Reticulated Python
(Python reticulatus)

Reticulated pythons originally come from southeast Asia and Indonesia, and have one of the largest ranges of any snake. New owners should be sure they know what they are getting themselves into. Hatchling reticulated pythons are usually about two feet in length. Female reticulated pythons routinely grow to 17 or more feet long. Male reticulated pythons are smaller, averaging 12 to 14 feet long adult size. The largest recorded reticulated python was about 33 feet long and over 300 pounds. There are several color morphs now available to hobbyists in many colors and patterns.

Difficulty

ADVANCED: While most captive bred reticulated pythons are not aggressive, many wild caught specimens can be nervous and possibly aggressive. Their larger size and caging requirements do not make them an ideal choice for the novice hobbyist. Also, it is not recommended to handle these snakes alone as there is always a risk of serious injury when handling large constrictors, like the reticulated python. Under no circumstances should larger reticulated pythons be held around your neck.

Requirements

An enclosure, such as:

• Glass or acrylic aquarium (20 gallons or more, depending on the size of the Reticulated python) with a secure lid with clamps
• Plastic storage bins
• Custom constructed caging

Substrate, such as:

• Aspen wood shavings
• Indoor/outdoor carpeting
• Newspaper

A heating element, such as:

• Under the tank heater
• Incandescent heat bulb
• Ceramic infrared heat emitters

Enclosure

The size of the enclosure you will need for your Reticulated python depends on the size of the snake. Young hatchling Reticulated pythons will often be timid and scared in too large of an enclosure while adult reticulated pythons will need a larger enclosure to move around in and feel more comfortable. For younger, smaller reticulated pythons, you can use a 20 gallon aquarium. Adult Reticulated pythons should be housed in a larger enclosure. As a guide, your reticulated python should have an enclosure that is at least half the python's length long and at least a quarter the length of the reticulated pything in width. To put this in perspective, a small adult male reticulated python will need an enclosure at the very least six feet long by three feet wide. Larger reticulated pythons will need larger enclosures, and the larger the enclosure the better. If you are constructing your own enclosure, try not to use unfinished wood as it is harder to clean and can harbour disease. Pressure treated lumber should also be avoided due to the chemicals used.

It is also important to provide your Reticulated python with an area to hide. There are many comercially available caves that can be purchased from your favorite pet supply store, or you can use things like flower pots, plastic containers, or just about anything that is big enough for your Reticulated python to completely crawl into and can provide a dark place to hide. Many hobbyists also like to decorate their enclosure with drift wood and other decoration. The choices are limitless and you can make your enclosure as sparse or as ornate as you wish, depending on your own desires.

Always remember that Reticulated pythons, like all snakes are escape artists. They will always test your enclosure to see if they can get out. For this reason, you will always want to make sure that your enclosure has a secure lid that the snake can not push open. If using an aquarium, be sure to use a screen top with enough clamps to prevent the Reticulated python from pushing open the top. If making your own enclosure, be sure that all access doors are secured with some kind of latch and can not be pushed open easily from the inside. Because of the size and strength of the reticulated python you may want to even consider locks on the enclosure to make sure the snake stays in and that unauthorized people stay out.

Substrate

The substrate or bedding that you use is one of the most important parts of your Reticulated python's home, since your snake will be spending all of its time on it. Some of the best substrate is folded newspaper. While it is not the most visually appealing option, it is one of the easiest and cleanest. Indoor/Outdoor carpeting can also be used as an effective substrate for your snake. Be sure to have at least two identical pieces so that you can simply place the clean piece of carpeting in the enclosure while you rinse and disenfect the soiled piece. You can then allow the newly cleaned piece of carpeting to dry for the next days use. It's important to note that you should always completely rinse the carpet after cleaning it to be sure there is no residual chemicals remaining on the carpet that could irritate your Reticulated python. Aspen wood shavings provide an excellent, absorbent choice for your Reticulated python as well. Be sure to stay away from cedar or pine shavings as these can cause health problems for your python.

Heating and Light

Reticulated pythons like an ambient daytime temperature of 78°F to 80°F with nighttime temperatures of 75°F to 78°F. A basking spot of 90°F to 95°F should be provided during the day. These temperatures can be achieved by using under the tank heaters, incadescent basking bulbs, or ceramic emitters. We recommend using a timer to automatically turn off your daytime heating and lighting elements at night. It's important to check these temperatures regularly with a thermometer. Many hobbyists will install thermometers or thermostats in the enclsosure to be able to accurately maintain these temperatures. We do not recommend the use of any kind of heat rocks as they can often lead to burns on your Reticulated python.

Reticulated pythons will need a realtive humidity level of 50% to 60%. This can be acheived by using a substrate that holds humidity such as cypress. Another option is to create a humidity chamber from a large enough plastic container with a hole large enough for the python in the top and damp sphagnum moss that the reticulated python can go into when it is ready to shed.

Diet

Hatchling reticulated pythons will need to be small adult mice or young rats. Adult Reticulated pythons can be adult rabbits or for larger pythons, a small pig. It's important that you feed the appropriate sized prey to your reticulated python. If the prey is too small, it may not be getting all the nutrtion that it needs, if it is too large it may spit the prey back up. A good rule to follow is to feed prey that is about 1½ times the size of the largest portion of your Reticulated python's body. Generally your snake will only need to eat about once a week or as little as once a month or less if it has recently had a large meal. Younger reticulated pythons may need to be fed more often. Your pythons's appetite may also decrease in the winter months. As long as your snake still has good muscle tone, this is usually not anything to worry about. Fresh water should be provided at all times.

When feeding your reticulated python, it is important that you feed it seperately from other snakes and in an area of the enclosure that is free from smaller wood shavings or other small items that could be inadvertently ingested with the food. We also find that thawed, pre-killed frozen prey that has been thawed to provide the safest food source. Live rodents can injur your reticulated python during feeding. The freezing process will also kill most parasites that the prey may be carrying. Most reticulated pythons will easily take to the thawed prey with little effort. We also recommend that you do not feed large specimens alone in case assistance is needed if the reticulated python accidently latches on to the person feeding it.