Description:
Scientific name: Bothrochilus boa
Life span: Over 20 years
Adults reach a height between 15 and 183 cm (4.99–6.00 ft). In juveniles, the color pattern is made up of a series of vivid orange and black rings, but as the snakes get older, this pattern starts to diminish. Adults typically have a uniform blackish brown coloration or a brown hue with black rings. Behind the eye, there is typically a bright spot. It’s possible for certain specimens to lack, have irregularly shaped, or even no black rings at all. Extremely iridescent scales
Native Region/Habitat
The type locality given is “Nouvelle Irlande,” and it can be found on a number of islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, including Umboi, New Britain, Gasmata (off the southern coast), and Duke of York and nearby Mioko, New Ireland and nearby Tatau (off the east coast), the New Hanover Islands, and Nissan Island (New Ireland). The open, cultivated, and/or rain forests where the Bismarck ringed python lives are frequented by mounds of coconut husks.
Behavior:
Even though Bismarck ringed pythons are nocturnal and crepuscular, they are active snakes that can be seen at any time of day. They aggressively seek out food, thus even though they may try to sneak up on their prey, they will not wait for it to come to them. They are not at all lethargic and slow moving like other pythons, according to their keepers, who claim that their behavior is more akin to that of a colubrid. Although handling them is more of an exercise than a neck ornament because this species isn’t aggressive.
Care As a pet/In captivity:
The following precautions should be taken when keeping a Bismarck Ringed Python in captivity:
- A juvenile can live in a cage that is 18x12x12. For the snake’s first year or so of life, this will be sufficient. You will need to upgrade the enclosure as your snake develops. Once they are about a year old, you may decide whether to do this gradually or by putting them right into their adult enclosure. An enclosure for an adult Bismarck Ringed Python should be at least 3 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet in size. Larger specimens can require a bigger enclosure.
- Your Bismarck Ringed Python enclosure’s warm side should be around 88°F, while the cool side can be as low as 80°F. Your snake will be able to effectively control its body temperature as a result. Place the heat source on one side of the enclosure. As the snake crawls away from the heat source, this will provide the appropriate thermal gradient.
- A humidity range of 60 to 80% is preferred for Bismarck Ringed Pythons. This can be accomplished by putting a sizable bowl of water within the enclosure and often spraying the substrate and walls.
- One rat of the proper size each week may be fed to this. The size of the meal shouldn’t be larger than the snake’s circumference at its broadest point.
Description:
Scientific name: Bothrochilus boa
Life span: Over 20 years
Adults reach a height between 15 and 183 cm (4.99–6.00 ft). In juveniles, the color pattern is made up of a series of vivid orange and black rings, but as the snakes get older, this pattern starts to diminish. Adults typically have a uniform blackish brown coloration or a brown hue with black rings. Behind the eye, there is typically a bright spot. It’s possible for certain specimens to lack, have irregularly shaped, or even no black rings at all. Extremely iridescent scales
Native Region/Habitat
The type locality given is “Nouvelle Irlande,” and it can be found on a number of islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, including Umboi, New Britain, Gasmata (off the southern coast), and Duke of York and nearby Mioko, New Ireland and nearby Tatau (off the east coast), the New Hanover Islands, and Nissan Island (New Ireland). The open, cultivated, and/or rain forests where the Bismarck ringed python lives are frequented by mounds of coconut husks.
Behavior:
Even though Bismarck ringed pythons are nocturnal and crepuscular, they are active snakes that can be seen at any time of day. They aggressively seek out food, thus even though they may try to sneak up on their prey, they will not wait for it to come to them. They are not at all lethargic and slow moving like other pythons, according to their keepers, who claim that their behavior is more akin to that of a colubrid. Although handling them is more of an exercise than a neck ornament because this species isn’t aggressive.
Care As a pet/In captivity:
The following precautions should be taken when keeping a Bismarck Ringed Python in captivity:
- A juvenile can live in a cage that is 18x12x12. For the snake’s first year or so of life, this will be sufficient. You will need to upgrade the enclosure as your snake develops. Once they are about a year old, you may decide whether to do this gradually or by putting them right into their adult enclosure. An enclosure for an adult Bismarck Ringed Python should be at least 3 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet in size. Larger specimens can require a bigger enclosure.
- Your Bismarck Ringed Python enclosure’s warm side should be around 88°F, while the cool side can be as low as 80°F. Your snake will be able to effectively control its body temperature as a result. Place the heat source on one side of the enclosure. As the snake crawls away from the heat source, this will provide the appropriate thermal gradient.
- A humidity range of 60 to 80% is preferred for Bismarck Ringed Pythons. This can be accomplished by putting a sizable bowl of water within the enclosure and often spraying the substrate and walls.
- One rat of the proper size each week may be fed to this. The size of the meal shouldn’t be larger than the snake’s circumference at its broadest point.
Table
