Zoo Creatures Animal Care Library

Scientific Name: Python Regius
Family: Pythonidae
AKA: “Royal Python”

General Ball Python Information: 

Ball pythons are robust serpents with a distinctive head & slender neck. Normal body coloration is black with yellow, gold, or brown markings. Pattern may be “broken,” banded or reduced in some specimens, and many exhibit varying degrees of broken dorsal striping.
Wild-caught ball pythons are notorious for being difficult to acclimate: these are the animals that give balls their reputation for being terrible feeders. Going with a captive born, well established ball python is a must for making your first ball python experience a good one. These are somewhat shy snakes that fare much better in captivity when acquired from a reliable CB source.

Ball Python Size:
Hatchlings: approximately 10″+/-.
Adult size: Females average 3′- 5′. Males average 2′ – 3′.

This is a species in which mature females are typically distinctly larger than the males. A 5+ foot ball python is considered large, although lengths of 6+ feet have been reported.

Lifespan: 15 Years
Ball pythons may live 40 years or more if kept properly in captivity. Ball pythons are a huge commitment and one you need to take seriously. These creatures have long lifespans and you should understand that when you buy a ball python, it is yours forever.

Color Mutations:
There are over 6.000 genetic combinations that have been created thus far throughout ball pythons with new combinations being produced every year from breeders throughout the US and worldwide!

Captive Maintenance Guidelines

Difficulty Level:

Beginner. Easy, but keeper must have a general knowledge of snake husbandry. Captive bred, well started ball pythons make an excellent first snake for the beginning herpetoculturist.

Enclosure:
Enclosures can be as simple or elaborate as one is capable of caring for. Remember that the more “stuff” you put in a cage, the more “stuff” you have to clean & disinfect on a regular basis. That said, there are many different enclosures that work extremely well for ball pythons, including, but not limited to: plastic sweater boxes (i.e. Rubbermaid), melamine racks, Freedom Breeder cages, and any of the commercially available plastic-type reptile cages, (i.e. those from Vision Herp & other similar manufacturers).

Glass aquariums & tanks are adequate; keep in mind that the screen tops on such enclosures can make it very difficult to maintain humidity levels. Also refer to our Snake Caging care sheet for more information. Juvenile ball pythons seem to do well in smaller enclosures that make them feel more secure; a small snake in a big cage can become overwhelmed & stressed.

Fortunately adult ball pythons do not require exceptionally large or elaborate enclosures. A 36″ x 18″ x 12″ enclosure will more than comfortably house an adult ball python. Remember that ALL enclosures must allow for a proper thermal gradient that the snake can utilize, with a hot spot on one end and a cooler spot on the other.

Substrate:
There are a few substrates that work well. Newspaper is the cheapest & easiest with regards to cleaning & disinfecting: out with the old, in with the new. Cypress mulch is great for controlling humidity but remember that too much humidity can be as detrimental (if not more) as too little. Never use any substrate containing cedar, as this is deadly to reptiles!

Temperatures & Heating:
Provide your ball python with a basking spot of 88-92 °F and an ambient (background) temperature of 78-80 °F. The ambient temperature should not fall below 75 °F. It is vitally important to KNOW the temperatures at which you are keeping your snake(s).

DO NOT GUESS!!  A great way to monitor temps is to use a digital indoor/outdoor thermometer with a probe. Stick the thermometer to the inside of the cage on the cool end and place the probe on the warm end, and you’ll have both sides covered at once.

There are several ways to go about heating the enclosure: undercage heating pads, ceramic heat emitters, basking bulbs (both regular daytime & red “night” bulbs) are just a few. With heat emitters & bulbs it is necessary to really keep an eye on the humidity within the enclosure, especially if combined with a screen top, as both will dry the air quickly. Use thermostats, rheostats and/or timers to control your heat source. Do not use hot rocks with snakes as they often heat unevenly over too small of a surface area & can cause serious burns.

Humidity:
Providing proper humidity for ball pythons is important, but as stated previously too much humidity can be as problematic as too little. First off, let’s establish “humidity” as the amount of moisture in the air. To provide your snake with a humidity level of 50% – 60%, you have a couple of options.

1. Use cypress mulch or a similar substrate that can be misted & is mold-resistant. Cypress is good for this as it turns a tan color when dry & a rich brown when wet, giving a visual cue as to when it needs to be dampened again.

2. Make a “humidity box” for your snake. This consists of packing a plastic container with damp sphagnum moss (think well-wrung-out wash cloth to gauge moisture), cutting a hole in the top or side & placing it in your python’s enclosure so that it can access the box as it pleases.

One of the biggest problems we observe in captive ball pythons is respiratory distress caused by the combination of low ambient humidity, improper ambient temperatures, and a screen-top enclosure which basically allows the environment within the snake’s cage to be affected by any external influences in the room in which the snake is kept.

Keep in mind that if you have a screen top on the enclosure you will probably want to cover it most or all of the way with plastic, a towel or some other means of keeping moisture from escaping. This is also where having proper, reliable ambient temperatures (back to that thermometer!) is important, as warm air holds more moisture than cool air. You want the enclosure to be humid, not WET. A soggy cage can eventually lead to bacterial & fungal infections and consequently, death.

Lighting:
Supplemental lighting is not necessary for this species, but if used should run on a 12/12 cycle, meaning 12 hours on & 12 hours off. Continuous bright, overhead lighting is stressful to snakes, especially a nocturnal serpent such as this one.

Hydration:
Always make fresh, clean water available to your ball python. The size of the water dish is up to you. If it is large enough for the python to crawl into and soak, sooner or later your snake will make the most of the opportunity, and most seem to enjoy a nice soak from time to time.

Ensure that the bowl is not too deep for juvenile animals – 1″ or so will suffice. Snakes of many species will defecate in their water bowls from time to time, so be prepared for cleaning, disinfecting & a water change when necessary. It is often beneficial to have a spare water bowl for such occasions, so that one may be used while the other is being cleaned.

Caging Accessories:
The one cage accessory that is beneficial to a happy ball python is a good hide box…maybe even a couple of them. These are secretive snakes that appreciate & utilize a hide spot. Provide one on each end of your python’s enclosure so that it does not have to choose between temperature & security. Clay flowerpots, plastic flowerpot trays, and commercially available hide boxes all work quite well.

Feeding:
Feed your ball python an appropriately sized rodent weekly. By “appropriately sized” we mean prey items that are no bigger around than the python at its largest point. Ball pythons can eat rats from the time they are young – starting off with rat pups or “crawlers” for younger snakes & moving up in size as the animal grows. Do not handle your snake for at least a day after feeding, as this can lead to regurgitation. Ball pythons can be converted to feeding on frozen/thawed or pre-killed rodents. Never leave a live rodent unattended with ANY snake. Ball pythons are well-known for going on hunger strikes at certain times throughout the year, particularly in the winter months.

Be prepared for the possibility of your snake going off feed and keep an observant eye on the snake’s overall condition and body weight. This is typically nothing to worry about with healthy, well established pythons, although it can be extremely frustrating to the keeper. If your snake is healthy continue your husbandry routine as usual, yet reduce the amount of handling the snake receives to a minimum.

Offer your ball python food every 10-14 days until interested in eating again, as the snake will eventually “turn back on” and resume feeding normally. You should start to issue concern if your animal is losing weight rapidly or is consistently regurgitating meals. Weight loss and regurgitation can be caused by numerous factors so make sure to check meal sizing and your animal’s enclosure and environment thoroughly!

Cage Maintenance:
Spot-clean your snake’s enclosure as necessary. When feces/urates/uneaten prey items are present, remove them as soon as possible. Clean & disinfect the water bowl on a weekly basis or every time you go to refill water. Depending on cage conditions, remove all substrate & cage furniture and completely disinfect using a 5% bleach solution weekly. Rinse the enclosure thoroughly and allow to dry before replacing cage furniture & your snake. A weekly cleaning of enclosures will deter bacteria build up and allow the animal to remain in a clean environment which greatly reduces the risk of the animal getting ill

Zoo Creatures and NERD Herpetocultural Library

Name: Leopard gecko
Scientific name: Eublepharis macularius
AKA: None in common use.

General Information

Distribution
Semi-desert areas of Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.

Wild Status
Still widespread in its habitat but populations decline as its environment is lost to human encroachment.

Description
This is a robust, medium-sized gecko from the family Eublepharinae – the “eyelid” geckos. Leopard geckos are fully terrestrial & do not climb walls like other geckos. They are also one of the few gecko species that possess eyelids. Leopards get their name from the full-body spotting of their adult coloration. Hatchlings are born with dark bands that turn light & break up into spots as the geckos mature. The base coloration of the leopard geckos is a mix of yellow, lavender, white and occasionally, orange.

Adult leopard geckos are generally very docile, good-natured, hardy creatures. Nonetheless, they should be handled with some care as their thick, fleshy tails are designed to detach as a defense mechanism. Never grab a leopard gecko by the tail; while broken tails do regenerate, they are rarely as attractive as the original tail. Juveniles of this species are often squirmy, flighty babies that take some time & growing to settle down. Perspective: when you’re 3″ long, EVERYTHING seems like a potential predator, and as a little gecko all you want to do is HIDE! This phase is quickly outgrown with gentle handling.

Leopard geckos are easily the most frequently-bred lizard in captivity, therefore finding a good, healthy CB specimen is quite simple! Potential purchases should be alert, bright-eyed & somewhat active. Check for stuck skin around toes as this indicates a shedding problem that should have been rectified prior to offering the animal for sale. First-time owners should seek well-started juveniles at least 8 weeks of age to help ensure a positive endeavor in gecko keeping.

Size
Hatchlings approximately 2″+/-. Adult size averages 6″ – 9″. Maximum size is around 12″ – animals of this size are considered large.

Lifespan
Leopard geckos may live 20 years or more in captivity.

Color Mutations
There are many different color & pattern mutations in leopard geckos, including jungle, pastel, high yellow, striped, reverse-striped, tangerine, carrottail, blizzard, patternless, patternless-albino, tangerine-albino, hypomelanistic, super hypo, banana, and many more!

Captive Maintenance Guidelines

Difficulty Level
Beginner. Easy, but keeper must understand and focus on the animal’s basic needs. Proper diet – including calcium & vitamin supplementation – is essential.

Enclosure
Enclosures can be as simple or elaborate as one is capable of caring for. Remember that the more “stuff” you put in a cage, the more “stuff” you have to clean & disinfect on a regular basis. That said, there are many different enclosures that work well for leopard geckos, short-tailed pythons, including, but not limited to: plastic sweater boxes (i.e. Rubbermaid), melamine racks, Freedom Breeder cages, and any of the commercially available plastic-type reptile cages, (i.e. those from Vision Herp & other similar manufacturers). Glass aquariums & tanks also work very well for this species. Also refer to our Lizard Caging care sheet for more information. Remember that ALL enclosures must allow for a proper thermal gradient that the lizard can utilize, with a hot spot on one end and a cooler spot on the other.

When choosing a cage for your leopard gecko, consider the number of animals you wish to house. A single leopard gecko can be kept in a 10 gallon aquarium. For multiple animals, larger enclosures should be used to allow the animals space to interact & also move away from each other. An enclosure measuring 36″ x 18″ x 16″ will sufficiently house up to 10 adult leopard geckos. Harem groups, consisting of a single male and several females, often thrive & reproduce in this setup.

NOTE: NEVER house more than one male leopard gecko in the same enclosure! Males of this species are extremely territorial & will fight extensively, causing injury or even death to a rival male.

Substrate
There are a few substrates that work well. Newspaper is the cheapest & easiest with regards to cleaning & disinfecting: out with the old, in with the new. Paper towels are also a very popular substrate among leopard gecko breeders. Calcium carbonate (available at feed stores) often comes highly recommended for both substrate and a calcium supplement, and leopard geckos will ingest small quantities of this while feeding if used as a substrate. Avoid substrates like crushed walnut shell, corncob, and sand, which may cause intestinal impactions if ingested in large quantities.

Temperatures & Heating
Provide your gecko with a basking spot of 85-88°F and an ambient (background) temperature of 78-80 °F. The ambient temperature should not fall below 75°F. It is vitally important to KNOW the temperatures at which you are keeping your gecko(s). DO NOT GUESS!! A great way to monitor temps is to use a digital indoor/outdoor thermometer with a probe. Stick the thermometer to the inside of the cage on the cool end and place the probe on the warm end, and you’ll have both sides covered at once.
There are several ways to go about heating the enclosure: undercage heating pads, ceramic heat emitters and basking bulbs (red “night” bulbs) are just a few commonly available methods that work well for leopard geckos.

Humidity
While leopard geckos typically thrive in a dry environment, providing a humidity chamber is necessary to assist your gecko in shedding properly. Humidity chambers are easy and inexpensive to make. This consists of packing a plastic container with damp sphagnum moss (think well-wrung-out wash cloth to gauge moisture), cutting a hole in the top or side & placing it in your gecko’s enclosure so that it can access the box as it pleases. Peat moss or vermiculite may also be used in place of sphagnum moss, all of which are readily available at garden stores & outlets.

Remember to check the box at least a couple of times a week to gauge the moisture level. Spray the moss within the box as necessary to keep it damp. Leopard geckos will spend increasing amounts of time in the humidity chamber as they are ready to shed, as the moisture assists them in removing all old skin.

NOTE: Leopard geckos, like many other gecko species, eat their shed skin & leave very few remnants of the shed within the enclosure. Make sure that you check your gecko’s toes and the end of its tail to ensure that all old skin was removed during the shed. Skin that is stuck to the toes or tail tip can eventually restrict blood supply to these areas, resulting in tissue death.

Lighting
Supplemental lighting is not necessary for this species, as leopard geckos are completely nocturnal. If you wish to use lighting to view your gecko’s activity at night, we recommend the use of red night bulbs which emit heat & can double as a warm spot in your gecko’s cage.

Water
Always make fresh, clean water available to your leopard gecko in a wide, shallow dish. Check your gecko’s water frequently to make sure it is fresh and clean, and change it as necessary. It is often beneficial to have a spare water bowl for such occasions, so that one may be used while the other is being cleaned.

Accessories
The one cage accessory that is essential to a happy leopard gecko is a good hide box…maybe even a couple of them. These are nocturnal, somewhat secretive lizards that appreciate & utilize a hide spot. Provide one on each end of your gecko’s enclosure so that it doesn’t have to choose between temperature & security. Clay flowerpots, plastic flowerpot trays, and commercially available hide boxes all work quite well. Leopard geckos will climb under and through many accessories placed in their enclosure. Cork bark slabs make attractive hiding spots & your geckos will probably use them if present. Leopard geckos are an excellent candidate for a “naturalistic” vivarium, as they do not have a reputation for “trashing” their enclosures as some heavier-bodied lizards may do.

Feeding
Leopard geckos are carnivorous and thrive on a diet of crickets and mealworms. Consider your gecko’s size when choosing prey items – young leopard geckos should be fed small crickets and mealworms, moving up to adult crickets/mealworms as your gecko matures. Start your young leopards on a feeding regimen of every other day, and offer them as many insects as they will eat in one sitting. Crickets can be introduced to roam throughout the gecko’s enclosure, while mealworms may be offered in a shallow dish that allows the lizard to locate and capture them easily. Remove any uneaten food items within a few hours of feeding.

Supplementation

Leopard geckos require calcium & vitamin supplementation throughout their lives. Younger geckos should be supplemented every feeding, while older leopard geckos require supplementation only on every second or third feeding. To “dust” prey items prior to feeding, shake a small quantity of calcium & vitamin supplement into a plastic bag. Add prey items and “shake & bake” them by gently jostling the bag until all insects are covered in a layer of calcium/vitamin dust, then feed them to your geckos. For older geckos, you may also leave a shallow dish of calcium/vitamin supplement available within the enclosure, as the geckos will utilize and ingest the supplement of their own accord.

Note: When offering live prey items to your geckos, it is extremely beneficial to “gut load” the feeder insects for 24-48 hours prior to feeding them off. Give your feeder insects a mixture of fruits and vegetables dusted with calcium powder, or offer them any of the commercially available “gut load” diets specifically designed for feeders. Ensuring that your crickets and mealworms are gutloaded will help provide a balanced diet for your leopard geckos.

Other Prey Items

Adult leopard geckos may be offered wax worms and small pinky mice upon occasion. Both contain higher amounts of fat & protein than are necessary in a standard leopard gecko diet, so use these items sparingly, or to provide an extra boost for breeding adults.

Maintenance
Spot-clean your leopard gecko’s enclosure as necessary. When feces/urates/uneaten prey items are present, remove them as soon as possible. Fortunately, leopard geckos make this task very easy by often choosing one corner of the enclosure in which to defecate – a “leopard gecko litterbox” of sorts. Once your geckos have established their “toilet area” of the cage, you can make your job even easier by lining the spot with paper towel or newspaper. Simply remove the soiled paper when necessary & replace it with clean paper. Clean & disinfect the water bowl on a weekly basis. Depending on cage conditions, remove all substrate & cage furniture and completely disinfect using a 5% bleach solution approximately every 30 days. Rinse the enclosure thoroughly and allow to dry before replacing cage furniture & your gecko(s).

Basic Reproductive Info
Leopard geckos reach sexual maturity around 18 months of age under optimal conditions. Mature males are easily sexed by the presence of hemipenal bulges as well as femoral pores. The pores will be obvious in a V-shaped formation right above the vent. Females will also exhibit these pores, but they are much less pronounced. Animals should be well established and in excellent condition before any breeding is attempted. Breeding may be induced by reducing daytime photoperiod to 8 hours and dropping nighttime temperatures to 70 degrees for approximately 4-6 weeks. Do not feed the geckos at this time. After the cooling period, slowly raise temperatures to normal levels over the course of several days. Mature male leopard geckos will typically breed with any receptive, available females several times throughout the course of the year. Breeding groups of one male & several females may be kept in the same enclosure as long as space is available to accommodate them all.

Gravid females are easy to spot – eggs are visible through the skin on the females belly, and typically two eggs will be present. Provide an egg-laying chamber similar to the humidity box, and place it on the warm side of the gecko’s enclosure. Check both the egg box & the humidity chamber daily for the presence of eggs, and monitor the humidity within both boxes. Once eggs are laid, they can be checked for fertility by “candling” with a small flashlight. Fertile eggs will give off a pinkish glow & a network of blood vessels will be visible within the egg. Incubate leopard gecko eggs in slightly-moist vermiculite for approximately 60 – 70 days. As the gender leopard geckos is temperature-dependent, incubation temperatures in the low 80’s should yield mostly female babies; at 88 – 90 degrees the resulting offspring will be mostly male.

Leopard geckos are considered very easy to breed and are an excellent starter project for the beginning herpetoculturist.

Notes/Comments
Leopard geckos are a mainstay of the herp hobby. Their bright colors, docile nature and simple husbandry requirements make them an attractive candidate for the beginning & advanced herper alike. As these lizards are bred more and more in captivity, a variety of color and pattern morphs are available in a broad price range, making it very easy for anyone to acquire and enjoy these reptilian gems!