Royal Pythons a.k.a Ball Pythons

The Photo is from http://www.ra-reptiles.com/baby-ball-pythons/

Snakes are extraordinary creatures. They are quite different than just about anything else out there. No legs, Shiny scaly bodies, long flickering tongues, and some of the most beautiful colors out there. While there are many that make great pets, some aren’t for everyone. One particular snake species that I find suits most snake lovers is the Ball Python or also named the Royal Python.

Royal Pythons are native to Africa and do quite well in captivity.  A 50-gallon aquarium will do just fine for the entire length of its life. One great aspect about Ball Pythons is that they are hearty snakes. These snakes aren’t as unforgiving to temperature changes as some of the other pythons and reptiles are.

The temperament of Royal Pythons is quite docile. I have kept them for over 10 years and have never been bitten.  I would trust most of them in the hands of children. I think it mostly has to do with its defense mechanism. Once threatened, they will ball into a ball and hide their heads. Hence, the name "Ball" Pythons.  So even naturally they rarely attack. With that being said, another good point is these particular pythons don’t get as big as most of the others in the pet trade. Most Royal Pythons max out in length at around 4-5 feet.

Feeding them isn’t that expensive either. At most you will feed your full grown Ball Python one medium sized rat a week.  I am quite fond of them in that they are vary friendly and inexpensive to maintain. They’re great for beginner herp lovers.

However, its always good practice to make sure your pythons is eating no matter what type. Ball Pythons are particularly finicky eaters. Some will just stop eating all together and several babies will choose to not eat at all. So as a good herper I will tell you to make sure that cute Ball eats before taking him home.

I have had many Ball or Royal Pythons throughout most of my life. One particular Ball that stands out in my mind was my first. His name was Samson. My Uncle Jay bought him for me in a small pet shop inside a mall in North Carolina. Looking back, I can even remember the ride to the pet shop with my uncle. Filled with excitement and intrigue, I felt as if I had just won the lottery. The coolest part was he bought him one too. Which my uncle named Goliath. Inevitably, I got Goliath as well.  I can remember thinking about how Samson was my first "big" snake. I was like 13 and up until then all I had ever taken care of were Garter Snakes.One thing I was fascinated by was the fact that when Samson was either on the bed or floor, if there was an object in his way, he would simply raise up his head and look over it. It sort of gave him a personality. Samson, Goliath and I had many wonderful years together. I had Samson for almost 10 years before he passed. A picture of Samson and I still hangs on my wall today. 

Hope You Enjoyed the Post!

Any Questions or Suggestions email me at jamesdward24@gmail.com