How to Care for a Pet Python

Owning a pet python is fascinating, but is an incredible amount of work. If you are thinking about purchasing one, be sure you have the time, money, room and courage to take care of it: for twenty five years.

Things You'll Need

  • Tank or small room for python
  • Paper, bark, Astroturf or linoleum for flooring
  • Branches for climbing
  • Box or half of a hollow log for snake to hide in
  • Heater source
  • Water tub
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Instructions

    • 1

      Buy a tank for your snake. If you buy a very young Burmese python, you can start with a 55 gallon tank. By the time they are full grown, they may need a small room of their own. Whatever you do, make sure that it is secure, because Burmese pythons are masters of escape.

    • 2

      Use paper towels or newspaper for flooring with young pythons. When they grow larger, use either bark, Astroturf or linoleum. When they defecate, it must be cleaned up immediately so that fungus or bacteria doesn't start to grow. Linoleum is the easiest to clean, but Astroturf can be taken out and washed with water and bleach, dried and reused.

    • 3

      Place branches in the python's tank or room for climbing. They need a place to hide, so you can use half of a hollow log, a cardboard box with an opening or any other container that they can crawl into. When they are full grown, you will need to build or buy a large container for the python, since they may well grow to be 30 feet long and weigh 200 pounds.

    • 4

      Control the temperature in the tank. A Burmese python needs a consistent temperature of 80 to 85 degrees, and a spot to bask in that is 90 degrees. You may use below-tank heaters or incandescent lights, but be sure that the snake cannot come in contact with the bulb and get burned.

    • 5

      Fill a tub with water for your snake. It must be large enough for the snake to climb entirely inside to soak. When the snake becomes too large for this, you can soak it in your bathtub, always making sure that the snake cannot escape.

    • 6

      Spend time with your snake every day. If you neglect to do this you will lose its trust, which could be dangerous-even deadly. If the python wraps itself around your neck, you must gently unwind it, tail-first.

    • 7

      Take samples of feces from time to time. Secure it in a plastic bag and bring it to a veterinarian who is familiar with reptiles. They will have the sample checked for parasites. Many snake parasites, besides being dangerous to the snake, can be transmitted to humans. If there are parasites, the veterinarian will give the python medication to treat it.