Post by Lee on Apr 5, 2007 13:00:09 GMT 1
Introduction
The spotted python (Anterasia maculosa) is a small sized snake which are part of a group of snakes called pythons which are a group of non venomous snakes…they are increasingly popular as pets due to their general calm nature with exceptions to some individuals and nervous animals and small size that are available at many pet shops and bred with regularity so sourcing a spotted python is quite simple and really make fantastic captives.
Being constrictors their prey is overpowered by constriction in which all non venomous do to dispatch of prey and the animal soon slips away due to asphyxiation(lack of oxygen) before it is eaten by the snake but being opportunist feeders in the wild they will eat birds and other animals.
The name spotted python is due to its markings which resemble spot like markings but other anterasias are named after the naturalists that discovered them such as the Anterasia children after John George Children or their size such as the pygmy/anthill python(Antaresia perthensis)
The best things to look for are:
1) check the python is bright eyed and alert and has no signs of unshed skin or scarring and the mouth and nose are clean and free from discharge of any kind
2)check the snakes housing to check if its clean and its big enough for the animal to move around freely and is free from bits of shed skin and faeces
3)the pythons body should look rounded which is a sign of a snake which feeds well and not triangular which can be an indication of poor health.
4)when buying a young snake try and avoid any handling until its had 5 feeds in a row as too much handling is a factor to reluctance to feed in many species and it can be hard for the keeper who wants to hold their new snake ASAP but its worth the wait to have a handleable snake and a good feeding snake but even then no handling 48 hours after a feed to stop regurgitations as persistent regurgitations can cause serious health problems in snakes.
Distribution
the spotted python comes from Australia where they inhabit tropical and semiarid areas where they seek refuge in burrows and crevices during times of inactivity to keep away from predators and to keep out the sun with them being crespular animals(active only when light levels are low) and seek heat from rocks, being cold blooded which means they are unable to regulate their own body they have to find other means of warming up they do this by basking on warm rocks that have been warmed by the sun .
Appearance and size
The spotted python is a slender bodied snake with a small slender head so are perfect for colubrid keepers wanting to get into pythons.
Its scalation is unkeeled so is smooth to the touch and markings and patterning are variable to type and species.
Spotted pythons attain lengths of 4ft -5ft but larger specimens are heard of quite occasionally so are a very easily managed species for people looking for a python that doesn’t get to giant lengths and be overpowering to handle
housing in captivity
spotted python housing is relatively easy to get and set up and a large range of housing is available for snakes in many pet shops today….security is one of the most important things when considering your snakes housing as spotted pythons are very good escape artists and very clever/inquisitive to the slightest hole/gap left and is amazing how little they are able to squeeze through.
Wooden vivariums are a good cage for adult snakes being very securely built and with only the front viewable it has a calming effect on nervous/new snakes as it gives them a sense of security and with vents fitted allows good air circulation as well as coming in many different sizes.
Plastic housing such as geoflats,conticos,large boxes are also used with high success with keeping hatchlings or juveniles as they also have the advantage of variety of sizes and secure fitting lids many of which are clipped from the outside which means the snake cannot open it from inside the cage or try and squeeze out
Glass tanks used in fish keeping are very ill fitting with regards to lids and don’t really allow much air circulation but there are ranges that are suitable for reptiles like the perfecto range so worth looking out for.
A good sized vivarium for a spotted python of up to 5ft in length would be a 3ft long cage which a good substrate needs to be used and is really up to personal preference to what to use but substrates such as newspaper and orchid bark are very popular but is worth looking out for with particle substrate such as small wood chips as they are very easily swallowed while feeding and can cause real problems to the snake even fatally injuring it so putting newspaper on top of the substrate during feeding days or even putting the food item on a plate or tray are good preventive measures
Heating the cage is either by heat mat for young hatchlings or CHE (ceramic heater) for older animals and adults of which must be controlled by a thermostat that is designed to control such equipment(pulse is best as high load and perfect for controlling non light emitting equipment and can be used to heat multiple cages dependant on wattage output) and if using ceramics a guard must be fitted….both of which will stop your snake sustaining injuries or overheating both of which are extremely fatal….spotted pythons do well at a temperature of 84-88f and room humidity is fine as well as the water bowl being put nearer the hot end of your cage..
The interior of the cage is up to personal preference with regards to decoration but good additions include secure branches as although spotted pythons mainly are ground dwelling as wild animals they do enjoy the occasional climb if provided and cork bark and bits of wood make good hiding places for snakes but make sure all are free from sharp edges which could injure the snake and stable enough to hold the snakes weight comfortably and treated with miltons or any reptile disinfectants prior to be put back in the cage after thorough washing afterwards to kill germs and to keep your snake healthy and a good sized water bowl that is big enough for a snake to submerge is another good addition to the terrarium (large ceramic bowls are good for adult snakes as difficult to tip and very easy to clean)
Food and feeding
spotted pythons are easily got into feeding on defrosted rats at hatchling stage and are greedy feeders when not fasting so are generally not a problem and feeding from frozen is cheaper to buy as are available in many sizes and theres no danger of injury or suffering to the rodent if it was alive.
Defrosting before feeding can be done in many ways like defrosting them in a warm place naturally or submerging them in warm water until defrosted then dried which also has an advantage of raising the body heat of the prey
most snakes will take the food item if you wiggle it with a pair of forceps(you can risk being bitten if using your fingers and with larger animals be very dangerous) until the snake grabs it which is called ‘’strike feeding’’ whereas others prefer to feed off the ground of in the privacy of their hide box.
In some cases you get the odd reluctant feeder which will not take the mice/rats easily so hers a few pointers:
*braining the rodent which involves splitting the rodents skull and exposing the brain and the snake upon smelling this should take it with no problems
*splitting the stomach which involves splitting it and it does the same purpose as skull splitting
*washing the rodent and handling it as little as possible could be another way to get it feeding as it might smell you on there
*scenting it with chick or mouse in the case of rats could trigger a feeding response or rubbing lizard skin on there as snakes are opportunist feeders in the wild so worth a try to the captives
Once these methods have been exhausted pre killed is another option with the above methods used then and after this has been exhausted assist feeding and should only be attempted as a last resort as can cause added stress to the snake may be an option but all the above methods have proved successful so you should have no problems.
Handling your snake
When first acquiring a young python try and resist the temptation of handling the snake until it is feeding regular and it has fully settled into its new environment, many royals can be a little nervous when you handle them for the first time and shake their tail and strike but take things slowly and they calm down to accept handling very well but like everything you do the odd exception which is down to the individual really(like people)which can be aggressive and not take to handling as well as you’d hoped
Its best not to handle snakes 48 hours after a feed too as to not risk regurgitation or not being confident in handling the snake as you can risk injuring the snake even a fall from a small height can still hurt a snake
The best way to handle a snake of their size is to support the snakes body at two places and gently restrain it but is not recommended regular as it could affect its willingness to feed so the occasional handle when cleaning and such is recommended.
Sexing your snake
Some breeders and experienced keepers can tell the snakes sex by tail length or popping the tails when they are a few days old or more but this should only be carried out by experienced keepers or reptile vets because in the wrong hands or done after that period you risk harming your snake and damaging the hermiphene in male snakes but the almost 100% way to definitely sex your snake is probing, this also should only be carried out by experienced keepers or reptile vets as again can cause serious injury or damage which ultimately could kill your snake in which involves a blunt steel rod being inserted into the cloaca/vent of your snake and depending how many sub caudal scales it goes up will determine the sex of your snake.
The spotted python (Anterasia maculosa) is a small sized snake which are part of a group of snakes called pythons which are a group of non venomous snakes…they are increasingly popular as pets due to their general calm nature with exceptions to some individuals and nervous animals and small size that are available at many pet shops and bred with regularity so sourcing a spotted python is quite simple and really make fantastic captives.
Being constrictors their prey is overpowered by constriction in which all non venomous do to dispatch of prey and the animal soon slips away due to asphyxiation(lack of oxygen) before it is eaten by the snake but being opportunist feeders in the wild they will eat birds and other animals.
The name spotted python is due to its markings which resemble spot like markings but other anterasias are named after the naturalists that discovered them such as the Anterasia children after John George Children or their size such as the pygmy/anthill python(Antaresia perthensis)
The best things to look for are:
1) check the python is bright eyed and alert and has no signs of unshed skin or scarring and the mouth and nose are clean and free from discharge of any kind
2)check the snakes housing to check if its clean and its big enough for the animal to move around freely and is free from bits of shed skin and faeces
3)the pythons body should look rounded which is a sign of a snake which feeds well and not triangular which can be an indication of poor health.
4)when buying a young snake try and avoid any handling until its had 5 feeds in a row as too much handling is a factor to reluctance to feed in many species and it can be hard for the keeper who wants to hold their new snake ASAP but its worth the wait to have a handleable snake and a good feeding snake but even then no handling 48 hours after a feed to stop regurgitations as persistent regurgitations can cause serious health problems in snakes.
Distribution
the spotted python comes from Australia where they inhabit tropical and semiarid areas where they seek refuge in burrows and crevices during times of inactivity to keep away from predators and to keep out the sun with them being crespular animals(active only when light levels are low) and seek heat from rocks, being cold blooded which means they are unable to regulate their own body they have to find other means of warming up they do this by basking on warm rocks that have been warmed by the sun .
Appearance and size
The spotted python is a slender bodied snake with a small slender head so are perfect for colubrid keepers wanting to get into pythons.
Its scalation is unkeeled so is smooth to the touch and markings and patterning are variable to type and species.
Spotted pythons attain lengths of 4ft -5ft but larger specimens are heard of quite occasionally so are a very easily managed species for people looking for a python that doesn’t get to giant lengths and be overpowering to handle
housing in captivity
spotted python housing is relatively easy to get and set up and a large range of housing is available for snakes in many pet shops today….security is one of the most important things when considering your snakes housing as spotted pythons are very good escape artists and very clever/inquisitive to the slightest hole/gap left and is amazing how little they are able to squeeze through.
Wooden vivariums are a good cage for adult snakes being very securely built and with only the front viewable it has a calming effect on nervous/new snakes as it gives them a sense of security and with vents fitted allows good air circulation as well as coming in many different sizes.
Plastic housing such as geoflats,conticos,large boxes are also used with high success with keeping hatchlings or juveniles as they also have the advantage of variety of sizes and secure fitting lids many of which are clipped from the outside which means the snake cannot open it from inside the cage or try and squeeze out
Glass tanks used in fish keeping are very ill fitting with regards to lids and don’t really allow much air circulation but there are ranges that are suitable for reptiles like the perfecto range so worth looking out for.
A good sized vivarium for a spotted python of up to 5ft in length would be a 3ft long cage which a good substrate needs to be used and is really up to personal preference to what to use but substrates such as newspaper and orchid bark are very popular but is worth looking out for with particle substrate such as small wood chips as they are very easily swallowed while feeding and can cause real problems to the snake even fatally injuring it so putting newspaper on top of the substrate during feeding days or even putting the food item on a plate or tray are good preventive measures
Heating the cage is either by heat mat for young hatchlings or CHE (ceramic heater) for older animals and adults of which must be controlled by a thermostat that is designed to control such equipment(pulse is best as high load and perfect for controlling non light emitting equipment and can be used to heat multiple cages dependant on wattage output) and if using ceramics a guard must be fitted….both of which will stop your snake sustaining injuries or overheating both of which are extremely fatal….spotted pythons do well at a temperature of 84-88f and room humidity is fine as well as the water bowl being put nearer the hot end of your cage..
The interior of the cage is up to personal preference with regards to decoration but good additions include secure branches as although spotted pythons mainly are ground dwelling as wild animals they do enjoy the occasional climb if provided and cork bark and bits of wood make good hiding places for snakes but make sure all are free from sharp edges which could injure the snake and stable enough to hold the snakes weight comfortably and treated with miltons or any reptile disinfectants prior to be put back in the cage after thorough washing afterwards to kill germs and to keep your snake healthy and a good sized water bowl that is big enough for a snake to submerge is another good addition to the terrarium (large ceramic bowls are good for adult snakes as difficult to tip and very easy to clean)
Food and feeding
spotted pythons are easily got into feeding on defrosted rats at hatchling stage and are greedy feeders when not fasting so are generally not a problem and feeding from frozen is cheaper to buy as are available in many sizes and theres no danger of injury or suffering to the rodent if it was alive.
Defrosting before feeding can be done in many ways like defrosting them in a warm place naturally or submerging them in warm water until defrosted then dried which also has an advantage of raising the body heat of the prey
most snakes will take the food item if you wiggle it with a pair of forceps(you can risk being bitten if using your fingers and with larger animals be very dangerous) until the snake grabs it which is called ‘’strike feeding’’ whereas others prefer to feed off the ground of in the privacy of their hide box.
In some cases you get the odd reluctant feeder which will not take the mice/rats easily so hers a few pointers:
*braining the rodent which involves splitting the rodents skull and exposing the brain and the snake upon smelling this should take it with no problems
*splitting the stomach which involves splitting it and it does the same purpose as skull splitting
*washing the rodent and handling it as little as possible could be another way to get it feeding as it might smell you on there
*scenting it with chick or mouse in the case of rats could trigger a feeding response or rubbing lizard skin on there as snakes are opportunist feeders in the wild so worth a try to the captives
Once these methods have been exhausted pre killed is another option with the above methods used then and after this has been exhausted assist feeding and should only be attempted as a last resort as can cause added stress to the snake may be an option but all the above methods have proved successful so you should have no problems.
Handling your snake
When first acquiring a young python try and resist the temptation of handling the snake until it is feeding regular and it has fully settled into its new environment, many royals can be a little nervous when you handle them for the first time and shake their tail and strike but take things slowly and they calm down to accept handling very well but like everything you do the odd exception which is down to the individual really(like people)which can be aggressive and not take to handling as well as you’d hoped
Its best not to handle snakes 48 hours after a feed too as to not risk regurgitation or not being confident in handling the snake as you can risk injuring the snake even a fall from a small height can still hurt a snake
The best way to handle a snake of their size is to support the snakes body at two places and gently restrain it but is not recommended regular as it could affect its willingness to feed so the occasional handle when cleaning and such is recommended.
Sexing your snake
Some breeders and experienced keepers can tell the snakes sex by tail length or popping the tails when they are a few days old or more but this should only be carried out by experienced keepers or reptile vets because in the wrong hands or done after that period you risk harming your snake and damaging the hermiphene in male snakes but the almost 100% way to definitely sex your snake is probing, this also should only be carried out by experienced keepers or reptile vets as again can cause serious injury or damage which ultimately could kill your snake in which involves a blunt steel rod being inserted into the cloaca/vent of your snake and depending how many sub caudal scales it goes up will determine the sex of your snake.