Ball Python

Ball pythons (scientifically known as ball pythons) inhabit Central Africa and West Africa, from Senegal to Uganda, from grasslands to forests, and they feel equally comfortable in trees and on the ground. They prefer dim lighting and become active at dawn and dusk. In Europe, they are called "Royal Python," while in the United States they are called "Ball Python." This is because when they feel threatened, they curl their bodies into a tight ball and tuck their heads securely in the center. Like many other pythons, ball pythons are gentle snakes. They primarily feed on small mammals.

Chinese scientific name: 球蟒

Chinese alias: 皇蟒

Binomial name: Python regius

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Reptilia

Order: Squamata

Family: Boidae

Species: Ball Python

Distribution: West Africa and Central Africa; Lowland Rainforests

Named by, Year: Shaw, 1802

IUCN Conservation Level: LC

Ball pythons have a certain relationship with the traditional myth of the Igbo people in the southeastern Nigeria region. The locals believe that the characteristic of ball pythons moving close to the ground symbolizes the earth. Although there are many Christians among the Igbo people, some ball pythons that accidentally enter residential areas still receive attention and careful care from the locals. Ball pythons are free to roam among the Igbo people. If a ball python dies unexpectedly, the Igbo community will even set up coffins, erect tombstones, and hold small funerals for them.

Suggested for enthusiasts, ball pythons are a type of pet snake that is relatively suitable for beginners. However, it is not allowed to trade ball pythons domestically, so if you want to keep a ball python, you need to go through relevant procedures and obtain a breeding certificate. Do not keep them illegally.

Ball pythons are prone to diseases including skin injuries, oral inflammation, and pneumonia.

For skin injuries caused by feeding and shedding, we use medical alcohol for disinfection, Yunnan Baiyao or chloramphenicol eye ointment for application until healing. For skin abscesses caused by parasitic bites and fungal infections, due to the unique nature of python skin, incisions should be made and the pus should be scraped. The same medication method can be used. Soak and rinse with a solution of potassium permanganate at a concentration of 1 in 10,000.

Oral inflammation is usually caused by unclean food, hard objects stuck in live prey fur, or bites from snakes that quickly retract when attacking caregivers. The affected snake's snout is moist, salivating, with swelling, redness, white flakes, and secretions in the mouth. In addition to strict prevention of the above situations, immediate medication should be given if oral inflammation occurs. Clean the wound with a solution of potassium permanganate at a concentration of 1 in 1,000, remove necrotic and shedding skin tissue and coagulated secretions with a cotton swab or medical forceps, and check for any loose teeth in the mouth to prevent further injury. Feed with tetracycline-like drugs and use watermelon frost spray as a supplement.

Pneumonia is often induced by polluted air in the breeding environment, drowning, and sudden temperature changes. Diseased snakes often raise their heads and have difficulty breathing. When pneumonia occurs, the affected python should be moved to an environment with constant temperature, visible sunlight, and ventilation. Mild cases can be treated with compound neomycin for oral administration and severe cases can be treated with intramuscular injection of gentamicin.

For enteritis and gastrointestinal deworming, replace normal water with physiological saline for feeding when enteritis occurs, feed with tetracycline or levamisole, extend the light feeding time, and disinfect the breeding site. Under normal circumstances, deworming with intestinal worm clear should be performed once every six months.

After the ball pythons arrive at their new home, they will have an adaptation period. It is common for them to have a period of not eating during this time, so there is no need to worry. After a few weeks of adjusting to the environment, you can feed them some small-sized mice. It is best to feed them according to their body size.

If your new ball python has not eaten for several months and is showing obvious signs of weight loss, please take them to a reptile clinic or contact the local reptile association to find someone with experience in this area to help you solve this problem.

Always provide your snake with a suitable-sized container of clean water. Your snake will drink and soak in the water. Check the water quality every day, but replace it as soon as it is contaminated by feces. Soaking is beneficial for shedding. When their eyes become a cloudy white or blue color, soak your snake in warm water for ten minutes or more, then gently dry them off and immediately put them back in their enclosure. Your ball python will shed their skin and become clean within 24 hours. In the wild, ball pythons mainly eat small mammals (rodents) and birds. In captivity, we have found that feeding them small mice and rabbits as live prey is more suitable. For newly imported ball pythons, it is recommended to use small mice as bait. Ball pythons are snakes with unique "neurotic reactions," which means they are very sensitive to various external stimuli. If the initial feeding is done improperly, it can easily cause loss of appetite, refusal to eat, and even death. Therefore, for the initial feeding, choose small mice with medium to small size, no pollution, and no special odors. Feed the mice before offering them to the ball python to prevent the python from biting back. During the feeding process, pay attention and be cautious to prevent the python from being bitten by the mouse. The probing feeding time is 30 minutes. If the python has not started feeding within this time, immediately remove the prey and try again after one week. During the entire feeding process, smoking, flashing lights for photography, and other external stimuli are strictly prohibited. When feeding, the ball python generally bites the head of the small mouse accurately and swiftly wraps its body around it. It slowly eats the mouse once it is completely dead. If the python inaccurately bites the head of the small mouse and starts to wrap around it, the python will be bitten by the mouse. At this time, it is necessary to decisively use a straw to drop water onto the mouse's mouth and nose, accelerating its death. If it needs to be moved during the feeding process, use forceps to hold the tail of the mouse and move it. Do not touch the python directly with your hand or tools during the feeding process. Successful provocation feeding is one of the important factors for successfully taming a ball python, but it is also the easiest way to trigger the python's unique "neurotic reactions" and cause a failed taming process. If the initial feeding is successful, it will enter the normal feeding stage.

In future feeding, pay attention to the following: continuously provide enough food and a sufficient amount of it. Give water two hours after the feeding behavior ends. The size of the water dispenser should be able to hold the entire python, making it easier for the ball python to drink water and soak to relieve the pressure and weight of the prey inside their body. Regularly add vitamins and calcium powder to the live prey during feeding.