Python Regius (king Python)

Origin: West Africa
Length: up to 1 to 1.2 meters
Lifespan: up to 25 years
The body is thick, muscular, and massive. The head is relatively large, flattened, and pear-shaped, with a clear transition visible to the narrower neck. The color is dark brown to black with yellowish-brown spots. Within these spots, smaller specks are usually present with the same color as the base color. Often, there is a lighter edge surrounding the spots.

Care
Experience: Beginner snake keeper
Food: Live or dead prey animals. The primary prey animals given are mice and rats.

Feeding adults: every 14 days
Feeding young: Every 7 days
Water bowl: Yes
Water change: Once a week
Feeding
There is a choice to offer the prey animals live or dead. It is recommended to offer dead food. This is more practical and prevents the prey animal from injuring your snake. It is also advised to offer the prey animal using feeding tongs and to feed your snake outside the enclosure. This ensures that your hand is not associated with food and prevents your snake from grabbing your hand during feeding. If you do choose to use live food, you must supervise the feeding process, as the prey animal can also injure the snake. If you keep multiple pythons together, feed them separately, as the snakes may injure each other during feeding. The ideal prey animal is approximately as wide as the widest part of the snake.

Water
The ball python needs a medium-sized water bowl; this is not because they lie in it, but because they drink a lot of water at once. Change the water when it runs out or becomes dirty.

Cleaning
Cleaning should be done on average once a week, especially in the days following feeding; the more you feed, the more often you need to clean. Therefore, you will clean more frequently with young animals than with adult animals. The best advice is to remove feces as soon as you see them. Handling

To feed the ball python and clean the enclosure, you will need to handle the snake. When handling your snake, use a snake hook or lift it with two hands. Do not hang your snake around your neck; this is because if the snake falls, it will constrict around your neck. There are some important things to keep in mind when handling a python. First, ensure that your snake realizes you are going to handle it and move calmly when handling it. Also, ensure that your hands are washed and do not smell of food. Finally: do not handle your snake when it is shedding, and do not handle it if the animal has just eaten or within 3 days. Housing
Minimum enclosure size for 1 snake: 100x40x50
Lying area: 0.5 m²
Daytime temperature on the warm side: 31-33°C
Daytime temperature on the cooler side: 24-27°C
Nighttime temperature: 23-26°C
Hours of light: 12 hours
Humidity: 50%-60%
Substrate: Bark chips, beech chips, or humus
The ball python is a true ground dweller and you will not often see it climbing. For this reason, unlike many other constrictor snakes, it does not require climbing opportunities. However, they do appreciate plenty of hiding places. This can be provided by using a flowerpot, a piece of wood, or dried leaves.

Unlike many other snakes, the ball python cannot regulate its temperature by moving higher or lower in the enclosure. For this reason, the python requires a warm and a cool spot in the enclosure. The warm spot should be between 30-33°C and the cool spot between 24-27°C. This difference can be created by using a heat spot or a heating mat.

Behavior
Hunting method: Constrictor.
Lifestyle: Terrestrial & nocturnal
Character
Calm character. The more the animal becomes accustomed to human contact.
Points of attention
It is recommended to accustom the ball python to handling and to humans from a young age. If this is not done, they may develop a defensive temperament.

Costs and Purchase
Legislation: The ball python falls under CITES II; to own this snake, you need CITES or transfer papers. You should receive these upon purchase.

One-time costs: These include the costs for the enclosure, lighting, heating, water bowl, and decoration. This can cost anywhere from a few hundred euros to a few thousand euros in total. The final amount depends on the quality and size of the products. Fixed costs: Fixed costs include the cost of food, which amounts to a few tens of euros per year.

Unexpected costs: Costs are incurred if your snake happens to get sick or your equipment breaks down.