 48 days)
~90 centimeters

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 it is supported. heat, and the snake had time to digest 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?

53 comments: Royal python. Features of keeping 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 whimsical in content and can even suffer small amateur mistakes.

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

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, the tail is short.

A pattern of alternating stripes runs across the body irregular shape dark brown or light brown and dark brown or black spots. The belly is cream or white color, sometimes small dark spots can be scattered over 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 are great swimmers and love to dive into the water. In addition, they can climb trees.

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

The royal python is one of the smallest snakes of this genus.

Royal python diet

IN wild nature These snakes prey primarily on small mammals: rats, shrews, striped mice, also sometimes eat birds.

Keeping royal pythons in a terrarium

These pythons are kept in horizontal terrariums. Optimal size- 100x60x60 centimeters.

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

Royal pythons are nocturnal animals, so they do not need to be used. ultraviolet lamps. Illuminate 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 make excessive humidity in the terrarium, it should be maintained at the level of 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.

Be sure to equip a shelter for the snake, which 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 that are bred in captivity. It is not recommended to feed hamsters to the python, as he may not take other food later.

It is necessary to select food according to size, as the snake can sometimes get scared big booty. Until the age of six months, royal pythons are fed once a week, growing individuals are fed once every 10 days, and adults - no more than once every 2-3 weeks. Excess food can cause snakes to become obese, which causes a decrease in the reproductive capacity of the snake and the deterioration of its condition.

After feeding, pythons are not disturbed for 2-3 days. At this time, do not allow temperature changes in the terrarium, as this can cause regurgitation. In adult pythons, seasonal refusals of food occur, this is due to the breeding season.

Moulting royal pythons

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

Reproduction of royal pythons

These snakes reach puberty at a certain weight: the minimum weight of females is 1.5 kilograms, and that of males is 750 grams.

On early stages Pregnancy females actively take food, but later completely refuse it. They try to be in more warm parts 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 an unfortunate place and does not lay her eggs, for example, next to a heater. To do this, the terrarium should contain a container with wet moss, in which a large female can completely fit.

The temperature of the moss should not be more than 31 degrees. With a short-term decrease in temperature to 25 degrees, the embryos are able to survive, but with an increase to 32 degrees, they are guaranteed to die.

During the period of incubation of eggs, females do not curl up into a ball if something threatens them, they actively attack and protect offspring. There should be a drinker near the female so that she can reach it without getting out of the egg container.

It is recommended that all keepers keep diaries that indicate the type of snake, its sex, time of acquisition and approximate age. In the same journal, the state of health, molting, masonry, and behavioral changes are noted.

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

Of course we are talking not about deadly poisonous reptiles, but about more peaceful creatures from the family of boas. The royal python is especially favored by exotic lovers. It is also called the ball python or ball python. This unpretentious African snake, not exceeding one and a half meters in length, won the hearts of people due 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 cub that has just hatched. The serpent 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 at the end of spring.

Where to keep?

Of course, before bringing a spherical python into the house, it is required to equip the terrarium. Snakes use every opportunity to escape, and therefore the task of restricting a pet in movement must be addressed with all care. Especially if in the house, besides the python, there are other animals - cats, dogs, rodents.

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

- sliding transparent wall on the facade;

- waterproofing coating inside;

- rounded corners and edges.

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

Many people think that large snakes need very spacious rooms, but this is not true. The royal python in nature 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 level of humidity and temperature. These are vital criteria for reptiles. Python ball will feel comfortable at 27-28 degrees Celsius. A large bowl of water will allow the air inside the terrarium to remain humid, as in the African tropics.

What to feed?

It is required to feed a snake of any age once every 7-10 days, more frequent attempts to feed a python will only annoy him. 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 for feeding a snake in trusted pet stores, because animals bought in bird markets can be sick. However, snakes that have been kept in captivity since birth can learn to eat thawed meat. At one time, an adult is able to eat from 400 to 800 grams of food.

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

Royal python, photo, content, feeding the royal python, breeding pythons - 5.0 out of 5 based on 4 votes

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.

Irregularly shaped protrusions descend from these stripes on the sides, enclosing 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. So, it is known to receive offspring from a female dark tiger python(Python molurus bivittatus) at only 18 months of age, although it is usually 3.5-4 years old. Large pythons later they reach maturity - the youngest female reticulated python, who brought offspring in captivity, was 5.5 years old, hieroglyphic - 6 years old.