The
Royal Python
Python regius is a non-venomous python species found in Africa.
This is the smallest of the African pythons and is popular in the
pet trade. Due to its
smaller size compared to other pythons and commonly docile
temperament, these snakes are bred in captivity and have become
popular as pets. 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.
This species is particularly revered in the traditional religion
of the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. It is considered
symbolic of the earth, being an animal that travels so close to the
ground. Even among many Christian Igbos, these pythons are treated
with great care whenever they happen to wander into a village or
onto someone's property; they are allowed to roam freely or are very
gently picked up and placed out in a forest or field away from any
homes. If one is accidentally killed, many communities in Igboland
will still build a coffin for the snake's remains and give it a
short funeral.
Adults generally do not grow to more than 90-120 cm (3-4 feet) in
length, although some specimens have reached 152 cm and even 182 cm (5-6
feet), but this is very rare. The build is stocky while the head
is relatively small. The scales are smooth and both sexes have anal
spurs on either side of the vent, although males have larger spurs. 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. However, those in the pet industries have,
through selective breeding, developed many morphs: genetic mutations
with altered colors and patterns.
This terrestrial species is known for its defence 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. Favoured retreats include mammal burrows and other
underground hiding places where they also aestivate during the dry
season.
Found in grasslands, savannahs and sparsely wooded areas
of 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.
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. Captives usually do well on
domestic rats and mice, either live, pre-killed, or frozen-thawed.
Oviparous, with anywhere from 3-11 rather large eggs being laid (4-6
being most common). These are incubated by the
female underground and hatch after 90 days. Sexual
maturity is reached at 12-18 months for males, 24-36 months for females.
Age is only one factor in determining sexual maturity and ability to
breed -- weight is the second factor. Males should be no less than 900g
to breed, and females should be no less than 1500 g.
Another reason that the Royal python is so desirable are the vast number
of designer morphs that have been popping up over the years.
