Python regius

Royal python, Ball python

Zack Tippie ([email protected])

1.) Introduction
Royals are one of the most popular snakes in the hobby today [18]. They can be found
in just about any pet shop, they dominate reptile expos, and they are the focal point of a
massive morph breeding industry. As captives they are hardy, typically tolerant of
handling [9], and forgiving of poor husbandry; indeed, they propagate and survive for
many years in very minimal care. I have personally kept Python regius for about 8 years
now and have pushed myself towards higher quality enriched husbandry, and I have
seen my animals respond in very positive ways. This care account will be aimed at best
care, not basic care.

2.) Distribution, habitat and wild ecology

P. regius inhabits a 5000km wide swath of sub-Saharan Africa extending from the coast
of Senegal to the northern border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Their range
is rather narrow latitudinally however, in most areas only 800km to 1200km [19] (this is
likely due to the fact they cannot perform thermogenesis while brooding, like some
larger pythons can [5]). In this sub-tropical region royals can be found in grasslands,
rainforests, savannah, and developed farmland [6]. Temperature and humidity is rather
stable in the region, but there is a distinct wet season and dry season. The dry season
extends from November to April with mean monthly day temperatures of 30-34C (86-
93F), mean monthly night temperatures of 21-24C (70-75F), and a day/night humidity
range of 60/80%. The wet season is from May to October with mean monthly day
temperatures of 28-31C (82-88F), mean monthly night temperatures of 20-22C (68-
72F), and a day/night humidity range of 70/90%.

This species is nocturnal and terrestrial [10]; during the heat of the day (especially in
the dry season) they will typically be hidden in a burrow constructed by another animal
[6]. However, it must be stressed that these designations are merely tendencies; royals
do indeed climb trees and hunt or bask during the day (more so in the wet season)
[1][10][12][17].

Royals are obligate carnivores and prey exclusively on birds and mammals. There is
significant sexual dimorphism wherein males eat mostly birds and females eat mostly
mammals. Multimammate mice and songbirds make up a large portion of their wild diet,
but they have been documented eating all sorts of other rodents, mustelids,
woodpeckers, parrots, and even bats [11][12]. While there is no data to suggest that in
the wild they consume any reptiles, fish, or invertebrates, there are pictures floating
around of captive hatchlings who died trying to cannibalise one another. It should be
mentioned that those events happened under extreme stress and are not reason to
consider this species cannibalistic.
3.) Appearance
Royals are small pythons averaging 1m to 1.5m (3 to 5 ft) in length and 1-1.7kg in mass
as adults [1][6]. Extreme cases of 2m and 2kg+ females have been reported (typically
in an overfed captive setting) but are very rare. Females are typically larger than males
as adults [1][6] but probing or popping are more reliable methods of sexing. They are
relatively heavy bodied snakes, but in cross section they should not be fully round. With
a healthy body tone, they will have a very soft triangle shape; fat is naturally stored
ventrally and laterally, not up towards the spine. Juveniles will be slightly sharper in this
triangle shape, and their heads will start out nearly as wide as their bodies. As adults,
their bodies will be two to three times as wide as the head. Fig.1

Record longevity in this species has been reported at 47 years by the Philadelphia Zoo,
and 25 to 30 years is a very reasonable expectation for a well-tended captive.

Their natural coloration features a beautiful pattern of a very dark brown or black dorsal
color broken by dorsal islands and lateral peninsulas of lighter browns or even yellows
(some of those with darker islands within them), with pale tan or white bellies.
Individuals may get darker or lighter with age (some anecdotal evidence suggests UV
has a part to play in this color shift) but otherwise there are no real ontogenetic color
changes.

Beyond the wild type, there are thousands of color morphs available in the hobby today.
Barring greens and blues, just about every other color and pattern can be found (though
even greens and blues can be found in the eyes). These are genetic mutations and as
such, many carry deleterious effects which should be considered before purchase [7].

4.) Acquiring and acclimatising

Anyone hoping to keep this species can purchase captive bred and born individuals of
many generations in captivity nearly anywhere. They can even be readily acquired as
rescues from shelters or fellow keepers looking to rehome them. Wild caught royals can
be acquired but this is rarely necessary.

New acquisitions should all be quarantined to avoid spreading any diseases or parasites
to the main collection. 90 days is a typical quarantine period, and, in that time, you
should be checking for mites, observing for any motor function issues (keep in mind any
known genetic issues that may present this way, like the “spider wobble” [7]), and
getting a fecal test done. Internal parasites are rare, provided the animal came from a
reputable breeder, but ectoparasites like mites are more common. There are many ways
to treat mites, luckily royals are quite hardy and respond well to various methods.
Beyond quarantine, royals can be shy when first moved to a new home or even after a
cage rearrangement. It is suggested to wait a week or two after such changes before
attempting to feed.
5.) Enclosure and design
1. Enclosures measuring a minimum of 120cm x 60cm x 60cm (4’x2’x2’) are
recommended for singly kept adult royals. This allows the animal to fully stretch
out (so especially large individuals may require larger housing), provides room for
lighting/heating equipment with appropriate clearance below them, climbing
branches, hides throughout, and deep substrate. Larger is of course better; I
personally have a ~1m male in a 180cm x 60cm x 90cm (6’x2’x3’) vivarium, and
he uses all of it Fig.2.

Juveniles can be kept in smaller caging, but they can also be moved into their
permanent enclosure immediately following quarantine. Simply ensure the hides
are appropriately sized as the snake grows.

2. Substrate for royals should facilitate elevated humidity and burrowing. Some
examples include cypress mulch, coconut products, barks, mosses, leaf litter, and
various soils. My preference is a mixture of soil, sand, moss, bark, and leaf litter,
at a depth of 10-20cm (4 to 8 in). This is also a suitable mixture for bioactive
husbandry. A note on that, care will not be much different for bioactive keepers.
Unless the cage is especially large and heavily stocked with custodians, you will
likely always need to spot clean, though you shouldn’t need to fully replace the
substrate. Most of the readily available isopod and springtail species are well
suited for royal habitats.

3. Furnishings should first and foremost provide for their nocturnal and terrestrial
nature. Royals are also positively thigmotactic, so hides should be plentiful, snug
fitting, and sturdy. Cork rounds and flats are favorites of mine, especially when
mostly buried in the substrate. Fig.3 Stacked rocks also make fantastic “hot
hides” when placed under heat lamps. Commercial hides tend to be lofty on the
inside and easily shifted, but that can be fixed by mostly filling and covering them
with substrate. Beyond that, multiple sturdy branches should be provided for
exercise, enrichment, and basking opportunities. Branches should be mostly
horizontal and near the same thickness as the snake. Fig.4

Plant cover (live or fake) is beneficial when used to cover hide entrances, open patches
of ground, and even over branches to create cryptic basking sites. Epipremnum
sp. (pothos varieties) are probably the best choice for a first foray into live
planting a royal enclosure, though even those may be uprooted depending on the
snake’s personality. Most “house plants” that form vines will do well, ferns and
dracaena are also good options.

4. Fresh water should always be available. While royals are not known to spend
much time in the water [6], they may choose to soak themselves for a variety of
reasons, so the water bowl should be sized appropriately. Filtered water features
are also an option, mine is heated to 25-26C (78-80F) and takes up roughly 15%
of the floorspace. Royals will drink from their water bowls, typically without any
intervention from the keeper. Misting should be done as needed to maintain
humidity levels. The ground should not remain wet, as this species is susceptible
to scale rot. Proper substrates (like those listed above) should have good
drainage to prevent this. Note: if you are having humidity issues, more substrate
is likely a better solution than more misting.
6.) Environmental conditions
Note: Climate data is taken from weather stations (usually in towns) and gives us above
ground ambient readings. This is not necessarily representative of the microclimates the
snakes actually encounter, but by looking at the thermodynamics of burrows and other
natural features they are known to interact with (how rocks are warmed by the sun,
etc), we can infer upon the microclimates we should replicate in captivity. The above
climate data (Section 2.) was taken from the southern and central portion of their native
range; chiefly Ghana, Togo, and Benin. This is where most of the study, wild collection,
and farming, has taken place with royal pythons [18]. There are no known physiological
locality differences among this species so specimens in the northern and more extreme
areas would cope via behavioral differences (likely spending even more time in burrows).
It would be acceptable to establish hotter and dryer parameters in captivity so long as
they are extremes in the gradation offered, and the stability they would find in any
burrow in the wild is always available in the cage.

As with most reptiles, royals should be provided with gradation in most of their climate
parameters. However, the entire cage should not fluctuate. Burrows in the wild are in
fact extremely stable in both temperature and humidity [4][8], and we know royals
spend a lot of time in burrows, so they should always have access to a cool, humid, and
stable burrow.

Burrow (or “cool side”) parameters should remain near 26C (80F) and 70-90% humidity
always, and the full cage can return to these levels at night. During the day however,
the rest of the cage should exhibit ambient temperatures of 28-32C (82-89F) with
basking surface temperatures of 35-40C (95-104F) [3]. Humidity may drop as low as
50% in the hottest areas of the cage. Keep in mind hides should be provisioned all over
these gradients to simulate holes in trees and rock crevices that will be secure but not as
climate controlled as a burrow. This ensures the snake does not have to choose between
proper heat/humidity and security. Fig.5

Royals do not exhibit any brumation behavior, but there are other behavioral changes
(particularly breeding behavior) influenced by the dry or wet season. If you wish to enact
seasonal changes, simply shift all those temperatures down a couple degrees during the
“wet season” (May – October).

Heating equipment for royals should all be above the animal (heat mats are not advised,
burrows should be cooler than the outside world). Ceramic heat emitters and radiant
heat panels are both great for night heating and background heating during the day, but
they are not sufficient alone during the day as they only provide far infrared light. This is
not as biologically available as near infrared, which is emitted by incandescent bulbs
[14].

Full spectrum lighting should be provided during the day (12/12 light cycle, year-round),
including UVB/A. Royals are able to see in the UVA spectrum and it has some behavioral
implications [15]. UV light also has antimicrobial properties, I’ve personally seen it
positively influence daytime activity and coloration, and it is known to regulate vitamin
D3. UV indexes of 0.7-1.0 should exist at the prime basking locations, with peaks of 3.0
being acceptable in some spots. T5HO fluorescents are typically best suited for royals,
the Arcadia 6% D3 being best with the ZooMed Reptisun 5.0 coming close behind (the
Arcadia has slightly higher UVB output and typically lasts longer, while the ZooMed is
more readily available in the United States; if using the ZooMed, shorten the basking site
distances by 5-10cm/2-4in). With these bulbs, basking sites should be 20-40cm (8-16in)
away from the bulb, with no reflector [3].
Daytime basking site heating is best done with small incandescent flood lights that
provide near infrared, such as 50W halogen bulbs [14]. Look for bulbs with low Kelvin
color temperatures (2500k-3000k), wide angle beams (denoted as a “flood” with 50
degrees being typical), and low lumens/watt efficiency (9 - 20lm/w is typical); this
means more of that energy goes directly to near infrared. These bulbs should be
controlled with dimmers, or ideally dimming thermostats. Dimming thermostats with
steel tipped probes (like the Herpstat EZ series) can be used to directly control surface
temperatures. Fig.6

7.) Feeding
As aforementioned, royals feed exclusively on mammals and birds. Rats (Rattus
norvegicus), mice (Mus musculus), juvenile chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus), and quail
(Coturnix japonica), are suitable staples [2]. It is recommended to follow a rough 30/70
mammal/bird ratio for males, and 70/30 for females. There is no reason to adhere to
these feeder types of course, just about any mammal or bird available in the hobby as
feeders of appropriate size are fair game.

A full-size meal should be roughly as thick around as the snake’s widest part, though
they can handle bigger or smaller for variety. In the interest of enrichment, this volume
can be made up of several smaller feeders simulating a “nest raid”, wherein a cache of
pinkies/pups/chicks are hidden in the cage for the snake to discover. Keep in mind adult
feeders have in general a better nutritional profile than juveniles, so these exercises
should be done in moderation.

Overfeeding and obesity are serious problems in the hobby today. Many captive snakes
attain massive sizes of over 2kg, however in the wild males and females tend to stay
well under 2kg [1][6]. Royals (like many snakes) undergo major physiological changes
during digestion, and it takes on average 2 weeks for their bodies to return to a resting
state post feeding [16]. In captivity, adults should be fed on average every 6 weeks,
plus or minus 2 weeks for the sake of variation and enrichment. Hatchlings may be
started on weekly feedings, and durations will stretch with age. Care must be taken to
monitor body tone, and your feeding schedule should be tailored maintain a healthy
shape. Fig.7

Live feeding may help entice a trouble feeder to respond, but they usually accept
frozen/thawed or pre-killed prey readily. Pre-killed is my preferred method, and
individuals with issues like the “spider wobble” should not be fed live depending on their
efficacy in striking.

Typically, royals will refuse food when something is incorrect in their husbandry.
Following a refused meal, the first things to check would be; access to secure hides,
proper heat, and proper humidity. Once those are fixed, wait at least one week before
trying again. Seasonal cues may also put them off food. In breeding season, males
especially may refuse food as they will be focused on searching for a mate [13]; food in
the belly would slow them down. This yearly fasting is normal and even considered
beneficial. Adults can fast for several months with no ill effects whatsoever, refused
meals are rarely reason to panic with this species.
8.) Conclusion
Royal keeping is inundated with controversy over what is “needed” and what is merely
“beneficial”. They really are victims of their own hardiness; the fact they live for many
years and breed in abhorrent conditions is illogically interpreted as reason to stop all
progress in husbandry quality. The ceiling on husbandry quality is so much higher than
the requirements under which they breed. As a keeper, I see things the animal can
benefit from are things I need to provide, or at least push towards. I can assure you,
they’re not just pet rocks.

9.) Figures – All images owned by Zack Tippie unless otherwise stated.
Fig.1 – An example of the “soft triangle” body shape.
Fig.2 – An example of a large naturalistic cage.

Fig.3 – Subterranean hides, prior to addition of substrate.

Fig.4 – Branches and basking stones.

Fig.5 – Example of a suspended hide being used for cryptic basking.

Fig.6 – Halogen basking bulbs being dimmed individually via dimming thermostats,
maintaining the same basking surface temperature at different distances.

Fig.7 – An example of a physically fit royal, image and snake owned by Trinity Kotyluk.
10.) Acknowledgements
I’ve learned from too many keepers to count or even recall at this point. In particular,
and more recently, I’d like to thank the following for really opening my eyes to the
herpetological side of herpetoculture, and the wonderful world of artificial light: Dr. Fran
Baines, Francis Cosquieri, Darrel Raw, and Roman Muryn. To meet them, check out the
groups Advancing Herpetological Husbandry, Reptile Lighting, and Not Just a Pet Rock
(Python regius) on facebook!

11.) Reference list / Suggested reading

[1] Aubret, F., Bonnet, X., Harris, M., Maumelat, S. (2005) Sex Differences in Body Size
and Ectoparasite Load in the Ball Python, Python regius. Journal of Herpetology 39(2):
312-315.

[2] Arbuckle, K. (2010) Suitability of day-old chicks as food for captive snakes. Journal
of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition 94: e296 – e307.

[3] Baines, F., Chattell, J., Dale, J., Garrick, D., Gill, I., Goetz, M., Skelton, T., Swatman,
M. (2016) How much UV-B does my reptile need? The UV-Tool, a guide to the selection
of UV lighting for reptiles and amphibians in captivity. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium
Research 4(1): 42 - 63.

[4] Bennett, N., Jarvis, J., Davies, K. (1988) Daily and seasonal temperatures in the
burrows of African rodent moles. South African Journal of Zoology 23(3): 189 – 195.

[5] Ellis, T., Chappel, M. (1986) Metabolism, temperature relations, maternal behavior,
and reproductive energetics in the ball python (Python regius). Journal of Comparative
Physiology B 157: 393 – 402

[6] Gorzula, S., Nsiah, W., Oduro, W. (1997) Survey of the Status and Management of
the Royal Python (Python regius) in Ghana.

[7] Huck, M. (2017) Morph Issues. Retrieved from

http://www.owalreptiles.com/issues.php on June 25, 2018.

[8] Kay, F., Whitford, W. (1978) The Burrow Environment of the Banner-tailed Kangaroo
Rat, Dipodomys spectabilia, in Southcentral New Mexico. The American Midland
Naturalist 99(2): 270 – 279.

[9] Kreger, M. (1992) Physiological and Behavioral Effects of Handling and Restraint on
the Ball Python (Python regius) and the Blue-Tongued Skink (Tiliqua scincoides).

[10] Luiselli, L. (2006) Why do males and females of Python regius differ in ectoparasite
load? Amphibia-Reptilia 27: 469-471.

[11] Luiselli, L., Akani, G., Capizzi, D. (1998) Food resource partitioning of a community
of snakies in a swamp rainforest of south-eastern Nigeria. The Zoological Society of
London 246(1): 125 - 133.

[12] Luiselli, L., Angelici, F. (1998) Sexual size dimorphism and natural history traits are
correlated with intersexual dietary divergence in royal pythons (Python regius) from the
rainforests of southeastern Nigeria. Italian Journal of Zoology 65(4): 183 - 185

[13] Morrill, B. (2011) Qualitative Genetic Analysis of Reproduction Traits in Ball

Pythons. Utah State University.
[14] Muryn, R. (2018) Temperature and Heat for Reptiles #05. Retrieved from
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ReptileLighting/files/ on May 7, 2018.

[15] Sillman, A, Carver, J., Loew, E. (1999) The Photoreceptors and Visual Pigments in
the Retina of a Boid Snake, the Ball Python (Python regius). The Journal of Experimental
Biology 202: 1931 – 1938.

[16] Starck, J., Wimmer, C. (2005) Patterns of blood flow during the postprandial
response in ball pythons, Python regius. The Journal of Experimental Biology 208: 881 –
889.

[17] Sweeny, C. Jebels by Moonlight (1969) London: Chatto & Windus.

[18] Waller, T., Lichtschein, V., Montgomery, C., Luiselli, L., Toudonou, C., Lettoof, D.
(2006) An Assessment of the impact of the pet trade on five CITES-Appendix II case
studies.

[19] Zoological Society of London. (2010). [Range map for extant Python regius]. The
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved from
http://maps.iucnredlist.org/map.html?id=177562 on June 20, 2018.