Reticulated Pythons

Python reticulatus

Reticulated Pythons are becoming more and more popular snakes that are kept as pets.  They are very beautiful snakes and come in many different pattern mutations and color morphs: Platinum/Fire, Sunfire, and Albino to name a few.

Locality: Reticulated Pythons can be found in Southeast Asia, Philippines, and Indonesia

Size:  Reticulated Pythons are the longest snake in the world.  Reticulated Pythons are 24+ inches as hatchlings, Females are generally 17+ feet as adults and males are generally 14+ feet as adults. Larger specimens have been recorded.

Lifespan: Reticulated Pythons can live up to 20 years in captivity.

Caging: Hatchlings can be kept in plastic shoe-box containers with holes drilled into the sides for adequate air ventilation. I prefer plastic tubs for caging over the commonly seen glass aquariums. Glass does not work well at holding heat and those screen lids that are used for them can make it a nightmare to keep constant humidity levels for subspecies that have strict humidity requirements. An adult will require a cage that is 6-8 feet. Reticulated Pythons should be housed separately unless being bred, Not because of problems with cannibalism as in King Snakes but because I do not believe that any two snakes should be housed together permanently.  A hide should be provided on both sides of the cage to allow the snake to feel secure whether it wants to be on the warm or cool side. (Reticulated Pythons like all snakes are escape artists and should always be provided with an escape proof enclosure).

Heating: A hot spot of 90-92 degrees should be provided along with a cool side in the mid 70's. A thermostat or rheostat should always be used to control the heating device. If using heat pads plugged directly into the outlet, they can reach temperatures in excess of 120 degrees which is WAY too hot for your snake and which can lead to burns or even worse. A thermal gradient should be provided allowing the snake to escape the high temperature and reside in a cooler temperature if it wants to.

Substrate: I prefer using newspaper or paper towels as substrate for multiple reasons. As they are not the most pleasant to look at, it does make cleaning much easier, Is very cost effective and most importantly, sanitary. Many like to use aspen which is fine but cedar bedding should NEVER be used for your snakes as it is toxic to them.

Feeding: Reticulated Pythons are constrictors and have a VERY strong feeding response. As hatchlings Reticulated Pythons should be fed adult mice, rat fuzzies or even rat pups. As they grow, so should their food items. Reticulated pythons will require food items as large as rabbits so please ensure that you have a steady supply of them before buying a snake like this as rabbits in my experience are harder to come by. The best way to determine what size prey your snake should be eating is by feeding items that are slightly larger than the girth of the snake's body. Feeding live rodents is never a good idea. Live rodents carry parasites and can injure or, worse, kill your snake. Either Frozen thawed rodents or pre-killed rodents are preferred. Freezing rodents will kill any parasites that may have been living on the rodent and obviously eliminates the chances of the rodent hurting your snake. Fresh water should always be available for drinking.

Handling:  Reticulated Pythons are active snakes and always on the move.  Because of their large size you should always have someone nearby, at the very least within yelling distance to lend a hand if necessary.  Always allow at least 48 hours after feeding before handling your snake. This 48 hours is crucial for digestion. Handling within this time can cause the snake to regurgitate its meal which can lead to chronic regurgitation and can prove to be a very stressful ordeal for both the keeper and the animal.
IMPORTANT: Always cancel a retics feed response before reaching into their cage to get them out.  This can be done using either a snake hook, newspaper roll, or paper towel roll.  Many prefer to use newspaper or paper towel rolls because if the snake was to bite it, it would not hurt the snake.  I personally prefer to use a hook because it provides much more distance between the snakes mouth and you.