RETICULATED PYTHON

Care Difficulty:

Considering the size they get to, this python is not recommended for begginers and a large room-type enclosure is needed. Wild caught specimens exceeding 2m (7Ft) must be handled by 2 or more persons to avoid constriction and any injuries caused by the python. Captive bred specimens that is handled well will become docile and even tempered. However caution must be advised for the size of python.

A snake with a huge size potential, and an undeserved bad reputation. Some specimensmay behave more aggressively than othert boids. Retics have an a strong feeding response and wild caughts are terrified which has given them a reputation as being nasty . Wild caught and unhandled snakes may be difficult to handle and will bite to escape.Captive born retics are often friendly and grow to be wonderful beast. More alert than many other boids. If raised properly in captivity and handled frequently they can be excellent animals. Avoid large wild caught snakes, they are typically aggressive and may never establish themselves as suitable pets. Initially an animal may be apt to bite(use gloves) due to fear but with handling, trust must be established and biting should cease. Typically, as an animal grows larger (12'+) in captivity it will slow down and become more personable.

Size:

Most individuals get no longer than 5 or 6 meters (18Ft average), specimens in excess of 10 meters (33Ft) has been reliably reported. May live 25+ years in captivity.

Description:

The colour is light to dark brown with a reticulated pattern on black on the back of the snake. (hence the name of the snake). The flanks are marked with a double row of diamond or triangular white patches. In the pet trade there are many colour morphs being bred such as albino, Super Tiger ect. The patterns are more or less the same design on the snake.

Range:

Reticulated pythons are found in tropical rainforests in South East Asia near main bodies of water for easy access. Ranges throughout Thailand, Indonesia to the Philippine Islands.

Used extensively for the skin and meat trade. Animals also fall victim to the Asian ritual of blood drinking and gall bladder removal. When encountered in its natural state by humans it is killed.

 Breeding:

Sexual maturity reached in the first 2 - 4 years. Males breed at 7 - 9' (2.7 meters) and females 11'+ (4 meters) . Breeding season in captivity: September - March. Stop all feeding at this time. Animals should have excellent weight and be established before any breeding is attempted. Breeding may be induced by reducing daytime photo periods to 8 - 10 hours and dropping nighttime temperatures into the mid 70's (24 C). Introduce the female into the males cage, never house two adult males together the injuries can be horrific.Careful when handling males in breeding season. Misting the animals with water may be beneficial. Lays 25 - 80+ eggs, maternally incubates. Incubation temperature 88 - 90F(optimal 34C ), 80-90 days to hatch. Infrequently bred in captivity however, Yellow Head, Calico, Albino, Tiger, Super Tiger, Jaguar and island forms are available mostly over seas and not in South Africa.

Diet:

These pythons feed on rats and mice to start with then in a few months they progress to eating larger rats and rabbits at the end of the year. They are extreemgly fast growers and thus adequite feeding is needed. With every second feed inject the dead prey with calcium and vitamin suppliments to ensure optimal health.

Other prey items may include poultry and any small to medium size mamle. There have been a few cases recorded of these snakes tacking humans as prey items but these cases are mostly from the country of origin and very few in captivity. They are aggressive eaters very much the same as Burmese Pythons, caution must be tacken when feeding these animals.

Temperature & Humidity:

Keep these pythons with a gradient that runs from the upper 70's/low 80's to a high of 95 or 100 F. The humidity should be high. To produce high humidity just place a water bowl directly under the heating lamps or on top of heating pads.

Housing:

Caging: Includes Wooden Reptile Enclosures , aquariums, plastic boxes and custom built vivariums. Cages must be escape proof, easy to disinfect, free of sharp edges, ventilated, and hold heat to ensure proper temperatures. Avoid unfinished wood and porous surfaces when designing custom cages; these surfaces are difficult to clean and disinfect.

Heating:

Variable setting under cage heating pads(used for people, never rest weight of cage on pad), thermostatically controlled lights and/or under cage heat strips, and hot rocks. Don't use a small hot rock for an animal that is proportionately larger; burns often result if the animal is forced to rest on this type of heat source. A heat source should warm 1/3 to 1/2 of the cage with a basking floor temperature of 88 - 92F (30 C to around 34 C). Use a thermometer! The unheated area should never drop below 73F (20 C). It may be necessary when using aquariums to cover part of the lid with plastic to maintain ideal temperatures. It is essential to allow the animal an area that provides an optimal basking temperature and a cooler area (provides a heat gradient) so that the snake can thermoregulate. Caution should be used when using lamps. If the heat is extreme it may dry out the animal, and create health problems, kill or burn the animal. It is better to heat with an under cage heater and a lamp. Red lights are ideal for heating and don't disrupt the photoperiod.

Furnishing:

A water dish large enough to allow the animal to soak and located near the heat source. Always provide clean water, disinfect bowl weekly. A hide box or shelter in the heated end of the cage provides security. A hide box may also be provided in the cooler area; always locate at least one in the heated end so the animal does not have to choose between security( hide box) and heat. Disenfect (bleach & rinse) branches and rocks since they may harbor ecto parasites.

Substrates:

Newspaper, paper towels, paper bags, or artificial grass are safe and inexpensive. Gravel, sand, mulch and shaving may cause health problems such as intestinal blockage, skin lesions and mouth rot. Cedar is deadly to reptiles! Bark chips are also ideal to use and makes the cage look more natuaral.

Cleaning:

A solution of water, detergent and 5% household bleach is safe and disinfects, rinse surfaces thoroughly with clean water. Alternatively you can buy the Repti-Med Steri clean to safely kill all known diseases ect.

Light:

12 hours on, 12 hours off, incandescent or fluorescent. Never leave visible lights on continuosly, this causes stress. use of Repti-Glo 5.0 tubes is needed and Night-Glo lamps over the water to increase humidity. Protect these lights from the python at all times.

Other Notes:

Always support the snake's body; avoid fast movements. Do not treat the snake as a toy. Avoid techniques which restricts a snake's movement. Avoid public situations which draw attention to the animal since this is stressful to the animal and possibly your audience. A nervous snake may occasionally bite; if biting occurs and is a problem, wear gloves. The handler must convince the snake that it is safe, trust must be learned. Snakes bite for two reasons: they have mistaken you as food or they are in fear for their safety. Snakes do not bite because they are mean. Do not handle the snake once eaten as this may cause regurgitation and a bad tempered snake.

 Pet Suitability:

Captive bred Reticulated pythons can make moderate pets while they are young, however impossible for a single person to handle once they reach lengths of 3 m or more. Considering the size these snakes can reach, this snake is only for advance hobbyists who has plenty of room to house them and a fairly large pocket to pay for the feeding. First time snake owners must rather consider a Ball Python or a Carpet Python as these are far easier to care for.