Ball Python Size report

Ball pythons (scientific name: Python regius) is native to West and Central Africa, from Senegal to Uganda, living in grasslands and shrublands. They are the smallest African pythons; they like low-light environments and become active at dawn and dusk.

In Europe, they are known as "royal pythons," and called "ball pythons" in the United States, because they often curl their bodies into a tight ball and hide their head firmly when they get nervous. Like many other pythons, the ball python is a gentle snake. Because it is non-toxic, docile, and easy to keep, ball pythons have become popular reptile pets in recent years.

Keeping a ball python is not easy, as this species is very temperature sensitive and sensitive to light. A ball python will be a great choice if you are considering welcoming a reptile into your family. Let's learn more interesting facts about ball pythons, including their size, food, living habits, etc.

Ball Python Size and Appearance

The body color of the ball python is based on black, with many circular markings on the back. The belly is white or cream, sometimes with fine black streaks. However, some special expressive genes have been selected and bred by pet dealers, resulting in various variations in ball pythons' markings or body color. Like all other pythons and boas, they also have hind limb remnants. This remnant hind limb appears on both sides of the anus, and the remnant hind limb of the male ball python is longer than that of the female, and the head of the male ball python is smaller than that of the female.

The eyes of ball pythons are very adapted to the dark environment in order to facilitate hunting at night. The "heat sensor" on the edge of the mouth helps ball pythons hunt at night. These organs help to find food in the dark. When he bites the prey with high-speed movements and inverted teeth, he will quickly wrap the prey around until the prey dies of suffocation and then swallows the prey whole.

Average Size of Ball Python

Ball pythons are relatively small in the python family. Generally, the adult body is about 1 meter, and some individuals can reach 1.5 meters, with a body width of roughly 3-7 cm. The largest specimen of a ball python is 1.82 meters. With proper feeding and care, their bodies will become finely round, and their average weight is about 1.2-3 kg. In captivity, ball pythons can grow a foot a year for the first three years and become adults in three to five years. It has been recorded that the longest-lived ball python lived to be 48 years old. The typical lifespan of the ball python is between 30-50 years.

Living Habits and Reproduction

Ball pythons are nocturnal snakes, and they will hide away from predators during the day in the wild. Ball pythons have higher requirements on temperature, preferring warmth to cold. 32-33 degrees is the best temperature. In this temperature range, ball pythons eat and grow normally. When the temperature is lower than 24 degrees, they will reduce food intake and activities; when the temperature is lower than 28 degrees, they are more likely to get sick; below 25 degrees, there is a possibility of death.

Ball pythons are oviparous and lay 4-10 eggs each summer. The incubation period generally does not exceed 60 days. Most female ball pythons are egg guards, coiling them until they hatch. During the three-month incubation period, they do not leave or eat. Ball pythons are fearful and aggressive during the egg-laying and hatching periods and need a quiet and peaceful space. Under artificial domestication, the hatching rate can generally reach 80%.

Final Words

The first step is to choose the right container to house your ball python in, such as an opaque organizer. All snakes are master escapers, and ball pythons are powerful and cunning when fleeing. Ball python juveniles are best in 10-gallon containers, young adults require 20-gallon containers, and fully grown individuals may require 30-gallon containers. Proper temperature is fundamental to keeping your snake healthy, so a thermometer is a must. The temperature in the tank is kept at 32 degrees during the day, the temperature at night cannot be lower than 23-24 degrees, and it is kept at 31 degrees in the sun-bathing area. You can use fluorescent tubes or low-wattage lights to make it easier to see your ball python during the day.