The ball python is a snake formally known as Python regius. These reptiles have a natural home area that extends from West Africa to Central Africa. They are considered to be well mannered and for this reason are commonly kept as pets.
Ball pythons have muscular bodies, which are mostly covered with brown and tan camouflage designs. The shades of these colors and the patterns they form may vary. Despite these variances, all of the snakes generally have creamy white underbellies.
A ball python will generally range from three feet (.91 m) to five feet (1.52 m) long when it is full grown. The females tend to be larger than the males. They can grow up to six feet (1.82 m) long, but most of them do not exceed five feet (1.52 m). Their bodies are usually about six inches (15.2 cm) in diameter. If these snakes live in the wild without human intervention, they will generally survive for about 10 years. As pets, they are likely to have life spans ranging from 20 to 30 years.
The ball python needs the muscles in its body because it is a constricting snake. It kills its prey by wrapping around it and squeezing it to death. Its tendency to wrap up is also a defense mechanism that contributes to the name “ball python.” Instead of attempting to strike, in most instances, when this snake feels threatened, it will roll itself into a ball and tuck its head beneath its body.
In their natural habitats in Africa, ball pythons usually live in forests and in savannas. There are three things generally required to make a good home for these snakes: cover, water, and heat. When compared with many other species of snakes, a ball python is not considered to be very active. Most of ball pythons’ movement is done at dawn or dusk. Meanwhile, these snakes like to spend a lot of time underground or concealed by covering such as brush and thick grasses.
The areas where these snakes live often have temperatures of around 100 degrees F (38 degrees C). This motivates the snakes to stay close to water sources so they can cool themselves. Those who keep ball pythons as pets should remember these factors when creating the snake's living environment. If a person is planning to have more than one, it should not be a problem because they are known to generally burrow peacefully together.
Pet owners who purchase wild-caught specimens may experience a problem getting the snakes to eat. This sometimes happens and should not cause a great deal of concern if there is no evidence the snake is in poor health. People who want these snakes as pets, however, are advised to buy domestic bred ball pythons. Not only are they less likely to be loaded with parasites, they also have been found to make better pets.