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General Information & Housing

Water pythons are a very hardy snake and take readily to captivity. They are usually eager feeders and will take to defrost rodents with little problem. Some wild caught or newly hatched specimens may need a little enticement with bird or reptile scenting methods, but this is not often an issue.

When purchasing a water python, expect the biggest. I have caught a wild specimen approximately 3 metres in length, far bigger than the average. Water pythons are not a lazy python. They will often travel a fair distance during a nights hunt, and have a higher metabolism than many other pythons. I recommend a vivarium L200cm x W60cm x H60cm for a large, 3m adult. A smaller 2m adult should have a minimum L120cm x W60cm x H60cm vivarium.

Snake enclosures can be made from a number of materials. Most commonly used is a melamine coated wood which covers all sides except the front, which has glass sliding doors. Aquariums can also be used for juvenile water pythons, although a specialist lid should be bought or made rather than the original aquarium lid. It is essential when thinking about what type of enclosure you use, you think about these 6 SSSHHH factors:

1)Safety Can the snake or owner injure itself from the enclosure or any appliances held within?
2)Secure Can the snake escape through any small hole or cavity?
3)Size Will the enclosure be appropriately sized?
4)Heating Is the enclosure able to regulate the temperature properly?
5)Humidity Will the enclosure last well in humid conditions? Is there enough ventilation for the moisture to escape?
6)Hygienic Will the enclosure build up a lot of bacteria in small cavities? Is it easy to clean?

By following the steps above, you can have a suitable enclosure made from a variety of materials.

Dcor

Dcor in your tank serves two purposes. First being extra cover for your snake and second, allowing for a more natural and pleasing appearance. When choosing dcor, think about the safety of the snake. Make sure that whatever you decide to use, it is securely fixed and that no rocks, wood or anything heavy can fall and possibly injure, or even kill the snake. You must also make sure that everything used is parasite free. If anything has been picked up from outside, or has originally come from outside, such as cork bark, you should either boil it, or place the item in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 30 minutes. Freezing works for some parasites, however others have been known to survive months in freezing conditions. Some parasites found in English conditions last winters in minus temperatures, so it is not entirely effective.

Once all your dcor is parasite free, it is then safe to place inside your enclosure. As a general rule, if you can put pressure on an item to knock it down, a water python is certainly capable of doing so. When positioning rocks or heavy objects, make sure they are completely secure. If it is still uneasy, screw them or use superglue to fix them securely. If it is not possible, the rule is simple: Do not place the item in the vivarium!

If you decide to go for an extra large enclosure, you must provide plenty of cover and hiding areas. A hiding place can be anything from a large tupperware box with a hole cut out to a naturalistic piece of cork bark. There are many kinds of fake plants and dcor you can use which is both safe for the animal and pleasing to the eye. One thing you must consider when thinking about the size of the vivarium, is the bigger you go, the more hiding areas you must provide. I recommend at least one hiding place per 60cm in length of the enclosure.

NOTE: Never use sticky tape in an enclosure; this is an accident waiting to happen. Removing sticky tape from any snake is no easy task!

Substrate

Substrate is the medium which covers the floor of your enclosure. It really is a choice that you have to make as the owner of your snake. All options have their advantages and disadvantages. Explained below are the choices available to you in the order which I feel is best.

1)Newspaper This is disposable, it can be replaced easily and cheaply. It is the safest substrate and is virtually impossible for the substrate to be ingested by the snake. One disadvantage is the ink. If the newspaper becomes wet, the ink can be rubbed off onto the belly of the snake. This does not seem to cause the snake any harm, but should be washed off the snake if you see it. If the snake soils, it will mean a complete replacement of the substrate as soon as possible.

2)Aspen This is my favourite substrate, it is cheap, very easy for the snake to burrow in, lightweight and dirt free. Like any substrate, I suggest if you spot feces you take it out as soon as possible to minimize the risk of spreading diseases and parasites. When it comes to feeding your snake, aspen can stick to a wet rodent very easily. You must make sure the rodent is completely dry, and as a safety measure place it on a flat surface such as a rock. This will minimize the risk of ingesting aspen when feeding. Aspen however, when ingested can generally be passed through the snake quite comfortably. Aspen can also be quite dusty; it is suggested that you shake it outside to release as much dust as possible before placing into the enclosure. Although this is a very dry substrate, it can be dampened down regularly to raise humidity levels.

3)Bark chips This is more for tropical species that need to be kept slightly humid. Bark chips hold in the moisture, and are totally naturalistic. It must be kept as clean as possible, if you spot feces, you should take it out as soon as possible. There are different grades of bark chips, I suggest you go as coarse as possible, to minimize the risk of swallowing, resulting in impaction of the gut.

4)Wood chips When you use woodchips, be careful what species of tree it is from. It must NOT be cedar as when this is heated up, it releases toxic fumes. After a short while wood chips will compact, which means it will become harder for the snake to burrow. Another downside is the risk of ingesting the woodchips while swallowing a food item, this is very easy to do and can cause impaction which will seriously damage the health of your snake.

Heating & Lighting

Water Pythons require a thermal gradient, meaning they must be allowed to move around the enclosure to find their required temperature. The hot end of the enclosure should be 88-92F while the cool end should be approximately 80-84F. During the night, the temperature should drop to a more constant overall temperature of 80-84

In my opinion, the ideal way of heating a large snakes enclosure is to use a large 250W Ceramic Heater with a reflector and safety grid so the snake cannot touch it. Ceramic heaters do not give off light and therefore in a vivarium you will need a form of lighting as well. A ceramic heater should be used in conjunction with a thermostat, which will stop the power reaching the heater as soon as the temperature goes above the setting, and turn back on as soon as it is too cool.

Power Plates, spot bulbs and heat mats are also ways of heating a vivarium. These all have their advantages and disadvantages, but in my opinion, none quite weigh out to be as good as ceramic heaters for large enclosures. Heat mats are not recommended at all for large snakes. If they are used, they should not be accessible to it.

As water pythons are nocturnal, they venture out when their predators are sleeping, and their prey is awake. This is not to say though, that they never see the sun, or any form of lighting for that matter. Having artificial light in a vivarium is aesthetically pleasing to the owner, and is a good addition to a snakes enclosure. They will use this as a photo-period, and their regular time clock will generally adjust to the settings on which you have your light set to. They do not require any form of special lighting, such as a D3 Ultra-Violet light commonly used for diurnal species. An Arcadia Natural Sunlight Fluorescent Lamp is a good form of lighting. This comes in lengths of 12 up to 48 and I suggest you use the largest size able to fit inside your vivarium.

Humidity & Water

Australian Water Pythons are exposed to a high humidity for much of the year, and exposed to a far reduced humidity level during the dry season. This should be replicated in captivity to aid to the general health and well-being of your snake. If you are looking to breed your water python, doing this will greater your chances of success. An 80-90% humidity range from November through to April and 30-50% for the rest of the year will be a suitable humidity gradient.

During the wet season, water pythons really live up to their name and often become almost fully aquatic. A large water bowl where the python can fully submerge is a great additive. Many keepers choose not to provide this as they can be messy and hard to clean. Although this is not a necessity, providing a more natural habitat will always benefit the snake.

Feeding

Hatchlings should be offered fuzzy mice or rat pups, and as they grow the mice or rats should become larger. An adult water python should be fed on large rats. One or two of these every couple of weeks is ample. Hatchlings should be fed on a regular basis, every 5-7 days is ideal. Their metabolic rate is very high and as they are growing, they need a lot more food to keep them going. The only exception when adult females should be fed more is when they need fattening up for breeding, or just after they have laid eggs. A gravid female should be fed more often for several weeks after she has laid her eggs. Snakes have the capability of building up a huge fat reserve, and become obese very easily. Taking the weight off however, is a much more difficult task. Be sure not to overfeed your snake, obese snakes will not live nearly the length as a healthy snake would due to liver and kidney problems. If you are unsure about your snakes weight, check with a reptile veterinarian.

For more reptile advice and information, please visit www.petclubuk.com

By Chris Jones
Director of Pet Club UK Ltd.
http://www.petclubuk.com