Care Sheet for Ball PythonsAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 0 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 05/16/2007 |
Main Category: | Snakes |
Sub Category: | Ball Pythons |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Bazzer |
Years Experience: | Under 1 Year |
Species: | Royal Python |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | N/A |
Sexing and Characteristics: | N/A |
Mostly Active During: | Night |
Substrate and Water Needs: | Orchid bark or Aspen. Sometimes a mix of aspen in the warm end and Orchid bark in the cool end can be used to help control humidity if it gets too high naturally. I prefer Orchid bark as it holds moisture for longer and helps provide a surface for shedding assistance.
I change the water once/ twice a day. Don’t fill the water bowl too much as it will over flow if the snakes decide to have a soak. Personally, I have only experienced this with Corn Snakes as i haven’t seen my Royals soak. |
Lighting and UVB: | For a vivarium 36 inches x 20 inches x 20 inches I use a 50 watt infra red spot (in conjunction with a heat plate controlled by a habistat). I always keep a 100 watt spare in case it gets cold outside and the vivarium temperature basking spot needs raising. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | Peoples opinions vary between 80 - 95f in the warm end during the day, with a cool end between 75-80f. Personally, i maintain a warm end of 85 - 90f (sometimes creeping up to 95f) with a cool end of 75-80f. At night, I set a temperature down the cool end to drop no lower than 76f. that way the warm end stays at approx 83f. As long as there is a difference between the warm and cool end then the snake can cool off if it gets warm.
Humidity opinions vary the more care sheets you read. My pythons are in a vivarium in the spare room next to the bathroom, therefore I find the humidity remains at about 60 -65 in the day and about 80 at night, although the enclosure is not dripping with condensation. The orchid bark is a great substrate to assist the humidity levels. |
Heating and Equipment: | I use a 70 watt heat plate fitted to the sealing controlled by a habistat temperature controller with the probe in the cool end, along with a 50 watt infra red spot. Generally during the day, the spot controls the heat at the warm end, with the habistat boosting it if needed and at night I turn the spot off and the power plate comes on as required.
I have artificial plants in the vivarium along with snug hides in the warm and cool ends. A heavy water bowl in the cool end is used so that the pythons can’t tip it over. I have digital thermometers in each end backed up by liquid crystal thermometers. I have a digital hygrometer backed up by an analogue. I have climbing branches but only generally use these when it comes to shedding time. |
Caging Provided: | 36 x 20 x 20 inch vivarium, which comfortably houses my 2 Royals (1 x 3ft and 1 x Cb06) |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | My 3 ft male eats 1 x medium rat per week/ 10 days and the CB06 male eats either a small to medium mouse or 2 x rat pups per week.
I only feed them prekilled food, because why risk using live food which could injure your snake causing it discomfort, risk of infection, stress and expensive vet bills. It’s more humane too. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | Nil |
Maintenance: | I’m very house proud, so I give my Vivarium a full clean out at least once a week. Keeping Royals means humidity and with humidity comes mildew, so I clean it out weekly. I use a detergent to wipe down the cage and fittings and then rinse them off with fresh water. |
Some Words on this Species: | What can I say but a pleasure to keep. Ideal for beginners upwards but they can be stubborn feeders. They are quite docile meaning easy to handle and would rather curl up into a Ball (hence the Americans call them Ball Pythons) than bite.
Enjoy. |
How Members Rated
This Care Sheet | Rate This Care Sheet
Please keep all comments constructive to Royal Python husbandry methods and care. Any degrading, sarcastic, or disrespectful comments will be removed. |
Total Members Rating: 0
| 1 |  ( 0 ) |
| 2 |  ( 0 ) |
| 3 | ( 0 ) |
| 4 | ( 0 ) |
| 5 | ( 0 ) |
|
|
