RINGED PYTHON Caresheet
Common Name: Ringed Python, Bismarck Ringed Python
Scientific Name: Bothrochilus boa
Origin: Found on the Bismarck Archipelago off the coast of Papua New Guinea
Size: medium size python, average 5 feet
Lifespan: 20+ years
You will find many ways on the internet on "how to" take care of this animal. This care sheet is showing the way we found works best for us from our many years of experience of breeding and caring for this species
HOUSING
Ringed python babies can start out in enclosures as small as 10 gallons. At around 8-12 months, you can increase the size to 30 gallons or larger if you want. There are several kinds of enclosures that will work, e.g., glass aquariums, snake racks and any of the commercially available, plastic-type reptile enclosures. Minimum enclosure size for an adult is 36" W x 18" L.
If you use a glass tank, you'll want to provide a humid hide--that is, a hide that has some damp moss in it for humidity and also mist the enclosure good when they are in shed. You can also cover part of the top mesh of your tank with glass or plexi sheet to help keep the humidity higher. All snakes are skilled escape artists. It's extremely important that your door/top is clipped or locked to prevent them from getting out.
You can use many types of bedding for your pet. The ones that hold humidity better are Zoo Med repti bark, Zoo Med eco earth, Zoo Med forest floor, and Exo terra coco husk. Spot clean the bedding whenever they defecate. You should only need to clean the whole thing out about once a month. Disinfect the enclosure and change out the bedding at that time. Zoo Meds wipe out or vinegar and water both work good for cage cleaning.
LIGHTING AND HEAT
Ringed pythons originate from the islands off the eastern coast of Papua New Guinea and they like it warm, though they need to be able to cool off if they want to. Like all reptiles, they are dependent on external thermoregulation to control their body temperature. This essentially means you need to provide both a hot and cool side to your enclosure. All the heat elements should be on one side and the other will then be the cool side. This way your snake can move back and forth between the different temperatures depending on its needs.
The hot side basking spot should be at 85-88 ºF. For babies, put one hide there and another hide on the cool side. The cool side can be between 80-85 ºF. It's a good idea to use a basking light and an under tank heat pad also. The heat pads are usually placed on the hot side with a hide over it. We recommend a Zoo Med heat mat or Exo Terra heat pad that stays on 24/7 to give them a little bit of supplemental heat during the night. Both of these are placed on the outside underneath the enclosure. You want a heat pad that only covers half the tank (or less). The basking light should be housed in a good quality light dome like Exo Terra and Flukers that has a ceramic housing to tolerate high heat and an on/off switch.
Use a good quality temperature gauge too, like Zoo Meds digital temp gauge or Exo Terras Thermometer to figure out the temperatures in your enclosure. Don't guess at it. You can also use a rheostat and/or timers to control your heat source. We do not recommend the use of hot rocks. They have a tendency to heat unevenly over too small an area and can cause serious burns.
HUMIDITY
Bismarck ringed pythons require higher humidity than some other pythons. The use of a fogger works well in tanks. Other options include hand misters and the use of high humidity bedding. If you maintain a humidity level of around 60-80%, your snake will be able to shed properly.
Keep a non-porous water bowl in with your python and make sure they always have clean water. Exo Terras water bowls or Flukers water bowls are good decorative choices or a good ceramic crock dish. Scrub the bowl at least once a week to keep bacteria slime from building up.
FEEDING
Ringed pythons are usually good eaters. Do not handle your snake for several hours before you are going to feed it. We do recommend feeding in its own enclosure. Feeding in its home will not make your pet more aggressive or associate you with food.
Hatchlings to 2 years
1 rodent of appropriate size once a week. This means the girth of the rodent should not exceed 1 1/2 times the girth of the snake (at it's biggest point, not his neck size) Do not handle your snake for at least 24 hours after it has eaten. Snakes in general tend not to eat when they are in shed. Just wait to feed until your pet sheds.
Snakes over two years can eat every 2 weeks if you want. Make sure it's a decent size meal.
TEMPERAMENT
When holding your pet, always remember to support your snakes body. Once a python realizes that you will not hurt it, they often seem to enjoy (or at least tolerate) being handled. Relax and give your snake time to get used to you. Avoid touching the top of its head. Unless it knows and trusts you, touching the top of the head will cause it to jerk away from the touch. The fast movement of the snake tends to scare a lot of new snake owners. This is called being "head shy." A lot of pythons will get over it with gentle handling.
Give your new pet at least a couple of days to settle in to its new home before handling. Start slow and gradually increase the amount of time you have your snake out. Remember your new python's life is in your hands. So please take care of it properly.