Ball Python: A Precious Gift of Nature
Ball pythons are among the most popular pet snakes. Ball pythons are also known as royal pythons. They are originally from West Africa in countries like Ghana and Togo. They are known as ball pythons because they form a ball shape when they are uneasy. They also use their bodies to capture prey by curling around it.They are good beginner snakes because they are docile and easy to care. Housing for a ball python can vary from simple to elaborate. The most important thing is that you follow several rules and check in on your pet often to ensure it appears to look and act healthy.
Biological Facts
- Ball Python (also known as Royal python), Python regius
- Constrictor, non-venomous
- Natural habitat is savannah, grassland, and sparsely wooded areas.
- Smallest of the African pythons.
- May grow 3-4 ft (91-122 cm ) long; rarely exceed 5 ft (152 cm)
- Stocky build; average adult weight 3-4 lb (1360-1814 gm), but can exceed 7 lb (3175 gm)
- Life span: average 20-30 years with proper care
- Origins: Africa
Behavior
- Shy species that will coil around its head and into a ball when frightened
- Nocturnal. Prefers to hunt at night with the aid of heat pits on the upper jaw.
- Rests during the day in underground burrows in the wild. In captivity, needs one or more “hide boxes” or may become stressed.
- Can be finicky eaters, and occasionally go several months between meals. This may be normal, but should be investigated if significant weight loss occurs.
Diet
- Young snakes typically eat baby mice and rats (“pinkies”, “fuzzies”, or “hoppers”).
- Adults will consume adult mice and small rats. The size of the prey item should approximate the width of the snake at the largest part of its body.
- Live prey can and will bite and scratch the snake causing severe damage and even death, regardless of the snake’s size. Never leave a live rodent in the cage with your snake unsupervised or for longer than 5-10 minutes
- Frozen-thawed mice and rats are safer and less expensive; they can be bought in bulk, and are stored more easily than live ones. Frozen rodents can be purchased online and at most pet stores.
- Fresh water daily in a clean bowl.
Environment
- Clean, well ventilated cage fee of sharp edges or points. Enclosure must provide adequate room to move around (e.g. a 30 gallon/113.5 liter glass aquarium would be suitable for most adult ball pythons).
- Cage should have a cool end that is 80-85ºF (26.7-29.4ºC) and a warm end that is 90-95ºF (32.2-35ºC), so the snake can thermoregulate.
- Under-tank heating pads or ceramic heat emitters are preferred. Avoid hot rocks or direct contact with heat sources of any kind, as they can cause severe burns.
- Humidity should be maintained at 50-60% through regular misting of the cage, covering a portion of the cage top, and placing an aquarium air stone in the water bowl.
- Provide two hide boxes, one at the warm end of the cage and another at the cool end, to minimize stress. Hide boxes should be designed so the snake can be easily removed from its hiding place, if necessary.
- Newspaper, paper towels, and reptile carpeting are highly recommended as cage substrates.
- Natural substrates such as aspen shavings, cocoanut fiber, and pine bark are more cosmetic in appearance, but occasionally cause problems if ingested. Cedar and pine shavings can irritate a snake’s respiratory tract and should be avoided.
- Monitoring is best done using a reptile thermometer and humidity gauge (more accurate that the “rainbow” aquarium stickers)
Preventive Care
- Complete physical examination every 6-12 months
- Consult a veterinarian with experience treating reptiles if you have any questions or concerns about your snake’s health.
- Annual fecal exam for parasites (especially if feeding live prey)
- Ticks and mites are best treated by an experienced, exotic veterinarian.
Common Medical Disorders
- Respiratory infection
- Prey-induced trauma
- Anorexia
- Parasites
- Burns
- Infection of oral cavity (“mouth rot)
- Retained shedding
NB- As per the laws of the country, Snakes are protected under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act- 1972. The protection is given to snakes considering their ecological value and to safeguard them from the Illegal Wildlife Trade where live snakes, snake venom, snakeskin are traded by criminals. snakes are protected as wild animals under various schedules of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Illegal hunting and possession of such protected snakes/ its body parts / venom are punishable offenses under the Act. The severity of punishment depends on the location (inside a protected area / outside the protected area) of the offense and the species of snake involved.
Indian snake species cannot be kept as pet within the country. This includes any species of snakes which are listed under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Some snake species are not specifically listed in the Act, but the Family mentioned will include all species under it. There are no legal issues in keeping non- native and non-CITES covered species as pets in India. Legalities aside, keeping snakes as pets is not encouraged from a conservation point of view as many such pet snakes are later released into the wild when the owner tire of them or it becomes too much of a responsibility. This could spell disaster for the biodiversity of the region as these species may become invasive species and destroy native wildlife. The Burmese pythons in Florida are one of the best examples of such a disaster.
All pythons found in India are accorded the highest level of protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. This is due to the huge threat that pythons face from hunting for meat and skin in most parts of India. Currently, their population is increasing across the country and not in any serious threat. The other highly protected snake is the Indian egg eater which has very limited geographical distribution and their numbers may be dwindling due to habitat loss. The exact population status is not known as of now, but they do need strict protection under the law and also habitat-level protection to ensure their survival.
As per the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection), Act – 1972 ( Act), capturing or attempt to capture a wild animal is an offense under Section 9 of the Act. The Act does not have any provision to conduct a ‘rescue’ and all capture of wildlife is considered as an act of ‘hunting’. So, the rescue of a snake under any circumstance is considered as hunting whether it is to save the life of the animal or protect a human being from harm. The Act also has provisions to provide permissions to hunt under sections 11& 12 which has to be issued by the Chief Wildlife Warden or an authorized officer in writing. So, a rescuer should get such permission from the authorities before he engages in any kind of rescue operation.
Anyone who is suspected/accused of hunting has to prove his innocence in front of the investigation officer/court as the burden of proving innocence is on the accused as per the provisions of the Act. It is a must that anyone who is engaged in a regular snake rescue has a valid permit.
Snake charmers violate the wildlife laws of the country by keeping protected wildlife in their custody without permission from authorities. This is a punishable offence under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Moreover, snakes are mistreated by most charmers and often die due to acquired infections. Many snake charmers are also involved in duping the general public with promises ‘naagmani’ (which does not exist) as well as trading in banned wildlife products. Hence, snake charming is discouraged is India.
The killing of a snake that is protected by the law under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. However, if the killing of a snake happened in self-defense or to save someone else’s life, the same can be considered by the investigating officer or the Hon. Court who will take an appropriate decision after looking into the circumstances leading up to the killing of the snake. Therefore, it is preferable to contact a snake rescuer in such a situation rather than handling such a situation on one’s own.
https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/category/snake/
https://www.healthline.com/health/ball-python-bite
