Ball python
| Ball Python | |
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| A Pastel Ball Python | |
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| Species: | P. regius
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| Binomial name | |
| Python regius | |
The Ball python (Python regius), also known as the Royal python, is a ground dwelling, nonvenomous snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominantly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin. The name Ball derives from its tendency, that when stressed, to curl into a tight "ball" with their heads hidden inside, often for long periods of time.[1] The name Royal (from the regius in the Latin name) comes, in part, from Cleopatra who supposedly wore them around her wrists.[2]
They are typically light brown-green and black in color, with a tan-yellow underbelly. However, Ball pythons come in many morphs, which are genetic mutations that alter the colors and patterns of the scales.[3] Adults can range from 3 to over 6 feet in length, with the average female reaching 3 to 5 feet and the average male reaching 2 to 3 feet. A mature female will commonly grow distinctly larger than the male.
Ball pythons reach sexual maturity from 18 months to 4 years, and live more than 20-40 years, with the oldest recorded Royal Python reached 48 years of age in captivity.[4][5]
In captivity
Due to their manageable size in comparison with other pythons and extremely docile temperaments, captive bred Ball pythons have become very popular as pets.[6] Wild-caught Ball pythons have greater difficulty adapting to captive environments, which can result in difficult feeding and parasitic infection. Captive bred pythons are the safest to keep as pets. Their diet can be pinky rats or small hopper mice when they are babies, up to large rats when they are full grown. [4][6]
Gender determination
Pythons and Boas, including Ball pythons, have anal spurs, appearing on each side of the vent. These spurs are important for the mating process, aiding the snakes in clasping onto their mate. The spurs on males are generally longer than those on females.[7]
Two primary ways to properly determine the gender of a Ball python are "probing" and "popping". When probing, a lubricated, metal rod is inserted into the snake's cloaca towards the tail. If the snake is male, the rod will pass into the inverted hemipenes which will allow the probe to pass deeper than a female of similar size. A safer method for sexing a ball python is the popping method. The snake is held inverted with one hand, with gentle finger pressure just in front of the cloaca. The thumb from the opposite hand is then placed behind the cloaca and rolled towards the head. In males, this will result in the hemipenes to evert.[8]
References
- ^ http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules.php?name=Sections&op=viewarticle&id=59
- ^ http://www.tetra-fish.com/fauna/ballpython.aspx
- ^ http://www.grazianireptiles.com/mutations.htm
- ^ a b http://www.newenglandreptile.com/CareBall.html
- ^ http://www.alaskazoo.org/reptilehome.htm
- ^ a b http://groups.msn.com/BallPythons/ballpythons2.msnw
- ^ http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=17&cat=1831&articleid=2422
- ^ http://www.pythons.com/probing.html