Facts about Ball Pythons
Ball python or Python regius is a non-venomous python species. Ball python is also known as royal python. This is the smallest of the African pythons. Their build is stocky while head is relatively small. Ball python is a popular pet. No subspecies of ball python are currently recognized. Both sexes of ball python have anal spurs either side of the vent. Adults generally do not grow to more than 90-120 cm (3-4 feet) in length Python regius or ball pythons are found in Africa from Senegal, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin, Niger and Nigeria through Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic to Sudan and Uganda. although some specimens of Python regius have reached 152 cm and even 182 cm (5-6 feet), but this is very rare. Scales of the ball python are smooth. Due to their smaller size compared to other pythons and commonly docile temperament, these snakes are bred in captivity and have become popular as pets. Captive ball pythons usually feed on domestic rats and mice, either live, pre-killed, or frozen-thawed. It is found in Africa. The color pattern is typically black with light brown-green side and dorsal blotches. The belly is a white or cream that may or may not include scattered black markings. This terrestrial species is known for its defense strategy that involves coiling into a tight ball when threatened, with its head and neck tucked away in the middle. In this state, it can literally be rolled around. The name ball python refers to the animal's tendency to curl into a ball when stressed or frightened. The name royal python (from the Latin "regius") is based in part on the story that Cleopatra supposedly wore the snake around her wrist. It prefers grasslands, savannahs and sparsly wooded areas. In the wild, the diet consists mostly of small mammals, such as African soft-furred rats, shrews and striped mice. Younger individuals have also been known to feed on birds. |
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