Hieroglyphic python: description, features of content and interesting facts

Pythons - snakes are not poisonous. They live in the tropics and subtropics of Africa, Asia, Australia. In South America, Europe and the United States are kept as pets.

The largest of them are royal, mesh and hieroglyphic. There are other types of snakes, which are much inferior to these giants in size. These include:

• Black-headed python, which occurs in Northern Australia;
• Python Ramsey is also a resident of Australia;
• Ringed - a rather rare species, which occurs only in the Bismarck Archipelago;
• A burrowing African python; It is interesting that before he was ranked as a python, and now he is called a boa constrictor; Its length is not more than two meters;
• Annular spotted - endemic Australia (northern regions);
• Amethyst is a large snake that is a natural species of Northern Australia and New Guinea.

Python hieroglyph: habitat

This snake lives in natural conditions in West Africa, south of the Sahara. The hieroglyphic python prefers to live in savannah, subtropical and tropical forests. It is often found in meadows, among rocky outcrops, around farms and villages. This largest snake on the African continent can be found in wetlands, places with high humidity.

External Features

African hieroglyphic python is a huge snake. In length it can reach more than six meters, and weighs more than a hundred kilograms. In the terrarium it rarely has such dimensions. Most often its length in captivity does not exceed four and a half meters, and weight - fifty kilograms.

The body of the hieroglyphic python is covered with an exquisite pattern: on the back it consists of strips in the form of a zigzag, and also dark spots on the sides. The back of individuals in natural conditions is painted in a gray-brown color, the belly is lighter, yellowish in color. On the head there is a dark triangular stain and a band that passes through the eyes. Today, individuals with other colors are bred.

Features of behavior

Python hieroglyphic is active at night, it perfectly climbs trees and swims perfectly. As a rule, this snake is unhurried, but it can be a serious danger to a person - the cast for its prey is impetuous. It is interesting that this kind of pythons can live without food for a long time. The teeth of this snake are very sharp, but it is not poisonous. Nevertheless, there were recorded cases of attacks of this giant python on a person, which ended in a lethal outcome.

Hieroglyphic python, born in captivity, is fairly easy to tame and becomes quite an adequate pet. Initially, the animal manifests aggression and bites from fear, but then the trust and aggression is formed.

Guide to the content of the hieroglyphic python

Due to the very large size and pronounced tendency to aggression, experts do not recommend starting this type of python to beginners. This animal is more suitable for experienced keeper who already has experience of handling large, and sometimes unpredictable snakes. With good care, the hieroglyphic python can become tame and very calm, and taming it will be a reward for the breeder. And it is better for beginners to pay attention to snakes, which have a more flexible character.

Terrarium

You can equip your pet with a simple and rather complex terrarium. But you need to remember that the more you put there decorative elements, the more difficult it is to achieve cleanliness in the house of the python: all these elements will have to be constantly washed and disinfected. In addition, it must be remembered that the hieroglyphic python - the animal is strong and powerful, so the terrarium must necessarily be closed.

For large specimens, the largest terrarium should be prepared. Regardless of the size of the snake, it must create a temperature difference. There should be enough places so that between your cold corner and the warming-up zone your pet can choose the temperature that suits him.

Substrates

The hieroglyphic python is not too demanding for substrates. Newspapers are the cheapest and easiest way to maintain cleanliness: they are the easiest to replace.

Mulched substrates will help maintain moisture. But it is necessary to take into account the fact that excess moisture is harmful to this species, however, as well as its lack.

Temperature

The hieroglyphic python needs a background temperature ranging from +26 to +28 ° C, and at the warm-up point it should be around +33 ° C. Do not let the background temperature drop below +24 ° C. To maintain and control it, use digital thermometers with a probe.

There are several ways to provide heating in the terrarium. Ceramic heating elements, heating mats, incandescent lamps - these are just some common options. For terrariums with a python, stones are not suitable, as they heat up very much and can burn the animal very seriously.

Humidity

In the terrarium, you need to install a humidity chamber that will not only help create the most humid place, but also become the second shelter of the snake. It is not difficult to make such a camera. In a plastic container with wet sphagnum, cut a hole from above or below and install it in the terrarium. Do not forget that warm air is more humid than cold. The main goal of the owner is to moisten the house of your pet, and not to turn it into a swamp.

The content of a snake in a too moist terrarium can provoke the development of bacterial and fungal infections, which in turn can lead to the death of the animal.

Lighting

The hieroglyphic python does not need additional lighting, but if you do decide to apply it, you must follow the daily cycles: 12 (day) + 12 (night). Constant bright lighting leads to stress of snakes, especially for twilight species, which includes our hero.

Water

Your pet should have constant access to water. Drinking bowl (size) you can choose at your own discretion. If it is a fairly large capacity, then eventually the python will start using it for bathing.

Feeding

Python is fed weekly by rodents, which corresponds to the size of the snake. All the youth your pet can eat rats: from rat-toots in youth and to adult rodents as the snake grows. Do not disturb the snake after eating, otherwise it may cause a spasm of food.

Experienced owners believe that representatives of this species should not be fed more often than once every ten days. The restriction in nutrition allows you to control the growth of the animal, but with too little feeding, the snake will constantly experience hunger, which provokes the start of eating behavior when it comes into contact with the host.

When handling pythons, observe the safety rules. Especially it concerns feeding. Never take a snake in your hands after you have held the rodent - by mistake your pet can take you for a treat.

Interesting Facts

• The hieroglyphic python determines the place of extraction optically and with the help of a perfectly developed sense of smell.
• The snake can perceive thermal, infrared radiation with the help of the sense organs, which are located in the labial sinuses. Since they are located on both sides of the mouth, the python easily establishes sources of heat even with poor visibility.