SPECIES: Royal Python (Python regius)

The Royal Python is a hardy species in captivity, but due to some aspects of its husbandry should only be kept by the more experienced herpetologist.

Introduction

The Royal Python or (Ball Python) originates from West Africa, a compact snake they grow on average to about 4 ft although some female specimens may reach 6 ft. A large Python of this genus may reach 4 to 6 inches in diameter at the thickest part of its body.

The Royal Python is now available as captive bred in this country and, of course, these babies are the most desirable and will undoubtedly make the best pets. You may also find captive farmed and wild caught specimens for sale.

Housing

Juveniles may be housed in plastic storage containers. Such containers are commercially available be sure to choose one with a well ventilated lid.

A simple melamine vivarium of 1m x .5m x .5m would be suitable to house 2 adult Royal Pythons. If using sliding glass doors, they will require a glass cabinet lock to prevent escapes. Glass aquaria should be avoided as they do not offer the snakes a sense of security and are difficult to heat properly as the insulation properties of glass are very poor.

Simple cage furnishings will prove easier to clean. You should provide branches for climbing, a hide, and of course a suitable substrate such as bark chippings or something simple such as newspaper or kitchen roll.

Heating should be in the form of a thermostatically controlled heatpad placed in the vivarium under the substrate. 'Hot rocks' should be avoided as they may become too hot and cause burns to the snake. The heatpad should cover one third to half the floor area; this will create a thermal gradient that will give the snake a choice of temperature within the vivarium. A temperature of 27-29°C during the dayshould be aimed for with a drop to 21-24°C at night. Other lighting is not essential, but an incandescent light bulb may be fitted and switched on for 12 hours of the day. The bulb should be shielded by a mesh guard. Ultra-violet lighting is not neccessary.

Food & Feeding

Royal Pythons are rodent feeders; so pre-killed mice, young rats or gerbils can be used. Wild rodents should not be offered as they could carry disease. Feeding a captive bred or long term captive snake should not present any problems, other than the initial settling-in period. There are records of a royal python fasting for two years, but you would obviously need to seek help well before this amount of time had elapsed, perhaps after a few months. Keeping a feeding record of what & when the snake has fed may be beneficial.

The size of prey offered should be relative to the size of the snake. Pre-killed or thawed frozen prey is preferable.

Wild caught royal pythons can be problem feeders. Although there are records of them fasting for several months, a severely emaciated specimen will rarely survive. The security of the snake is usually the key, if the snake is kept in a brightly lit room with much activity and noise, it will become nervous to feed. The vivarium should be sited in a quite room with subdued lighting.

If the snake refuses to feed after three or four attempts, try to varying the prey. Rat pups or small gerbils seem to be preferred; day-old chicks may also be taken by adult snakes. The snake's environment could also be adjusted. Try keeping the vivarium in complete darkness for two or three days or raise the temperature by a few degrees. A combination of these factors may also be the key to induce feeding.

Reluctance to feed may be because the snake is preparing to slough, in this case the eyes will become opaque, or it may be that the snake is parasitised. If all else fails, specialist advice should be sought regarding force or tube feeding. This should not be attempted by the novice.

A bowl of clean water should also be available in the vivarium. For an adult, a pottery cat/dog bowl is ideal - something that the snake cannot tip over when it bathes.

Ailments

If properly housed and kept clean, there should be no problems regarding the snake's health. Parasites will come with the wild caught snake; the only visible ones will be ticks or mites. Ticks can be carefully removed with tweezers after coating the parasite with alcohol. Mites are more of a problem; a small piece of Vapona 5 x 2cm can be put in a small perforated plastic container and left in the vivarium for 24 hours. This should be repeated on a weekly basis for 4 weeks to kill newly hatched mites. Care should be taken with Vapona; never leave it for more than 24 hours as it may harm the captive snake.

If the snake's faeces are discoloured or runny, there are probably worms or protozoans present. A sample should be sent to a reliable veterinary surgeon as soon as possible, for analysis and details of treatment to be administered.

If the snake gapes or wheezes, there may be a respiratory problem, try increasing the vivarium temperature to 32°C for a week. If the ailment persists, seek veterinary advice.

Skin shedding may cause a problem, if parts of the skin remain on the snake after a slough, these can be carefully removed with forceps or masking tape placed on the skin and carefully peeled off. Always check that the eye scale has been cast with the sloughed skin.

The following are just a few of the Reptile Care Sheets we have available. For the full list please contact us.

Burmese Python
Blue-tongued Skink
Chameleon (Chamaeleo Calyptratus)
Corn Snakes
Argentinian Horned Frog
Tree Frogs
Leopard Gecko
Mediterranean Tortoises
Red-eared Terrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans)
Chinese Water Dragon (Physignathus cocincinus)
Bearded Dragon
Uromastyx

Reptile Care Advice Sheet (General Advice)

We also have pet care and advice sheets for other pets: