Aspidites ramsayi (woma python)

Origin: Western and central Australia.
Length: up to 1.5 to 2.0 meters
Age: around 25 years old

The dorsal scales are small and smooth with 50-65 rows of midbody. The abdominal scales are 280-315 in number, with an undivided anal plate and 40-45 mostly single subcaudal. Some of the posterior subcaudals can be distributed irregularly.

The color can be light brown to almost black. The pattern consists of a ground color that ranges from medium brown and olive to lighter shades of orange, pink and red, covered with dark striped or brindle markings. The belly is cream or pale yellow with brown and pink spots. The scales around the eyes are usually a darker color than the rest of the head.

Care
Experience: Novice snake holder
Food: Live or dead prey.
Feeding adult: Every 10 to 20 days
Feeding young: Every 5 to 7 days
Water bowl: Yes
Change water: 3 times a week

Nutrition
Usually feeds on ground rodents such as mice, chicks and rats.
You can offer these prey animals alive or dead. Although it is more practical to accustom them to dead prey. It sometimes happens that the food animal injures your snake. If you go for live food, you will have to stay with it while feeding your snake, because most prey animals can also injure the snake. In addition, run the hose out of the housing and with food tongs to avoid unnecessary injuries. If they are kept together, it is wise to take them apart during feeding. It sometimes happens that the snakes grab the same prey or grab each other and this can lead to unnecessary injuries..

Cleaning
The accommodation must be kept clean to prevent diseases and bacteria accumulation. This can be done by doing this weekly, it is also wise to thoroughly clean and disinfect the accommodation a few times a year. This prevents the build-up of bacteria. When cleaning, make sure you also clean the climbing branches and elevations.

Handling
Like many other snakes, they can be defensive. This ensures that they are not always easy to handle. To avoid unnecessary wounds, a hose hook must therefore be used. Only handle them with your hands if you know that the snake is used to people. Always be calm during handling, this minimizes stress on the hose. Finally, there are a few things to pay attention to. The hose cannot be handled in the dark and immediately after shedding. At such a moment, handling is extra stressful on the animal.

Housing
Minimum size of stay for 1 hose: 150x50x50
Lying surface: They need a fairly spacious lying surface since womas are bottom crawlers, so spend a lot of time on the ground. But they can also climb, so climbing branches and a higher lying board is recommended.
Daytime temperature: 26 to 32 degrees.
Night temperature: 24 degrees
Hours of light: 12 hours
Humidity: 40-50%.
Ground cover: Newspapers, bark, peat, sand or peat litter

Design
When decorating, pay attention to a large ground surface where the animal can lie. For the climbing possibilities, a raised lying board and several climbing branches. Also try hiding places with fake plants, or creating caves on the ground.

Behavior:
This species is mostly nocturnal. During the day, this snake can be found shuffling in hollow tree trunks or under leaves. When traveling in hot sand or other surfaces, his body lifts off the ground and far ahead before depositing the ground again, with only a few inches touching his body at the same time.
Hunting method: Strangling snake.
Lifestyle: Active day and night
Character
More active than many other pythons, but also an "easy to handle" snake, it is one of the strongest python species to keep in captivity. Almost always accept food, and is therefore a popular snake species in the hobby.

Cost and Purchase
Legislation: Cites B transfer required with purchase.
One-off costs: This includes the costs for accommodation, lighting, heating, water bowl and decoration. Together, this can cost a few hundred euros to a few thousand euros. The final amount depends on the quality and size of the products.
Fixed costs: Fixed costs include the costs for the feed, which is a few tens of euros per year.
Unexpected costs: Costs have been incurred if your hose accidentally falls ill or your equipment breaks.