Royal python facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Royal python |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Python
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| Species: |
regius
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| Distribution map of ball python | |
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The ball python (Python regius), also known as the royal python, is a type of python snake. It lives in West and Central Africa, in places like grasslands and open forests. This snake is nonvenomous, meaning it's not poisonous. It's also a constrictor, which means it squeezes its prey.
The ball python is the smallest python in Africa. It can grow up to about 182 cm (72 in) (6 feet) long. Its name comes from how it curls into a tight ball when it feels scared or stressed.
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What Does a Ball Python Look Like?
Ball pythons usually have dark brown or black bodies with light brown patches. Some can even be albino, which means they are white. Their bellies are white or cream-colored with black spots.
These snakes are quite thick-bodied. They have a small head and smooth scales. Adult ball pythons can reach about 182 cm (6 ft 0 in) (6 feet) in length. Females are usually a bit longer and heavier than males.
Both male and female ball pythons have small pelvic spurs near their tail. Males use these spurs to hold onto females during mating. Male snakes usually have larger spurs.
Where Do Ball Pythons Live?
Ball pythons are found in west Sub Saharan Africa. Their home stretches from Senegal all the way to Sudan and Uganda.
They like to live in grassy areas, savannas, and forests that aren't too dense.
How Ball Pythons Behave
Ball pythons are mostly active at night, or during dawn and dusk. This is called being nocturnal or crepuscular.
When these snakes feel threatened, they coil into a tight ball. They tuck their head and neck safely inside. This defense trick is why they are often easy for people to handle. It also makes them popular pets.
In the wild, ball pythons often hide in animal burrows or other underground spots. They might even rest there during very hot or dry times. Male pythons sometimes climb trees, while females usually stay on the ground.
What Do Ball Pythons Eat?
Wild ball pythons mostly eat small mammals and birds. Young pythons, less than 70 cm (28 in) long, prefer to eat small birds. Older pythons, longer than 100 cm (39 in), mostly hunt small mammals.
Male ball pythons tend to eat more birds, while females eat more mammals. Rodents are a big part of their diet. They eat animals like Gambian pouched rats, black rats, and different kinds of striped grass mice.
Ball Python Reproduction and Life Cycle
Female ball pythons lay eggs. They usually lay between three and 11 large, leathery eggs. The eggs hatch after about 55 to 60 days.
Young male pythons can start breeding when they are 11 to 18 months old. Females are ready to breed between 20 and 36 months old. A snake's weight is also important for breeding. Males usually need to weigh at least 600 g (21 oz). Females in the wild can breed at 800 g (28 oz), but in captivity, breeders often wait until they are at least 1,500 g (53 oz).
Once the eggs hatch, the mother snake leaves her babies. The young snakes then have to find food and take care of themselves.
Why Ball Pythons Need Our Help
The ball python is listed as "Near Threatened" by the IUCN Red List. This means their numbers are decreasing in many parts of West Africa.
One of the biggest dangers to ball pythons is being caught from the wild. Many are taken for the international pet trade. They are also hunted for their skin, meat, and for use in traditional medicines. Their homes are also disappearing because of farming and the use of pesticides.
In some areas, hunters catch pregnant female snakes and their eggs. They then sell them to snake farms. For example, in 2019, hunters in Togo collected thousands of live ball pythons and their eggs.
Ball Pythons as Pets
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Ball pythons are very popular pets. They are the most popular pet snake and the second most popular pet reptile, after the bearded dragon. Even though many ball pythons are bred in captivity, catching them from the wild still harms their natural populations.
Wild-caught snakes often have a harder time getting used to living with humans. They might refuse to eat and can have parasites. However, ball pythons can live very well as pets. With good care, they can live for 15 to 30 years. The oldest ball python ever recorded in captivity lived for 62 years!
Breeding Special Ball Pythons
People who breed ball pythons often create snakes with unique patterns. These patterns are called "morphs" and don't usually happen in the wild. Breeders are always making new morphs, and there are over 7,500 different ones today!
Most morphs are just for looks and don't harm the snake. However, one morph called "spider" has been linked to a brain problem. This problem can cause head tremors and make the snake wobbly. Because of this, some groups, like the International Herpetological Society, have stopped allowing the sale of "spider" morphs at their events.
Ball Pythons in Culture
The Igbo people in southeastern Nigeria respect the ball python a lot. They see it as a symbol of the earth because it moves so close to the ground. Even Christian Igbos are very careful with ball pythons. If they find one, they let it go or gently move it to a forest. If a ball python is accidentally killed, some Igbo communities even hold a small funeral for it.
In northwestern Ghana, people have a special rule about pythons. They believe a python once saved them from their enemies by turning into a log so they could cross a river. Because of this story, they do not hurt or eat pythons.
