Caring for Royal Pythons
Royal Pythons eat rodents in the wild. Occasionally they would eat birds eggs or lizards. In captivity they should be fed captive bred rodents only. These will provide all the nutrients your royal needs, they do not require any supplements. Wild rodents should be avoided as they can transfer parasites to your snake. Hatchling royals will eat one rat pink once or twice a week. They will often accept more, but intense feeding is not beneficial and the snake could get overweight or grow too fast. Snakes that have been fed to reach breeding weight too quickly generally have a lower life expectancy. A rule of thumb regarding the size you feed is that the "lump" from the prey item should be visible for 12 to 24 hours after feeding. If it is not visible during this time, you may need to move up to the next size rodent. If the "lump" is still visible after this time, it might be advisable to reduce the size of the prey. This rule doesn't really apply to large adults, where the lump is barely visible with prey size. Adults usually get fed every 10 days or so, with a medium rat or other appropriately sized rodent. Some royals will prefer either mice or rats and won’t accept both. Adult royals who only seem to take mice will probably need more than one per feed as even a jumbo adult mouse is not large enough for an adult royal. Prey items that are too large can result in regurgitation as the prey decomposes before it can be digested. This can be quite serious and it’s best to do a lot of research to get advice if you experience one. After regurgitation do not attempt a feed for 10 days, and attempt a smaller prey item next time. Also find the cause of the regurgitation so it doesn't happen again (likely to be prey size, stress or temperature). I advise feeding f/t (frozen & thawed) by defrosting the prey in warm water until it is thoroughly thawed before offering. Don't feed in the snake's housing. Not only is there a risk of the snake ingesting loose substrate, it may associate the tank being opened and your hand with food. Place the snake in a feeding box (a simple cardboard box will do if you can watch to make sure it doesn't escape) The feeding box is usually smaller than the tank. Dangle your prey item in with a pair of tongs and wait for the snake to strike at it. It may grab the prey and constrict it, before eating. Some snakes do not like to be watched, will not strike or constrict, and some will only accept warm prey. Some snakes need left overnight in a feeding box with their prey (usually young hatchling snakes)
Royals are well known to be fussy eaters. They will sometimes fast for months at a time for no apparent reason. There is a lot of advice online about fussy eaters; with young snakes I find tease feeding to be very efficient or anole scenting. 'Braining' the prey or soaking in chicken broth are other suggestions. Adults can usually fast for up to 6 months without needing to worry too much but it is a good idea to keep a record of weight to make sure they aren’t losing too much weight.
Royals are well known to be fussy eaters. They will sometimes fast for months at a time for no apparent reason. There is a lot of advice online about fussy eaters; with young snakes I find tease feeding to be very efficient or anole scenting. 'Braining' the prey or soaking in chicken broth are other suggestions. Adults can usually fast for up to 6 months without needing to worry too much but it is a good idea to keep a record of weight to make sure they aren’t losing too much weight.
the ability of a royal to fit through impossibly small gaps or lift impossibly heavy lids! They are very strong. A vivarium can be anything from a plastic 'critter keeper' style tank, an all glass fish tank, storage box, or wooden sided vivarium. The glass fish tanks usually need a well ventilated lid added to them, which locks on to stop escapes. Wooden vivariums are usually wooden on 3 sides, and the front has sliding glass which you can buy locks for. The cheapest type of vivarium to go for is probably a storage box style, and the most expensive is the wooden.
Storage boxes usually aren't that big, easy to see through, ventilated or secure. If using a storage box try to find ones with clip on tops. Wooden vivariums are easy to get into and easy to see the snake through, as well as making an attractive addition to a room. In my experience I think it is definitely worth getting wooden vivarium as they are so much more attractive than other methods. Having a tank 12" x 8" is the minimum size for a hatchling or young royal up to 24" long. For adults a tank 36" x 24" I would say was an absolute minimum but a 48” vivarium is even better. Floor space is more important than height with royals as they generally don’t climb. The ideal you want to work towards in your set-up is to make it spacious, lots of plants and hides, secure and correct temperatures.
As for bedding, there are many options here too. Bedding is usually referred to as substrate with reptiles. Using paper-towels or newspaper is perfectly sufficient for your snake, and are very cheap & easily replaced. They are not very appealing to look at though. The substrate that I use with my royals is aspen. It absorbs some damp and odour, smells quite pleasant itself, is dust & toxin free and is reasonably cheap and easy to clean. However if you don’t have a humid hide you may want to use a substrate that holds humidity better than aspen, such as orchid bark. Loose substrates like aspen and bark can be cleaned simply by lifting any faeces and the substrate directly around it. The entire substrate only needs replaced every 3 months or so. Other loose substrates suitable for snakes include cyprus mulch, coconut shavings and hemp. Sand is not a suitable substrate for royals even though this is used in many unknowledgeable pet shops. Astroturf/reptile carpet is nice, but quite expensive & hard to clean. Other than bedding, there are a couple other vital things you need for a royal. A water dish, preferably large enough for the royal to soak in, is a must have. The water should be changed at least every other day. Water conditioners are available but tap water should be fine most of the time. Royal pythons will drink often but you might not actually see this. They also might soak in the water dish to cool down, or aid skin shedding. If your royal spends a lot of time in the water dish even when not due to shed it could be a sign of other problems such as mites, or a much too high temperature.
At least 2 hides should be provided. One on the warmer side and one on the cooler side of the tank (explained in heating section) A hide can be something simple like a cardboard box, or an upturned flower pot with a hole cut in it. As long as the hide is big enough to fit your royal, but small enough to provide security it doesn't matter to the snake what it looks like. If you would like something natural looking and attractive though there are many nice hides available. I use exo-terra’s ones as they are good and not too expensive. There should be no sharp edges on your hide and it should be disinfected. To disinfect things before I put them into the vivarium I soak them in a sink full of hot water with a small amount of bleach poured in (around 1-2 tablespoons) for 15 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly and allow to dry. Shop bought disinfectants are also available .Plants also look great in a vivarium. I would advise against real plants generally as they are less sterile, and take a lot of work. If you get a real plant make sure it is one that likes high temperatures, change all the soil to new compost, and then put a layer of disinfected gravel over the top soil. This should prevent bacteria growth. Remember to water it at least twice a week to keep it alive! False plants are easier to keep sterile and more flexible in where they can go. Other than plants; stones, driftwood & branches can be added to a vivarium. (Remember to disinfect first) All these decorations make it a more interesting and natural habitat for you and your royal, and provides shelter and climbing material which you help keep your royal python amused and exercised.
Storage boxes usually aren't that big, easy to see through, ventilated or secure. If using a storage box try to find ones with clip on tops. Wooden vivariums are easy to get into and easy to see the snake through, as well as making an attractive addition to a room. In my experience I think it is definitely worth getting wooden vivarium as they are so much more attractive than other methods. Having a tank 12" x 8" is the minimum size for a hatchling or young royal up to 24" long. For adults a tank 36" x 24" I would say was an absolute minimum but a 48” vivarium is even better. Floor space is more important than height with royals as they generally don’t climb. The ideal you want to work towards in your set-up is to make it spacious, lots of plants and hides, secure and correct temperatures.
As for bedding, there are many options here too. Bedding is usually referred to as substrate with reptiles. Using paper-towels or newspaper is perfectly sufficient for your snake, and are very cheap & easily replaced. They are not very appealing to look at though. The substrate that I use with my royals is aspen. It absorbs some damp and odour, smells quite pleasant itself, is dust & toxin free and is reasonably cheap and easy to clean. However if you don’t have a humid hide you may want to use a substrate that holds humidity better than aspen, such as orchid bark. Loose substrates like aspen and bark can be cleaned simply by lifting any faeces and the substrate directly around it. The entire substrate only needs replaced every 3 months or so. Other loose substrates suitable for snakes include cyprus mulch, coconut shavings and hemp. Sand is not a suitable substrate for royals even though this is used in many unknowledgeable pet shops. Astroturf/reptile carpet is nice, but quite expensive & hard to clean. Other than bedding, there are a couple other vital things you need for a royal. A water dish, preferably large enough for the royal to soak in, is a must have. The water should be changed at least every other day. Water conditioners are available but tap water should be fine most of the time. Royal pythons will drink often but you might not actually see this. They also might soak in the water dish to cool down, or aid skin shedding. If your royal spends a lot of time in the water dish even when not due to shed it could be a sign of other problems such as mites, or a much too high temperature.
At least 2 hides should be provided. One on the warmer side and one on the cooler side of the tank (explained in heating section) A hide can be something simple like a cardboard box, or an upturned flower pot with a hole cut in it. As long as the hide is big enough to fit your royal, but small enough to provide security it doesn't matter to the snake what it looks like. If you would like something natural looking and attractive though there are many nice hides available. I use exo-terra’s ones as they are good and not too expensive. There should be no sharp edges on your hide and it should be disinfected. To disinfect things before I put them into the vivarium I soak them in a sink full of hot water with a small amount of bleach poured in (around 1-2 tablespoons) for 15 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly and allow to dry. Shop bought disinfectants are also available .Plants also look great in a vivarium. I would advise against real plants generally as they are less sterile, and take a lot of work. If you get a real plant make sure it is one that likes high temperatures, change all the soil to new compost, and then put a layer of disinfected gravel over the top soil. This should prevent bacteria growth. Remember to water it at least twice a week to keep it alive! False plants are easier to keep sterile and more flexible in where they can go. Other than plants; stones, driftwood & branches can be added to a vivarium. (Remember to disinfect first) All these decorations make it a more interesting and natural habitat for you and your royal, and provides shelter and climbing material which you help keep your royal python amused and exercised.
Royal pythons require a temperature gradient in their housing to enable them to thermo-regulate. For royals both heat mats and ceramic bulbs are most commonly used. Personally I use heat mats, or UTH as they are often called. The heat mat can be placed underneath one end of the housing (if using plastic or glass tank) and inside on the bottom of one end if using a wooden vivarium. It should cover about 1/3 of the floor space. The heat mat should be connected to a thermostat. This will enable you to set a temperature for the heat mat and ensure it doesn’t get too hot. Usually heat mats not connected to a thermostat reach temperatures that could seriously affect, if not kill, your reptile. The thermostat probe should be placed on the bottom of the housing directly above the heat mat. Ceramic bulbs are also a good method of heating and have their advantages over heating mats. Like the mats they emit heat without light, but they are better at raising the ambient air temperature than mats are. Royals require a slightly higher ambient air temperature than some other snakes such as corns. As they get very hot on the surface they must have a lamp guard around them to prevent your snake from getting burnt. These, like the heating mats, should be connected to a thermostat and the probe should go below the bulb at the hottest point that your reptile could be sitting. A digital thermometer should be used at the same place the thermostat probe goes to double check the temperatures. The hot end of your housing should be in the range of 28-31 degrees Celsius. The cooler end and ambient air temperature should be in the range 22-25 degrees. Some people have special thermostats that turn down the heating at night; I find the natural drop in temperature is sufficient. Although they are cheap light bulbs should generally not be used for heating royals, or any other reptile in my opinion, because they cannot be connected to a thermostat thus it is very difficult to prevent them overheating. The light can also disturb your royal, especially if it the only source of heat and needs left on all night. Royal pythons do not need UV or artificial lighting, but their housing should be placed in a room with good natural light coming in through the day. I use fluorescent bulbs in my vivarium stacks as ‘viewing’ lights. They don’t get hot and are a nice way to light up the vivarium during the evenings. One method of heating that is not suitable is ‘hot rocks’ they should be avoided at all costs and are very dangerous to your snake! It is important you get the temperatures just right as too hot can lead to stress and burns, and too cold can lead to undigested food and loss of appetite.
How much you handle your snake is up to you. I try to handle mine at least once a week. (Do not handle after eating for 48 hours, or when about to shed.) Lift your snake gently, your hands approaching from the side and hold one hand about 1/3 down its body, and the other 2/3 down. Keep handling sessions short, 5 - 10 minutes is plenty. Nervous snakes cling onto furniture in the vivarium, stay balled up or even try to strike at you. Try to ignore this; it will only encourage these habits if you put the snake back every time he gets aggressive. On the rare chance your snake strikes at you, it is much more startling than sore. Gloves could always be worn if you are scared of being bitten of course. Handling snakes over a bed or sofa is a good idea; it is nice & soft if they fall.
Royal pythons should be provided with a humid hide, or moist box, to help with their shedding process. In the wild they would find micro environments of high humidity. I find for adults shop bought humid caves that will fit them in are hard to find! Zoo-Med’s 3 in 1 cave in size large is great, but very pricey. It will work out much cheaper to create your own out of a Tupperware tub for example. As long as it is something that holds humidity and is dark your royal should readily use it. Fill with damp moss or vermiculite and mist it regularly to keep it moist. How often a snake will shed its skin depends on many factors, mostly age. Hatchling royal pythons will shed every month or so, and some fully grown adults only shed a few times a year. About a week before a snake sheds it will go 'blue' where it will look dull coloured and have cloudy eyes. This 'blue' look clears after a few days and then within the next few days the snake will shed. Sometimes however a royal can take up to 3 weeks from going ‘blue’to when it actually sheds. Once the snake has shed check the shed skin to see if it is complete, looking especially for the tail tip and eye caps. If the shed is in many pieces try increasing humidity by misting tank with warm water when your snake is 'blue.' If there are bits of skin still stuck to your royal bathe them for 15 minutes in tepid water and then gently try to rub the skin off with a damp towel. Do not pull it or force it off. Shedding much more often than expected could be a sign of mites or skin conditions.
If there is anything else regarding caring for your royal python you would like to know please feel free to email me using the contact link :)
If there is anything else regarding caring for your royal python you would like to know please feel free to email me using the contact link :)
Royal pythons grow quite big (up to 2kg and 5 feet) so need quite a big enclosure as adults. However when smaller they will need an appropriately sized smaller enclosure so as not to feel lost and insecure. Whether you want to use a wooden vivarium, a plastic tub or a glass tank for housing your royal is entirely down to personal choice, and budget. The most important feature of your vivarium is that it is escape proof. Never underestimate