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CAPTIVE CARE SHEET SPECIES: BURMESE PYTHON Python molurus bivittatus
THINK!!!
Do you really want a snake that may grow more than 20 feet long or weigh over 200 pounds, require "Mucking out" like a
pony and will live over 25 years.
DESCRIPTION: The colouring of a normal phase individual is a creamy yellow base colour
with large brown dorsal splotches which may extend down the sides, these are surrounded by lighter yellow . The head usually
has a complete arrow head with a median stripe. May grow to 14-18ft, maximum recorded size is 24ft. There are now several
colour mutations available, Albino/Golden, Blonde/Green and some very new pattern variants.
DISTRIBUTION: The Burmese python,
is native throughout Southeast Asia including Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, southern China, and Indonesia. While Burmese are being
captive bred in the U.S. and Europe, native populations are considered to be "threatened" and are listed on Appendix II of
CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species).
HOUSING: Burmese are especially powerful when it comes
to breaking out. A good starter tank for a hatchling is a 3 ft Vivarium. After the first couple of years (and some bigger
commercially available enclosures), you will have to build your own enclosure out of wood and glass. Some people partition
off a large part of a room into a suitable Burmese "tank". Be prepared - giant snakes need lots of room, not the least of
which is room enough for you to get in there and clean it out! Remember that your snake will grow rapidly, even when fed conservatively,
so you must always buy or build an enclosure much bigger than the present size of your Burmese.
Thermal Gradient
Proper
temperature range is essential to keeping your snake healthy. The ambient air temperature throughout the enclosure must be
maintained between 85-88F during the day, with a basking area kept at 90F. At night, the ambient air temperature may be allowed
to drop down no lower than 78-80F. Special reptile heating mats that are manufactured to maintain a temperature about 20F
higher than the air temperature may be used inside the enclosure. You can also use incandescent light bulbs in porcelain and
metal reflector hoods to provide the additional heat required for the basking area. All lights must be screened off to prevent
the snake from burning itself, and bright lights must be turned off at least 12-14 hours a day to mimic a proper photo period;
if kept under lights all the time, the snakes will stress and may become ill. If the proper temperatures cannot be maintained
without the incandescent light, then you must use another source of non-light emitting or dim light emitting heat. All pythons
are very susceptible to thermal burns and for this reason a hot rock must not be used. Buy at least two thermometers: one
to use 1" above the enclosure floor in the cooler side, and the other 1" above the floor in the basking area. Don't try to
guess the temperature. You will end up with a snake who will be too cold to eat and digest its food.
Special Lighting
No special lighting is needed.
DIET: Start your hatchling (about 22" in length) off with a single pre-killed week to
10-day old "fuzzy" rat. A smaller sized hatchling may require a small mouse. Older Burmese may be fed larger pre-killed rats.
The rule of thumb is that you can feed prey items that are no wider than the widest part of the snake's body. While Burmese
(most of whom are bottomless pits when it comes to putting down food) will often gladly eat prey that is too large for their
size, they will generally regurgitate the prey item one or more days later. It is very easy to overfeed Burmese as most of
them are always eager for food, whether they need it or not. Be judicious--you will end up with a giant snake soon enough.
Just feed enough to keep it healthy, not obese.
Water:
Provide a bowl of fresh water at all times; your snake will both
drink, soak and may defecate in it. Check it and replace with fresh water as necessary.
BREEDING: Burmese breed in the
early spring. Females lay their eggs in March or April, their clutches range from 12-36 eggs. Females encircle their eggs,
remaining with then from the time they are laid until they hatch. During this time, they will not leave the eggs and will
not eat. While incubating, the females muscles twitch, these tremors apparently enable the female to raise the ambient temperature
around the eggs several degrees. Once the hatchlings cut their way out of their eggs, they are on their own.
Owning a giant
snake is not cool - it is a major, long-term, often very expensive responsibility.
AUTHOR: Jon Hollingsworth & Lyn
Phillips
REFERENCES: The General Care and Maintenance of Burmese Pythons, by Philippe deVosjoli.
Living Snakes of the
World, John M. Mehrtens.
PRAS Care Sheet Number 18
PRAS offers you this care sheet for your own information, should
you wish to republish then please do not edit or reformat this sheet in any way and quote PRAS as the source
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