Have you ever wondered about snakes that turn into balls when scared? Meet the ball pythons, also known as the royal python. This African native, reaching up to 60 inches, loves grasslands, shrublands, and open forests and is the smallest of its African python family. What’s really cool about it? Well, when it’s scared, it does something special—it rolls up into a tight ball to stay safe. This behavior makes it a popular and easy-to-handle pet for people who consider it harmless and shower their love on it.
Now, if you want to know more about ball pythons, this article is for you. It contains a lot of amazing facts you need to know about the ball python before realizing if you should keep it as a pet or not. So, let’s dive right in!
Interesting Facts About Pet Ball Pythons
Let’s reveal some cool facts we know about ball pythons.
Ball Pythons Fun Facts
- The scientific name for the ball python is “Boa regia,” proposed by George Shaw in 1802. This was subsequently changed to Python regius.
- Ball pythons are known as royal pythons because African chieftains once wore them as jewelry.
- These snakes usually have a smooth, dark black or brown body with light brown or golden highlights on their sides. Their bellies have pure white or creamy colors. But here comes the fun part: due to some genetic changes, you’ll find numerous versions of these snakes with unique patterns and colors.
- Ball pythons can have a lifespan of 15 to 30 years when kept well in captivity.
- The world’s oldest ball python is found at the St. Louis Zoo and has reached the shocking age of over 62 years!
- Royal pythons lay eggs, typically about 6 at a time, but sometimes as few as 1 or as many as 11. When they’re kept in captivity and provided with the right conditions, these snakes can reproduce at any time of the year, even in winter.
- Ball python hatchlings sport vibrant skin patterns that amaze every eye that falls on them.
Interesting Facts about Ball Pythons
Want to get your hands on more interesting facts about ball pythons? We have something for you.
- They are an important source of food for meat-eating mammals, bigger pythons, and birds that hunt for prey.
- They’re non-venomous and can be handled easily. Plus, their mesmerizing patterns keep you fascinated. Hence, they have the potential to be your next favorite pet.
- In the wild, ball pythons rely on their special labial pits. These labial pits work like infrared vision, helping them detect the heat emitted by other creatures.
- Their diet consists of small mammals and birds. Young ball pythons under 28 inches mainly prey on small birds, while those over 39 can even target small mammals.
- Ball pythons are hunted for skin and meat, contributing to their declining populations, particularly in West Africa.
Conclusion
The ball python stands out in the world of reptiles. From their unique defensive strategy of curling into a ball under threat to their mesmerizing patterns and morphs, ball pythons never fail to fascinate us.
What’s saddening is that these creatures continuously face challenges in the wild, with their “near threatened” status reminding us of the importance of conservation.
So whether you’re a snake owner or an admirer of these beautiful creatures, ball pythons remind us that our world is filled with extraordinary creatures that deserve our admiration and protection alike.
