SPOTTED PYTHON CARE SHEET
Antaresia maculosa Care Sheet
INTRODUCTION
These petite little pythons are some of the smallest pythons that are kept in captivity. Spotted pythons are one of four members in the genus Anteresia, which are among the smallest genra of all python species worldwide. The other members include Stimson’s pythons, Pygmy or Antill pythons and Children’s pythons. Spotted pythons are non-venomous constrictors which originated in Australia and have quickly made their way into homes in the US for many reasons. They will only grow to approximately 4 feet and weigh a few pounds as adults. Their size is a major draw to many people looking to house a single snake or a pair. They can also grow to be very docile, beautiful pets. The spotted’s earthly hues and numerous spots are definitely another attractive quality.
CAGE REQUIREMENTS
Before bringing home your new pint-sized python, a proper set up is required to ensure they can settle in to their new home. The size of the enclosure needs to be proportional to the size of the snake. A hatchling spotted would feel most comfortable in a smaller enclosure and may be moved into a larger enclosure as it grows. Spotteds can be kept comfortably in either a rack system or a glass aquarium set up, whichever option you prefer can be perfectly suited for this python as long as you make sure the set-up is escape proof. Babies will feel most secure in a 10 gallon glass tank or a 6 qt tub (for use in a rack system). As they get larger, they should be moved into bigger enclosures to allow them a little bit more space. An adult spotted will feel most comfortable in a 20-30 gallon glass tank, or a 28-32 qt tub. If you wanted to keep a mature pair together, we would suggest going even larger to allow them more room. It is not suggested to keep multiple snakes together unless there are breeding intentions.
Spotted pythons are ectotherms, or cold-blooded, which means they cannot generate their own body heat and must rely on their environment to provide them with a gradient of temperatures. Providing the correct heat for a spotted python is extremely important for keeping your snake happy and healthy. If they are not provided with proper hot and cool areas, the snake may become sick. One end of the enclosure should be considered the hot side with a hot spot of approximately 85-90 F. This hot spot will help the python warm up and will aid in digestion after a filling meal. The cool end of the enclosure should be kept around 75-80F. Having a hot side and a cool side will allow the spotted to thermo-regulate its own body temperature by moving about the floor to where it feels comfortable. Many people using tanks will use a thermometer, found in many pet stores, which can be placed inside the tank to monitor the temperature. We personally use an infrared heat gun, which uses a point and shoot method to determine the temperature in one specific spot.
Temperature variations can be achieved by several different methods. Basking lights can be placed on top of a tank or a heat pad can be placed underneath a tank to heat up the cages temperature, these are the most common methods used in an aquarium. Light bulbs come in varying watts and colors to suit your needs. Spotted pythons do not need any UVB/UVA bulbs. Heat cable and heat tape are the two methods generally used in a rack system, but can also be used with an aquarium. Whichever method you use, it is crucial to purchase a high quality thermostat which will control the temps for you and will keep them within the perfect range for your snake. The thermostat will turn on when it reads that your temps have gotten too cool, and after warming the tank up to the perfect temperature it will safely turn the heat off which will assure that your snake will never over heat or get too cold. We will always use and swear by Spyder Robotics herpstat for our thermostat. They have worked excellently for us and are an extremely high quality thermostat that puts our minds at ease. We’ve tried many different brands, and at this point have given every non spyder robotics thermostat away. Spyder Robotics are the only thermostats we will even consider running in our reptile facilities.
The humidity within your spotteds tank is extremely important. Correct humidity will not only keep your snake happy but it will allow the snake to have a proper, healthy shed. Humidity should stay between 50-70%. Different elevations and places around the world will have drastically different levels of humidity. The easiest way to monitor your tanks levels are through the use of a hygrometer, which can be found online or at many retail pet stores. Raising the humidity can be achieved by placing a large water dish closer to the hot side, or misting the tank. Daily misting may not be necessary. Ventilation is important to take into consideration when measuring humidity. If you need to adjust the moisture level in the tank, increasing the amount of ventilation will decrease the humidity and vice versa.
A clean, fresh water bowl should be placed in the snakes enclosure. A heavy bowl is suggested so that the spotted python does not accidentally tip it over and spill all of the water. Spotteds can often be found enjoying a nice long soak in their bowl. Water should be changed every few days or should be changed immediately if it gets dirty. I would also recommend a bowl sturdy enough to make it through a high temperature dishwasher. The water bowl should be disinfected on a regular basis. If it cannot go through the dishwasher, or it is easier to hand clean it, simple soap and water will work wonders. Be sure to thoroughly rinse any cleaning solution out before replacing it with cool, fresh water for your snake.
There are many substrates available for you to use within your spotteds tank. Mulch and aspen are very popular. We personally use finely shredded aspen that we order from either Pet Food Direct or Pet360. Aspen is widely used because it has virtually no smell and is easy to spot clean, or completely replace. Pet stores carry a wide diversity of substrates in many different sizes. Newspapers, eco earth, coconut husk or liners have also been used in tanks and racks for years with great success. We do NOT recommend using any cedar or pine bedding with your snakes as it has been known to be toxic and can be extremely harmful!
Spotted pythons have been known to be a shy snake and would feel much more comfortable having a little place to seclude themselves in. They like having a dark, safe place to go to. Having a hide in a rack system is optional but it is necessary for a tank setup. They also have been known to burrow in their substrate, so having a few inches of substrate will allow them to do so. A hide will allow them to go to their safe place if they ever feel stressed out. If you have a large enclosure, we would recommend using multiple hides so your snake has a few different options. A hide on the hot side and cold side, will allow the snake to hide in comfort without having to choose being too hot or too cold if you only have one hide in the tank. If you would like to add some extra items to your tank, logs or branches can be used and you may often see your snake climbing on them.
Cleanliness is vitally important to your spotteds health. “Spot cleaning” any messes once a week is recommended, or immediately after you see your snake mess the cage. The tank, water bowl, and all extra hides/branches in the enclosure should be thoroughly cleaned at least once a month. Running the items (that fit) into a high temperature dish washer with soap is a great option to sterilize. Scrubbing with soap and thoroughly rinsing the items and tank have also worked tremendously for people. We use an F10 solution for cleaning our tubs in our rack system. F10 is a veterinary grade disinfectant that we order online from Reptile Basics. Cleaning the tank and items may vary with how busy and messy your snake is, but remember that a clean tank means a healthy snake!
Spotted pythons are ectotherms, or cold-blooded, which means they cannot generate their own body heat and must rely on their environment to provide them with a gradient of temperatures. Providing the correct heat for a spotted python is extremely important for keeping your snake happy and healthy. If they are not provided with proper hot and cool areas, the snake may become sick. One end of the enclosure should be considered the hot side with a hot spot of approximately 85-90 F. This hot spot will help the python warm up and will aid in digestion after a filling meal. The cool end of the enclosure should be kept around 75-80F. Having a hot side and a cool side will allow the spotted to thermo-regulate its own body temperature by moving about the floor to where it feels comfortable. Many people using tanks will use a thermometer, found in many pet stores, which can be placed inside the tank to monitor the temperature. We personally use an infrared heat gun, which uses a point and shoot method to determine the temperature in one specific spot.
Temperature variations can be achieved by several different methods. Basking lights can be placed on top of a tank or a heat pad can be placed underneath a tank to heat up the cages temperature, these are the most common methods used in an aquarium. Light bulbs come in varying watts and colors to suit your needs. Spotted pythons do not need any UVB/UVA bulbs. Heat cable and heat tape are the two methods generally used in a rack system, but can also be used with an aquarium. Whichever method you use, it is crucial to purchase a high quality thermostat which will control the temps for you and will keep them within the perfect range for your snake. The thermostat will turn on when it reads that your temps have gotten too cool, and after warming the tank up to the perfect temperature it will safely turn the heat off which will assure that your snake will never over heat or get too cold. We will always use and swear by Spyder Robotics herpstat for our thermostat. They have worked excellently for us and are an extremely high quality thermostat that puts our minds at ease. We’ve tried many different brands, and at this point have given every non spyder robotics thermostat away. Spyder Robotics are the only thermostats we will even consider running in our reptile facilities.
The humidity within your spotteds tank is extremely important. Correct humidity will not only keep your snake happy but it will allow the snake to have a proper, healthy shed. Humidity should stay between 50-70%. Different elevations and places around the world will have drastically different levels of humidity. The easiest way to monitor your tanks levels are through the use of a hygrometer, which can be found online or at many retail pet stores. Raising the humidity can be achieved by placing a large water dish closer to the hot side, or misting the tank. Daily misting may not be necessary. Ventilation is important to take into consideration when measuring humidity. If you need to adjust the moisture level in the tank, increasing the amount of ventilation will decrease the humidity and vice versa.
A clean, fresh water bowl should be placed in the snakes enclosure. A heavy bowl is suggested so that the spotted python does not accidentally tip it over and spill all of the water. Spotteds can often be found enjoying a nice long soak in their bowl. Water should be changed every few days or should be changed immediately if it gets dirty. I would also recommend a bowl sturdy enough to make it through a high temperature dishwasher. The water bowl should be disinfected on a regular basis. If it cannot go through the dishwasher, or it is easier to hand clean it, simple soap and water will work wonders. Be sure to thoroughly rinse any cleaning solution out before replacing it with cool, fresh water for your snake.
There are many substrates available for you to use within your spotteds tank. Mulch and aspen are very popular. We personally use finely shredded aspen that we order from either Pet Food Direct or Pet360. Aspen is widely used because it has virtually no smell and is easy to spot clean, or completely replace. Pet stores carry a wide diversity of substrates in many different sizes. Newspapers, eco earth, coconut husk or liners have also been used in tanks and racks for years with great success. We do NOT recommend using any cedar or pine bedding with your snakes as it has been known to be toxic and can be extremely harmful!
Spotted pythons have been known to be a shy snake and would feel much more comfortable having a little place to seclude themselves in. They like having a dark, safe place to go to. Having a hide in a rack system is optional but it is necessary for a tank setup. They also have been known to burrow in their substrate, so having a few inches of substrate will allow them to do so. A hide will allow them to go to their safe place if they ever feel stressed out. If you have a large enclosure, we would recommend using multiple hides so your snake has a few different options. A hide on the hot side and cold side, will allow the snake to hide in comfort without having to choose being too hot or too cold if you only have one hide in the tank. If you would like to add some extra items to your tank, logs or branches can be used and you may often see your snake climbing on them.
Cleanliness is vitally important to your spotteds health. “Spot cleaning” any messes once a week is recommended, or immediately after you see your snake mess the cage. The tank, water bowl, and all extra hides/branches in the enclosure should be thoroughly cleaned at least once a month. Running the items (that fit) into a high temperature dish washer with soap is a great option to sterilize. Scrubbing with soap and thoroughly rinsing the items and tank have also worked tremendously for people. We use an F10 solution for cleaning our tubs in our rack system. F10 is a veterinary grade disinfectant that we order online from Reptile Basics. Cleaning the tank and items may vary with how busy and messy your snake is, but remember that a clean tank means a healthy snake!
FEEDING
Spotted pythons are carnivores and in captivity they will avidly feed on live rodents. Baby spotted pythons start out around 5-10 inches long and should be fed an appropriately sized meal 1-3 times a week. The appropriate meal size should not be much bigger than the snakes widest part of their body. Since they are such small hatchlings, they will generally need to be started on baby pinkie mice that are freshly born. As the snake grows, the size of the meal should grow as well and eventually they can feed on adult mice. After becoming a well started feeder, many spotteds will readily take frozen/thawed rodents if offered. Adult spotteds are generally fed adult mice every 5 days or once a week. After feeding, the snake should be left alone for at least 24 hours to allow them to properly digest their meal.
SEXING A SPOTTED PYTHON
Determining the sex of your snake can be done in two ways, probing and popping. Please note that both methods should be done with care and done by a professional. It is not recommended that you try this out by yourself before having someone teach you how. When sexing a python, you are looking for hemipenes. Male pythons have two hemipenes (their reproductive organs) which are located at the base of their tail directly behind their vent. The hemipenes are located inside the snakes body and cannot be visually seen unless they are inverted outside the body, using the popping method. During probing, a small lubricated probe is placed in the cloaca on either side of the midline. It is then pushed very gently into the cloaca, towards the tip of the tail. When the probe cannot go any farther, mark the spot where the probe enters the vent with your finger then slowly pull the probe out and place it in the same position on the outside of the snake. You will now be able to count the number of scales of how far the probe went into the snake. With female pythons, the probe will only go in about 1-3 scales. With male pythons, the probe will go approximately 9+ scales length into the snake. With probing, be very cautious as not to push the probe too hard and apply too much pressure as you can puncture the snake.
The other method to sex your snake is to pop the snake. After locating the spotteds vent, place your left hands thumb in front of the vent. You will then place your right hands thumb on the base of the tail and “roll” your thumb up towards the vent. If you are left handed then use the opposite thumbs listed, or whichever is most comfortable for you. The rolling motion is used to push the males two hemipenes out the vent for you to visually see. If you are popping a female, nothing will come out of the vent. Smaller snakes are easier to pop, and practice makes perfect. The popping method is, in my opinion, an easier and safer method for this species of pythons because they are so small. Again, it is recommended that you have a professional teach you how to safely pop your snakes.
The other method to sex your snake is to pop the snake. After locating the spotteds vent, place your left hands thumb in front of the vent. You will then place your right hands thumb on the base of the tail and “roll” your thumb up towards the vent. If you are left handed then use the opposite thumbs listed, or whichever is most comfortable for you. The rolling motion is used to push the males two hemipenes out the vent for you to visually see. If you are popping a female, nothing will come out of the vent. Smaller snakes are easier to pop, and practice makes perfect. The popping method is, in my opinion, an easier and safer method for this species of pythons because they are so small. Again, it is recommended that you have a professional teach you how to safely pop your snakes.
ENJOY
With proper care, these tiny pythons can easily live to around 20 years in captivity and can offer lots of enjoyment to your family. Now that you have learned how to properly take care of a spotted python you can keep and raise one with ease! Their small size and docile nature make them a great choice for any snake keeper no matter their level of experience. After you’ve mastered spotted python husbandry, you may be interested in breeding them. Breeding spotteds can be an amazing experience and you can learn about how breed them in our article on how we successfully breed our spotted python collection! If you have any further questions, we are always available and willing to help. Feel free to shoot us a message as we may have accidentally left out something in our care sheet! We hope you enjoy spotteds as much as we do!
