Childrens python?

Question

I have been into snakes for yrs now but still have not yet got one as a pet i have owned beardis and other types of lizards. I am looking at a childrens python due to the ease of looking after but what would be the best size indoors cage and heating for them i have been doing a lot of reaserch for the last 6 months but still am in need of assistence

I would like some name ideas to please

Answer 1

Children's Pythons
Contributed by Angie Stidham, Capital University

Basic Facts

Children's Pythons are the second smallest python in the world (second to the Ant Hill Python). Named for naturalist John Children, they are native to Northwestern Australia. Their average adult length is 3 feet. When they are young, Chidren's Pythons are generally reddish-brown with dark brown patches or spots. As they age, these patterns fade resulting in a mostly dark brown to black snake with many older snakes showing no pattern at all. They may be found listed under the name Liasis childreni or Antaresia childreni. In most recent literature, they are grouped within the genus Liasis. Children's Pythons are closely related to and strongly resemble Spotted Pythons, Antaresia maculosa and the Blotched Python, Antaresia stimsoni. In many cases, captive Chidren's Pythons and Spotted Pythons have been misidentified and are sold under the wrong name. This makes it difficult to determine whether or not offspring are pure crosses. In the wild, these pythons are known to eat birds, lizards, and occasionally hang from the mouths of caves in order to catch bats in flight.

Recommended Enclosures


Fig. 1 - The Spotted Python, a close relative of the Children's Python.
Due to their compact size and docile nature, Children's Pythons do not require large enclosures. A single adult python may be housed comfortably in a 10-gal aquarium, but I always encourage a slightly larger cage than necessary to make room for climbing and moving in general. These snakes can climb well and adding a couple of climbing branches to any enclosure is a good idea. Also make sure the snake has room to stretch out within the enclosure. Sedentary snakes, especially those that do not take large enough food items, may be prone to bowel impactions and cloacal infections. This doesn't mean your snake should be moving constantly. This means that the enclosure should be large enough not to impede the movement of the snake. For substrate, I use smooth, non-painted aquarium gravel. You may also use newspaper or reptile bark. Also provide a hiding space large enough for your snake to fit completely under. They use this space for hiding from stressful surroundings and also as a retreat from heat lamps. A water bowl large enough for the entire snake to fit into is also necessary not only as a drinking water source but also to aid shedding and increase humidity. A secure latching or locking cage lid is necessary. I prefer the fitted screened enclosure lids where the wire is plastic-coated.

Lighting and Heating

A heat lamp with a simple 75-watt bulb can be sat on top of the lid (as long as the lid is heat resistant - metal frames are best). It is not necessary to use a broad-spectrum bulb but they can be used in place of an incandescent. If necessary at night, a blue or black reptile 'night' light can be used to supplement heat. The temperature of the enclosure should be between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and about 10 degrees less at night. There are a variety of different cage thermometers available and regulating and monitoring the temperature in any enclosure is a good idea. Children's Pythons come from a fairly humid climate and require a high humidity to shed properly. It is recommended that you mist the enclosure with warm water occasionally in between sheds.

Feeding


Fig. 2 - The Spotted Python.
Due to their size, Children's Pythons take fairly small food items. They tend to grow in length faster than they grow in girth, so it can be hard to determine when and what to feed. A good rule of thumb is to offer no food item that is larger than the largest part of the snake. Items that are too large will cause the snake to regurgitate the food. Hatchlings or juveniles under one foot in length may be fed pink mice (pinkies) or fuzzy mice (young mice whose eyes are not yet open) on a one per week schedule. Many hatchlings can be picky eaters and may refuse to eat at first. If a hatchling refuses a live pinkie, offer it freshly killed. If this is refused, offer frozen/thawed. If this is refused it may be necessary to scent the food item using a live lizard or to expose the tissue and blood of the mouse prior to offering it. Force-feeding should be done only as a last resort. Using force-feeding to start any snake feeding stresses the animal and can cause them to become afraid of food items, resulting in a lifetime of force-feeding. Adult pythons, from 2-3 feet can be fed small to medium sized mice. They may take 2-3 at a time and should feed once every 3-4 weeks. My preference is freshly killed mice, but if you don't like the idea of killing the mice yourself, frozen/thawed works just as well. I do not promote live feeding since many captive snakes do not correlate live animals with food and may kill the mouse but not know to eat it. Others may not kill the prey at all and not eat, and in some of the worst cases I've seen, the mouse has bitten the snake causing sever infection.

personally i would go with something around the size of a 20-30 gallon long tank but if you visit www.lllreptile.com they sell plastic cages that handle heat better so you wont be going craze trying to heat a fish tank.......also has sliding lockable glass doors

Answer 2

Childrens Pythons are great snakes. Whoever said ball pythons stay smaller is wrong, as childrens top at between 4 and 5 feet, and are a slimmer python. I used to keep mine on cypress mulch, with an undertank heater and heat lamp at one end in a 20 gallon long aquarium. Make sure you use locks for the lid. A 20 gallon should be fine for the first couple years, then you may have to bump up to something a little bigger, maybe a 40 gallon. I bred mine, and they were just awesome snakes to work with, and I never had any problems with feeding or biting or anything. If you can find it, there is a very good article on childrens pythons in the Reptiles USA magazine from last year. If this will be your first snake, I highly recommend it, you have made a good choice. As for names, I am no good, I give all of my snakes numbers because I have too many now. Good luck, and remember snakes are like potato chips: you can't have just one!

Answer 3

I love my childrens python. Right now hes in a 10 gallon since hes still a baby but i plan on moving him upto a 20 gallon long. For substrate i use coconut fiber and he has 2 hides aswell as a decent size waterdish. I use an undertank heat pad and the temp is 85 degrees on that end of the cage. It was easy getting him to eat prekilled mice.

Answer 4

All are good ideas for a beginner snake good with kids. But I would have to say the ball python, since i have one. Jade is great. She is about 10 yrs old and just over 5 feet long. She doesn't bite, she doesn't wrap around your throat, she is very curious and extremely active. My neice has one too. Eve. I had a milk snake named Zoe. Jade lives in a 55 gallon comfortably. A heat pad on one side under a cave big enough to hide her. Another on the other side w/out the heat pad for a cool side. Adog water bowl big enough for her to coil in the middle. A heat lamp on one side to keep up temp in the day, and another nite lite for the nite. They don't need a basking spot because they are nocturnal and never bask to begin with.

Answer 5

Childrens and Spotted pythons are great. Highly underrated snakes. Go with a 20 gallon long minimum for an adult, preferably a 30 gallon or something... I prefer spotted pythons... they keep their pattern better into adulthood... Good luck!

Answer 6

They are pretty much exactly the same in temperament and size. The general rule is female pythons get a bit larger than the males, but I know many people who have larger males than females - it all comes down to the individual snake really. Hope this helps.

Answer 7

A ball python is the smallest kind of python(aka Royal Python). They can get from 3-6 feet. The females are bigger than the males. They are called ball pythons because they coil up into a ball when threatened or scared. Get a fish aquarium and a standard heating pad, I heard some people use people heating pads for their snakes. 20 gallon for a baby and 30 -35 gallon for an adult, which is when they are about 3.

Answer 8

get a ball python for a first time pet childrens can be real nippy and a handful to care for

and i would suggest starting with a 20 gallon tank and after it is bigger then diagnol corner to corner get a 30 - 40 gallon breeder tank you dont want a tall tank since ball pythons are more of a ground dweller then a tree dweller and with the breeder tank youll be able to house it in there for its whole life they are longer and wider then they are tall so you'll have better luck with that

Answer 9

ball python are not the smallest python. childerens are good snakes and so are spotteds i have seen alot of nice ones of both. like someone said they are under rated

Answer 10

We have a ball python, and I agree with the above answer. Ours is in a 29 gallon (tall) aquarium, and he is 24 inches long.

Some breeders recommend a smaller tank to start, because too much space "intimidates" them. Zues is happy as can be, though, and has plenty of places to hide and climb.