People who want a snake as a pet often opt for the royal python. Just like all other snakes, caring for this animal represents a lasting commitment; a specimen can reach 30 years of age and must live in an environment that meets very specific criteria. However, the due attention pays off for every effort and allows the reptile to spend a comfortable and serene life.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Accept the Commitment
Step 1. Be aware of the size of a royal python
All snakes grow a lot during the course of their existence; the royal python in particular becomes quite large and needs a suitable environment during the growth phase. You should be prepared for such variations before you want to take care of this animal.
- A specimen can reach a length of 150 cm;
- You must ensure enough space for a fully grown adult snake;
- A reptile of this size needs to be fed large rodents.
Step 2. Prepare for a lasting commitment
Taking care of an animal is always a great responsibility; you need to worry about the python's food, cleanliness and health throughout its life span. Make sure you are ready for all of this before you decide to get one.
- Royal pythons can live up to 40 years.
- The average lifespan of these snakes is between 20 and 30 years.
Step 3. Look for a royal python
Once you have decided that you can provide all the attention necessary for the well-being of the animal, it is time to find your crawling friend; luckily, this is a very common pet that you can buy at most specialty stores. Start looking for the right reptile for you when you feel ready to take that responsibility.
- Reptile breeders are likely to have royal pythons as well.
- Going to a reptile exhibit can help you find your new friend.
- These animals should have already eaten and be well fed before purchase.
Step 4. Know how often you should manipulate the python
In nature, snakes are not used to physical contact; for this reason, you need to know when you can hold your specimen in your hand and what are the occasions when you would only trigger unnecessary stress. Take the following factors into consideration when considering whether or not to touch the animal:
- Let him have at least one meal in his new home before trying to pick it up;
- Young specimens should not be touched more than once a week;
- Adult ones can be manipulated about once a week;
- Do not interact with the reptile after it has eaten; wait about two days to make sure it is comfortable.
Step 5. Pay attention
If you are going to care for a royal python, you need to be very careful to ensure their health and well-being. This means monitoring his behavior and actions for any changes or signs of illness. Watch for these common signs of being unwell:
- A royal python usually remains coiled around itself; if he is lying down or holding his head up, he may be ill;
- A specimen that spends a lot of time in the water may be uncomfortable or unwell;
- If you have trouble breathing, you may be wheezing or show mucous discharge from your nose;
- Liquid or bloody stools indicate digestive problems; specimens that do not discharge after 10 days may be constipated;
- An infection could cause him to refuse food.
Method 2 of 4: Ensure a Good Abode
Step 1. Purchase a correctly sized terrarium
Royal pythons need the right amount of space to feel comfortable. Terrariums or shelters that are too large or too small stress the animals and force them to an unhappy existence. Remember these tips when looking for a new home that your reptile friend will like:
- An adult python should live in a reptile house measuring 90x45x30 cm;
- Terrariums with a metal mesh lid are fine, but they create some problems in maintaining the correct level of internal humidity;
- Young snakes often need a smaller container.
Step 2. Perform frequent localized cleaning
It is important that the pet's house is very clean to ensure its health and happiness. Part of routine maintenance involves localized cleaning to keep the terrarium tidy and reduce the frequency of complete washing.
- Remove stools daily;
- Eliminate any other residue found in the reptile's environment.
Step 3. Wash the container thoroughly
A very important part of royal python care is cleaning the tank in which it lives. Generally, it is recommended to have a thorough washing once a month to ensure good health of the reptile and prevent any disease over time.
- Remove the pet from the container while you do the washing.
- Extract all the elements to clean them; remove the sticks, hiding places and other decorations that need to be sanitized.
- You can wash the tub with a 5% bleach and water solution.
- Wait until the terrarium is completely dry before putting all the decorations and the royal python back in.
Step 4. Make sure the snake can't escape
These animals are known to be escape artists, so you must check that the container is safe and that the python cannot get out. Here are some tips to prevent this from happening:
- All doors and openings must be locked;
- The lids must be fixed, the python must not be able to lift them from the inside;
- Check that there are no gaps or openings for the animal to exit.
Method 3 of 4: Take care of its Habitat
Step 1. Maintain a certain temperature variation
In nature, these animals move in areas that have different temperatures, as they are cold-blooded creatures and the amount of ambient heat affects their level of activity. To replicate the same situation, you need to keep the python in a terrarium with a temperature gradient inside.
- The hottest area in which the reptile can bask should have a temperature between 31 and 36 ° C;
- The general temperature of the container should be between 25 and 27 ° C;
- Use two thermometers to check both the hot and cool zones;
- You can warm the terrarium with a specific mat to store under the base or with lamps.
Step 2. Consider mounting additional light sources
You can offer the light python extra, although it is not a mandatory element. If you decide to install lamps anyway, make sure the bulbs emit full spectrum UV light; by doing so, I recreate an environment very similar to the natural one and therefore more comfortable for the reptile.
- Respect a cycle of 12 hours of light; leave the lamps on for 12 hours during the day and turn them off during the night.
- Do not turn on the lights at night, otherwise you create anxiety for the animal.
Step 3. Maintain the right level of humidity
To ensure the well-being of the snake it is very important to generate and maintain the ideal humidity level, which helps it to remain healthy and to moult easily. Always check this parameter to take better care of the royal python.
The humidity rate must be between 50 and 60%
Step 4. Provide the proper substrate
This reptile needs the right material to feel comfortable and safe in its home; some products are better than others for keeping the terrarium clean and the reptile healthy. Consider the tips outlined below to know which substrate you can use:
- Poplar shavings are perfect;
- Cypress mulch is a viable alternative;
- Most mulch-based substrates are a good choice;
- Never use materials that contain pine or cedar.
Step 5. Add hiding places
The royal python needs a refuge in which to hide and isolate itself; if you force him to be constantly exposed, he becomes nervous and stressed. Always provide him with a box to burrow in to make him feel comfortable.
- Remember to wash the hiding place every time you clean the terrarium.
- You can buy commercial burrows at pet stores.
- Build a shelter by cutting out a small, rounded opening in the side of a Tupperware container or bowl.
Method 4 of 4: Provide Water and Food
Step 1. Identify the correct size of prey
It is essential that the food for the python has the right size, because prey that is too small or too large is a problem; make sure that the animals you bring into the terrarium are always of the correct build.
- The prey should not be larger than the python's largest diameter;
- If it is too big it can harm the snake;
- If it is too small it does not provide enough nutrients.
Step 2. Don't touch the snake after a meal
This animal needs to be quiet and alone to digest food; disturbing or handling it may cause him to vomit. Let it sit for a full day before touching it after a meal.
Step 3. Always remove leftover food
If the snake does not eat its prey, you must remove it from the terrarium; a live or dead animal poses a risk to its health, so you must avoid it remaining in the tank.
- It is safer to offer dead prey to the python; however, this food decomposes and must be removed from the terrarium if it is not consumed.
- Live prey can harm the snake; mice and rodents can attack and kill a royal python.
Step 4. Follow a regular meal schedule
It is important to set up a routine because it is healthy for the python and allows you to catch any variation in the level of appetite. Follow the guidelines outlined to meet the reptile's nutritional needs:
- Adult royal pythons must eat once every one to two weeks;
- Young specimens need to feed once or twice a week;
- Appetite normally varies throughout the year; usually, in the cold months the snake eats less.
Step 5. Provide him with water
This animal needs a space with water inside the terrarium to be able to relax and take a "bath". Here are the factors you need to consider when putting a water source in his tub:
- The young specimens should have available a body of water no more than 2, 5 cm deep;
- Check that the snake cannot turn the container upside down;
- The water temperature should be between 22 and 26 ° C;
- The animal often evacuates the feces in the water, change it at least once a week.
Advice
- Make sure you can take care of the reptile for the rest of its life.
- Purchase a terrarium that is the right size for the python.
- It is essential to keep both the temperature and the humidity at the correct levels.
- Build a shelter inside the terrarium for the snake to hide in.
- Make sure the prey is no larger than the python's diameter.
- Remove all leftover food from the terrarium.
- Keep the python's home clean to ensure its health.
Warnings
- Never use cedar or pine shavings as a substrate as they can cause breathing problems.
- Never leave an uneaten prey in the terrarium with the snake.
