Python Regius - Caresheet

Name
Latin name:
Common name(s):

Python regius
Ball python, Royal python

Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Class:
Squamata Suborder:
Serpentes Family:
Pythonidae Genus:
Python
Species:

Animalia
Reptilia Order:

Python regius

Geographic range
Python regius is found in Central Africa from Senegal, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone,
Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin, Niger and Nigeria through Cameroon, Chad and the Central
African Republic to Sudan and Uganda
Habitat: python regius is a ground living snake and prefers grasslands, savannahs and sparsely
wooded areas.

Size
When a ball python comes out of its egg it can be between 24 cm and 43 cm long. Adult animals
normally grow up to 90-120 cm although some specimens have reached 150 cm and even 180
cm, but that is rare. Adult females are average 1m20-1m50; males are average 1m-1m20.

Lifespan
Average captive life span of 20 - 30 years (records are found of 48 years old animal.

Wild status
Large populations exist but are being reduced due to excessive habitat destruction, skin trade
and the pet trade. In some collected areas the populations remain stable due to agricultural
activities and the created artificial rat populations. In Ghana, the ball python trade is regulated by
the government and attention is put into keeping a viable population of adults in the wild to
create the next generations for future collection. Gravid females are collected and then returned
to the wild by government officials; a percentage of the babies hatched are also being released
back into the wild. In other countries, however, ball pythons are now being exported in huge
numbers to the Asian markets where they are being used for their meat and blood. Recently
there has been interest in butchering & canning the ball pythons in Africa for export as a meat
product for the Asian markets. Until the government takes notice Benin and Togo are draining
themselves dry of their ball python populations.

Description
Ball pythons are robust serpents with a distinctive head & slender neck. They are docile and
can be shy and very reluctant to bite. They achieved the name ball python because of their habit of
curling into a ball if threatened. Normal body coloration is black with yellow, gold, or brown
markings. Pattern may be "broken", banded or reduced in some specimens, and many exhibit
varying degrees of broken dorsal striping. Ball Pythons prefer to live in areas of mixed
grassland and trees (savanna), and are active at night (nocturnal).They hunt at night with the
help of their labial heat pits, and their Jacobson's Organ. During the day, they spend their time
hiding in underground rodent burrows or termite mounds. Males have longer spurs but
smaller heads than the females.

Python Regius in Captivity

Wild-caught ball pythons are difficult to acclimate: these are the animals that give balls their
reputation for being terrible feeders. Going with a captive born, well established ball python is
a must for making your first ball python experience a good one.
*We only have captive bred snakes in our collection.

Enclosure
Ball Pythons are sedentary animals and don't need a lot of cage space. Remember that the more
"stuff" you put in a cage, the more "stuff" you have to clean & disinfect on a regular basis. That
said, there are many different enclosures that work extremely well for ball pythons, including, but
not limited to: plastic boxes, melamine racks, and any of the commercially available plastic-type
reptile cages. Glass terrariums are adequate. Juvenile ball pythons seem to do well in smaller
enclosures that make them feel more secure; a small snake in a big cage can become
overwhelmed & stressed. Fortunately adult ball pythons do not require exceptionally large or
elaborate enclosures. A 100cm x 45 cm x 30 cm enclosure will more than comfortably house

an adult couple ball pythons. Remember that ALL enclosures must allow for a proper
thermal gradient that the snake can utilize, with a hot spot and a cooler spot. Driftwood or a
decorative rock should be added to aid the snake during its shed.
*We are using plastic boxes in a rack system.

Substrate
There are a few substrates that work well. Newspaper is the cheapest & easiest with regards to
cleaning & disinfecting. Cypress mulch is great for controlling humidity, but remember that
too much humidity can cause illness. Never use any substrate containing cedar of pine, as
this is deadly to reptiles!
*We are using Aspen snake bedding and Lignocel bedding.

Temperatures & Heating

Provide your ball python a basking spot of 31-34C and an ambient temperature of 2527C. The ambient temperature should not fall below 23C. It is vitally important to KNOW the
temperatures at which you are keeping your snake(s). A great way to monitor temps is to use a
digital indoor/outdoor thermometer with a probe. There are several ways to heat the enclosure:
heating pads, heating cables, ceramic heat emitters, basking bulbs are just a few. With heat
emitters & bulbs it is necessary to really keep an eye on the humidity within the enclosure, as
both will dry the air quickly. Use thermostats to control your heat source. Do not use hot rocks
with snakes as they can cause serious burns.
*We are using some heating pads or some heating cables in combination with a decent
thermostat (TS-5000 or Thermo Control ProII)

Humidity
Since Ball Pythons spend a lot of time underground in burrows or in termite nests, they are more
sensitive to relative humidity. Low humidity can cause incomplete shedding, dehydration, and
sometimes a lack of appetite. Providing proper humidity for ball pythons is important, but
as stated previously too much humidity can be as problematic as too little. First off, let's establish
"humidity" as the amount of moisture in the air. A humidity level of 50% - 60% is a good
target. You want the enclosure to be humid, not WET. A soggy cage can eventually lead to
bacterial & fungal infections and consequently, death.
When the animal goes into its shed cycle, make a "humidity box" for your snake. This consists of
packing a plastic container with damp sphagnum moss (well-wrung-out), cutting a hole in the top
or side & placing it in the enclosure.
*We are spraying a couple of times a week and we are using a box with humid sphagnum when our
animal goes into its shed cycle.

Lighting

Supplemental lighting is not necessary for this species, but if used it should run on a 12/12 cycle.
Continuous bright, overhead lighting is stressful to snakes, especially to a nocturnal serpent.
*We are not using any supplemental light source, because our racks are in rooms with incoming
daylight.

Water
Always make fresh, clean water available to your ball python. The size of the water dish is up
to you. Ensure that the bowl is not too deep for juvenile animals. Snakes of many species
will defecate in their water bowls from time to time, so be prepared for cleaning, disinfecting &
water change when necessary.
*We are using rather small water bowls for our snakes. We change the water a couple times a week
and we disinfect the water bowl once a month with Dettol.

Accessories
The one cage accessory that is beneficial to a happy ball python is a good hide box...maybe even
a couple of them. Clay flowerpots, plastic flowerpot trays, and commercially available hide
boxes all work quite well. A hide 'box' can be anything which simulates a rodent burrow.
*We are using plastic containers with a lid and into the lid we cut an access hole for the animal.

Feeding
The process of feeding occurs in a few steps. First the snake identifies prey by the scent, color,
size, movement, and temperature. If the Ball Python feels that it's in a safe location and won't be
molested during the eating process, it will bite and coil around the intended prey item. The coil is
intended to kill the prey by suffocation. After the prey stops moving, the snake then usually
finds the head and begins the process of swallowing. After the food is in its stomach, the
snake will want to find a small, dark, and warm location to lay around for a couple of days to
digest the food.
Feed your ball python an appropriately sized rodent that is no bigger than the python at its
largest point. Ball pythons can eat rats from the time they are young. Feed your young snakes
once every 7 days. Feed your adult males and females about every one or two weeks. Snakes do
not need vitamin supplements, although you may add a little calcium to a pregnant female's diet
to help in egg production.
Do not handle your snake for at least a day after feeding, as this can lead to regurgitation. Ball
pythons can be converted to feeding on frozen/thawed or pre-killed rodents. Never leave a live
rodent unattended with ANY snake. The ball pythons body temp is dependant upon their
immediate environment. Thus they need a lot less food. Snakes can easily go a few weeks, and
in some cases almost a year without food! Ball pythons are well-known for going on
hunger strikes at certain times throughout the year, particularly in the winter months. Be
prepared for the possibility of your snake going off feed, and keep an observant eye on the snake's
overall condition and body weight. Offer your ball python food every 10-14 days until
interested in eating again, as the snake will resume feeding normally.

Non-eating Ball check list

Check the temperature and humidity cycles

Adult males (and sometimes females) go off feed during the winter months
If your snake is shying away from the food item, maybe it's stressed about something.
Maybe you are disturbing your snake too often? Try leaving the snake alone for a week
and then offer food.
- Some ball pythons do not eat unless they are the only snake in the cage.
- Most snakes won't eat before and during the shed cycle.
- If you are offering dead, try offering live.
- Offer different types of rodents: mice, rats, gerbils.
- Ball pythons are nocturnal and some will not eat during the day.
- Try putting the ball python in a smaller container for some days and try to feed in the
container.
- Try putting the ball python in a brown (opaque) paper bag over night with a DEAD
rodent.
When there is no other optionForce Feeding
Sometimes hatchlings don't eat. When the animal is loosing weight, you should better go to a
veterinarian and start with assist feeding. Grab a small dead mouse with the hemostats just
behind the head. Then grab the hatchling ball python just behind the head with your thumb and
forefinger. GENTLY use the nose/face of the rodent to open the snake's mouth. Usually once the
mouse's head is in the snake's mouth, a feeding response will kick in and the snake will start to
swallow the mouse once you set the snake down. Please do NOT force the mouse down the
snakes throat, because this can cause injury to the snake.

Snake Vocabulary
Ectoparasite: are external parasites that you will see crawling over or on the snake's body. Mites
are about as big as a small black dot of 1mm and Ticks are about 2-3mm. Mites and Ticks are
the two most common ectoparasites on ball pythons.
Endoparasites: are internal parasites. If you have a wild caught ball python, a veterinarian will
be able to find eggs or the parasites themselves in your snakes feces, by looking at it under a
microscope.
Captive Bred: snakes that come from parents who have been held in captivity. These snakes
acclimate better to captive conditions.
Captive Hatched: snakes that come from eggs which were taken from wild mothers and
incubated.
Hemostats: are about 15-30cm long 'tongs' that can be used to offer food to snakes without
getting your hands too close.
Jacobson's Organ (see enclosed picture): is the sensor located in the roof of a snake's mouth.
They take particles out of the air with their forked tongue, and the Jacobson's Organ interprets
these particles and tells the snake a little about its environment.

Genetic Terms
Genetics can be extremely complex and confusing. With all the new morphs and the upcoming
designer morph possibilities, a basic understanding of genetics and how it relates to breeding is

essential. First there needs to be a basic understanding of some of the terms that are used in
genetics.
DNA: deoxyribonucleic acid. The molecule whose structure forms the genetic code.
Chromosome: Each cell in every living being has a nucleus. Much of the nucleus is made up of
a
constant number of paired chromosomes. Each chromosome is a single, long strand of DNA in a
protein matrix. The strand of DNA contains many genes.
Gene: the units of DNA that are transmitted from one generation to the next in the sperm and
egg cells. Each gene codes for a specific enzyme.
Genotype: the genetic make up of a living being. The identity of an allele or alleles that a
single individual has at one or more specified loci.
Phenotype: the physical appearance of the animal as dictated by the genes it has inherited and
the influences of the environment.
Heterozygous: having two different alleles at a given locus.
Homozygous: having two identical alleles at a given locus.
Recessive: a mutant allele that changes the phenotype only when in the homozygous. When
heterozygous, the individual looks normal.(ex. Albino)
Codominant: a mutant allele that changes the phenotype when either homozygous or
heterozygous. A heterozygous individual does not look like a homozygous individual, and
neither does it look like a normal. (ex. Pastel Super Pastel)
Dominant: a mutant allele that changes the phenotype when either homozygous or
heterozygous. A heterozygous individual looks like a homozygous individual. (ex.
Spider)
Punnett Square: a learning tool for determining the possible outcomes of a given cross between
individuals. It was developed by R.C. Punnett, an early British geneticist.

Amelanistic: having no melanin.

Anerythristic: having no red color.

Axanthic: having no yellow color.
Hypomelanistic: an animal having less black and/or brown color than a wild-type.
Leucistic: a pure white animal with dark eyes.
Locus: a gene's position on a chromosome (plural: loci)
Melanin: black or brown skin pigments.
Melanistic: abnormally dark, especially due to an increase of melanin.
Mutation: an abnormal gene that under certain circumstances can cause an animal to be born
with an appearance other than wild-type.
Tyrosinase-negative: an albino whose cells lack tyrosinase, producing a white and yellow/orange
animal with pink eyes. A separate albino mutation from tyrosinase-positive. Also called T-.
Tyrosinase-positive: an albino not able to synthesize melanin, but capable of synthesizing
tyrosinase, which results in lavender-brown skin color. Also referred to as T+.
Xanthic: having more yellow color than wild-type.

Color and Pattern Mutations

Thus far, there has been more color mutations discovered & created in ball pythons than in any
other boid species. Check out next websites to discover most of the existing ball python morphs:
http://www.worldofballpythons.com/morphs/
http://www.newenglandreptile.com/nerd/index.php/ball-pythons/nerd-s-ball-pythoncollection.html
Example:
Pastel

Spider

Bumblebee