Description:
Scientific name: Python sebae
Life span: 20-30 years
Sub-Saharan Africa is home to the sizable, non-venomous African rock python. Despite the fact that it rarely kills humans, it is one of the six largest snake species in the world and is greatly feared. African rock pythons have a robust body covered in colorful spots that frequently come together to form a wide, wavy stripe. The color of the body patterns, which range from brown to olive to yellow to chestnut, fades to white on the underside. These snakes have triangular heads that are marked with a dark brown “spear-head” that is bordered in buffy yellow on top. The subocular mark, a characteristic triangle feature, is located beneath the eye. The African rock python has small, smooth scales, like all pythons, while males have smaller scales.
Additionally, unlike more sophisticated snakes, which only have one functional lung, pythons have two working lungs. They also have small, noticeable pelvic spurs that are thought to be the remains of their rear limbs. In this species, males are frequently smaller than females.
Native Region/Habitat
From Senegal in the east through Ethiopia and Somalia in the south to Namibia and South Africa, African rock pythons can be found practically everywhere in sub-Saharan Africa. They can be found in a variety of settings, including rocky terrain, semi desert, grassland, and forests.
Behavior:
Although African rock pythons are typically nocturnal reptiles, they occasionally emerge from hiding places during the day to enjoy the sun. These snakes normally hibernate during the dry season. African rock pythons are notoriously violent and can become very defensive when threatened.
Care As a pet/In captivity:
The python grows well in enclosures that are 4 feet long, 2 feet deep, and 2 feet tall as a juvenile. It will be necessary to upgrade to a much larger enclosure when the python grows. Approximately 7 x 3 x 2 feet may be plenty for a guy, but females may want something much larger.
- Naturally, African rock pythons would feel temperatures of about 31°C (88°F) in the sun. We attempt to distribute this heat across a third of the enclosure, allowing the remaining portion to drop to 29 °C (85 °F) on the other side.
- Unlike other reptiles, African rock pythons do not need UVB to use the calcium in their diet, but it is still a useful addition to the enclosure. Since we are attempting to replicate nature in our enclosures, we advise supplying some UVB. The snake would be naturally exposed to UV from sunshine outdoors.
- If the python won’t eat anything else, more unusual alternative diets such as gerbils, hamsters, multimammate mice, or chicks could be utilized, although they aren’t as nutrient-dense as the mice and aren’t always as readily available.
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