Monty

Acquired from a private individual, Monty is a very easy going snake. He is comfortable around people and easy to handle, unlike many others of his species. Ball Pythons coil up into a tight ball when they are frightened, tense or uneasy--a trait which gave this species its name. Monty rarely, if ever, does this. Monty is a good eater, consuming 4-6 mice per week. Like all tropical snakes, Monty needs his environment kept between 80-90 degrees and needs to be misted regularly to maintain the humidity in his enclosure. Your adoption fee will help feed, house and care for Monty in the coming year.

 

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Ball Python

Python regius

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Description	non-venomous python species; smallest of the African pythons; color pattern typically black with light brown-green side and dorsal blotches; belly is white or cream that may or may not have scattered black markings; stocky build; head relatively small; scales are smooth;
Sex	both sexes have anal spurs on either side of the vent; males have larger spurs; sexual maturity reached at 12-18 months for male, 24-36 months for female; second factor for sexual maturity is weight (32 oz. for males) (53 oz. for females)
Age	20-40 years; oldest captive specimen was 48 years; wild caught specimens have great difficulty adapting to captivity and often refuse to feed and are subject to parasitic infections
Length	generally 3-4 feet; rarely 5-6 foot individuals
Wingspan
Weight
Habitat	grasslands, savannahs and sparsely wooded areas; prefers mammal burrows and other underground hiding places where it aestivates during dry seasons
Status	curls into a ball when stressed or frightened, with head and neck tucked into the middle so tightly that it can be literally rolled around; reproduction is oviparous with anywhere from 3-11 large eggs being laid (more commonly 4-6); incubated by the female underground; hatch after 90 days; young grow about a foot a year for the first three years
Range	Africa
Behavior	curls into a ball when stressed or frightened, with head and neck tucked into the middle so tightly that it can be literally rolled around; reproduction is oviparous with anywhere from 3-11 large eggs being laid (more commonly 4-6); incubated by the female underground; hatch after 90 days; young grow about a foot a year for the first three years
Diet	small mammals and rodents; occasionally birds
Vocalization
Other Information	- The name Royal Python is based in part on the story that Cleopatra supposedly wore the snake around her wrist - Revered by the Igbo people of southern Nigeria. If a Ball Python is accidentally killed they will guild a coffin for the snake's remains and give it a short funeral