Snakes are beautiful, exotic creatures. Their gorgeous patterns and uncanny intelligence make snakes a marvelous pet. If you're interested in owning a pet snake, a ball python is an excellent first choice. However, you should do your research so you will be adequately prepared before bringing a snake home. Here are four things that prospective ball python owners should know:
1. Ball pythons eat infrequently.
When people think of pets, they often think of cats and dogs. Mammals need to be fed on a daily basis, but snakes have different needs. Ball pythons are easy to care for because they eat infrequently. You will need to feed your ball python on a weekly or biweekly basis. Ball pythons digest their food slowly, so you should expect your python to stay still after feeding. Avoid disturbing your python for a day after feeding.
2. Some ball pythons will only eat live prey.
Ball pythons are carnivores. The type of animal you feed your ball python will depend on your snake's size and nutritional needs. Mice are a common food source for young ball pythons. Many owners find it convenient to feed their ball python frozen mice that have been warmed in hot water. However, some ball pythons will not eat prey that is already dead. You can try enticing your python to eat by dangling the mouse by the tail. If your python will not eat frozen mice, you will need to feed them live mice instead.
3. Ball pythons require a suitable habitat.
Snakes are cold-blooded, which means they can only thrive in specific environmental conditions. Snakes can die if they become too cold. Since they cannot regulate their own body temperatures, you must provide a heat lamp that your snake can use to warm themselves. Ball pythons live in rainforests in the wild, so you'll need to use a humidifier or spray bottle to create a humid environment in your python's enclosure. You should recreate the natural cycle of the sun by turning off the lights in your ball python's enclosure at night.
4. Ball pythons can escape if they are improperly housed.
Ball pythons are clever, and they're excellent at escaping from cages. Keep your python from running away by fitting your terrarium with a lock. You may unlock your ball python's cage to handle them. Just remember to lock your snake in their enclosure whenever you put them back. It can be very difficult to find a ball python that has escaped into your home.
Contact a supplier of ball pythons for sale for more information.
Share