Care Sheet for Reticulated PythonsAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 0 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 06/30/2008 |
Main Category: | Snakes |
Sub Category: | Reticulated Pythons |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | D. Hill |
Years Experience: | 5 to 10 Years |
Species: | Reticulated Python |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | Any different morphs of the Reticulated Python |
Sexing and Characteristics: | Males are generally much smaller than females. Many people guess on sex due to size and or distance from the cloaca to the tip of the tail. The only sure way is by probing. An experienced vet or reptile breeder can do this for you. |
Mostly Active During: | Night |
Substrate and Water Needs: | Many different substrates can be used. Aspen, newspaper, and astroturf among many. I have found astroturf to be the cheapest and most easy to clean. Go to your neighborhood hardware store to get this. Water is very essential to the reticulated python. Always provide a water bowl large enough for the snake to completely submerse its body. It can be hard to find an appropriate sized water bowl once the snake reaches 6+ feet. I have found large Rubbermaid containers are excellent for this. |
Lighting and UVB: | No special lighting is necessary. As with all of my snakes I do take each of my retics outside in the sun each day unless shedding or they have eaten a meal within the last 24-48 hrs just depending on the size of the meal. The uvb from the sun while not necessary does help the snake with digestion. All of my retics rather enjoy this due to their curious nature. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | Your retics enclosure should maintain a temp of 78-82 degrees with basking areas around 90 degrees. There are many heating methods used like heat lamps with ceramic or basking bulbs and heating pads. Make sure there is a barrier between any heating element and your snake. You can use metal screen. DO NOT USE HAT ROCKS. THEY CAN LEAD TO SEVERE BURNS OR DEATH. Humidity should be maintained around 60-70%. This can be maintained with a water bowl close to the heating source and with daily mistings of the enclosure. REMEMBER too much humidity is just as bad if no worse than too little. |
Heating and Equipment: | Heating can be done with heat lamps using ceramic or basking bulbs. Heating pads work well too. As I previously stated make sure there is some type of barrier between the heating element and your snake.EX metal screen. Some heat lamps come with attachable screens....USE THEM |
Caging Provided: | Retics are generally not worried about the size of their enclosure. THAT DOES NOT MEAN TO GIVE THEM A SMALL ENCLOSURE. The enclosure should be 3/4 their body length. REMEMBER THESE SNAKE WILL GROW HUGE WITH FEMALES AVERAGING 15-20FT OR LARGER. Many snake keepers dedicate whole rooms to their adult retics. |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | Depending on the size of the meal feed every week to every two weeks. The prey should be no large than 1 1/2 their body circumference (width). New borns can start off on mice hoppers and work over to rats once large enough. REMEMBER THESE WILL EVENTUALLY EAT RABBITS, DUCKS, OR CHICKENS. Always feed frozen, they are not difficult to convert to frozen. A live rodent can kill your snake. REMEMBER WHILE RETICS CAN BE VERY TAME THEY HAVE A VERY, VERY AGGRESSIVE FEEDING RESPONSE. DO NOT FEED THEM TOO LITTLE, IT WILL COME BACK TO BITE YOU IN THE BUTT, LITERALLY. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | No supplements are necessary. |
Maintenance: | These snakes POOP AND URINATE ALL THE TIME AND EVERYWHERE. Be sure you have the time to dedicate to keeping its cage clean of fecal matter and urine. |
Some Words on this Species: | This snake can make an excellent tame pet if you treat rite and respect it. |
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