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HOW TO
KEEP YOUR
BALL PYTHON
HEALTHY, HAPPY
AND SAFE!
COMPANION REPTILE CARE SERIES
160422_ARAV_trifold_ball_python.indd
Always
Buy from a reputable breeder because a young, captive-bred ball
python is less stressed and more willing to eat than a frightened,
wild-caught snake.
Take your new ball python to a reptile veterinarian for a general
health exam and to test for parasites.
Leave a newly purchased snake alone in its enclosure for 1-2 weeks
to acclimate to its new home.
Provide heat to your snake by special reptile heating pads or
incandescent light bulbs in reflector hoods; the use of “hot rocks” in
the snake’s enclosure should be avoided.
Interact with your ball python during the evening hours when
it is active.
Use a pillowcase or locking Tupperware container as a transport
container for short trips.
Housing for your Ball Python should:
be a relatively large enclosure.
maintain ambient daytime temperatures of 80-85°F (27-29°C).
provide for a basking area of 90-92°F (32-33.3°C ).
provide hide boxes.
have access to fresh water in a bowl that is large enough for the
snake to soak.
maintain high relative humidity (60-80%); a large plastic container
with with moist paper towels or sphagnum moss may help ensure
complete shedding.
include suitable substrates that are easy to clean: newspaper, paper
towels, indoor-outdoor carpet, Astroturf ®.
provide a climbing branch with greenery for basking.
be escape-proof.
It is important for Ball Pythons to avoid:
live prey that may injure them.
normal household temperatures [cooler than 75°F (24°C)].
unsuitable substrates such as cedar, corncob, wood chips/shavings,
gravel, dirt or rocks.
“hot rocks”.
direct contact with heating elements.
soiled water bowl.
cats, dogs and other pets.
unsupervised children.
Most Common Disorders of Ball Pythons
Intestinal parasites
Skin problems
Respiratory disease
Mouth rot
External parasites (mites and ticks)
Dysecdysis (retained skin shed, retained eye spectacles)
Obstipation/constipation
Bite wounds from prey
Dystocia/retained eggs
Rectal/colon or uterine prolapse
Trauma/thermal burns
Ball pythons can ourish as long-lived pets when attention is
given to certain aspects of husbandry, including temperature and
humidity. Regular visits to your reptile veterinarian should be scheduled
to check for parasites and other early signs of disease and to promote
a long, satisfying relationship with your ball python. For help in nding
a reptile veterinarian in your area, contact the Association of Reptilian
and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV) by visiting www.ARAV.org
and click on “Find a Vet” or contact the American Board of Veterinary
Practitioners, www.ABVP.com/diplomate.
Text by Susan Leck, DVM and Roger Klingenberg, DVM
and updated by Marc Kramer, DVM, 2014
Updated by Pat Coughlin, DVM and Anneliese
Strunk, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (Avian), 2016.
Suggested Reading:
The Ball Python Manual, by Philippe de Vosjoli, Dave and Tracy Barker,
and Roger Klingenberg,
The Art of Keeping Snakes Philippe De Vosjoli
The New Encyclopedia of Snakes Christopher Mattison
Living Snakes of the World John M. Merirtens
Ball Pythons: Habitat, Care, and Breeding Stefan Broghammer
The Complete Ball Python: A Comprehensive Guide to Care, Breeding, and
Genetic Mutations Kevin McCurley
Ball Pythons: A Complete Guide to Regius Colette Sutherland
The ball python (Python regius), or royal python, is a small, attractive and
gentle snake native to western and west-central Africa. These nocturnal
pythons prefer mixed grassland and trees (savannah) as their habitat.
During daylight hours they hide underground in rodent burrows.
In captivity, this behavior is interpreted as secretive. When they are
frightened, they coil up into a ball — thus, the name “ball python.”
Free-ranging ball pythons are considered a threatened species, resulting
from habitat destruction and collection for the pet trade, skin trade and
as a food item. Permits are required for their exportation from Africa.
What to Expect from Your Ball Python
Snakes do not respond to their owners like dogs and cats do and
generally prefer to be left alone. Ball pythons are exceptionally shy.
Because they are small and docile, they may appear to be a good
beginner snake, however, the new ball python owner must be prepared
to deal with potential feeding problems, parasites and secondary
health problems. The beginner should acquire only young captive-bred
specimens that are proven eaters. A frightened snake may lash with its
tail, hiss or in rare cases, bite.
Is Your Ball Python a Male or Female?
Ball pythons are difcult to sex. Usually the males have thicker tails, and
the anal spurs are more curved. A reptile veterinarian may use a probe
to determine your snake’s sex.
BALL PYTHON
What and When to Feed Your Snake
Ball pythons are fed at night. They are fed every 7-10 days for
the rst 2-3 years and every 2 weeks thereafter. A prey item
appropriate for the size of the snake should be fed at each meal
(no larger than the girth of the snake at mid-body). Ball pythons are
constrictors—that is, they coil around their prey and suffocate it.
Only stunned or pre-killed (frozen/thawed) prey should be offered
to avoid injury to the snake.
Young mice are a good starter prey item, beginning with fuzzies and
working up to hoppers and then adults. As your snake gets larger,
small rats are ideal.
Frequency of defecation depends on food consumption and age but
should occur at least 1-2 times per month.
Housing Recommendations
Housing should be an escape-proof enclosure that is the appropriate
size for the snake. Hatchlings require at least a 10 gallon tank (50
x 25 cm); young adults a 20 gallon tank (60 x 31 cm); and large
adults need a 30 gallon tank (90 x 31 cm). The minimum length of
the tank should be at least 2/3rds the snake’s body length. The best
type of enclosure is one specically designed for housing snakes,
which includes a xed screen/hinged glass top. A dark, secure hiding
box inside the enclosure at bothends are mandatory so the snake
does not have to decide between warmth and security. Because ball
pythons are nocturnal, UVB sources are not necessary. Snakes are
not social animals, and should never be housed together as this will
cause them considerable stress.
Temperature and Humidity
Proper temperature regulation is even more important than
the physical enclosure in maintaining a healthy snake. Room
temperature is not adequate for the digestive process and health
of the snake. Heat may be provided by special reptile heating pads
or incandescent light bulbs in reector hoods, placed to avoid
direct contact with the snake. One end of the enclosure should be
maintained at a higher temperature for basking. The cool end of
the enclosure should not drop below 75 degrees ºF (23.8 degrees
ºC), while the warm end should fall into a range between 80-85°F
(27-29°C).
Proper humidity levels help ensure successful sheds for your snake.
Although the ideal humidity of the enclosure should be between 60
and 80%, this is difcult to maintain in a dry climate. An alternative is
to provide a shedding box (eg, Tupperware® container with the two
opposite corners cut out for entry and exit). Damp sphagnum moss
or dampened paper towels placed in the box help maintain a moist
environment. Young growing snakes shed approximately every 4-6
weeks; adults shed several times a year.
NOTE: Most, if not all, reptiles carry Salmonella bacteria in their intestinal tract and intermittently or
continuously shed these bacteria in their feces, so they are unsuitable pets for very young children and those
with compromised immune systems. Good hygiene must always be practiced around all reptiles, including Ball
Pythons. For more information, please see the handout, Salmonella Information for Reptile Owners at
http://arav.org/salmonella-bacteria-reptiles.
!
Vital Statistics
Body length:
(Adults) 36-48 Inches
(90-120 cm)
Body weight:
age and length dependent
Age of sexual maturity:
3-5 years
Maximum life span:
30-40 years
Average captive life span:
20-30 years
WHAT YOUR VETERINARIAN
LOOKS FOR IN A HEALTHY
BALL PYTHON
Active and alert
to surroundings
Active tongue that icks
when snake is handled
Nostrils free of
bubbles or discharge
Clean vent area
Clear eyes
Gentle but rm grip
Clear, rm skin with
no retained shed
Rounded body shape
(not triangular shape)
