SHORT-TAILED PYTHON CARE

Normally, I am not an advocate of repeating what others have already done a good job at.  However, in keeping with my goal of educating others, I feel it is worth being redundant.  The Short-tailed Python care link on the left-hand side is a downloadable for anyone interested in caring for Python curtus, P. brongersmai or P. breitensteini what is collective referred to as "bloods" or "short-tailed pythons".  The literature is sparce at this time on these wonderful animals, which I am thoroughly committed to keeping.

Others like myself are bibliophiles, i.e. bookworms, and the following lists some references you should refer to for additional reading on these wonderful snakes:

• Ecological divergence among sympatric colour morphs in blood pythons, Python brongersmai by Richard Shine, Ambariyanto, Peter S. Harlow, Mumpuni
• Ecological attributes of two commercially-harvested python species in northern Sumatra by Richard Shine, Ambariyanto, Peter S. Harlow, Mumpuni
• Heavily exploited but poorly know: systematics and biogeography of commercially-harvested pythons (Python curtus group) in Southeast Asia by J. Scott Keogh, David G. Barker, and Richard Shine
• Effect of male presence on reproductive activity in captive female blood pythons, Python curtus by DeNardo, D. F., and K. Autumn. 2001. Copeia 101:1138-1141 - no fee-free available download
• The brooding habit of the blood python and of other snakes by G.K. Noble, Copeia, Vol. 1935, No. 1 (Apr. 10, 1935), pp. 1-3 - no fee-free available download

Build a Rack
There are many manufacturers of caging systems available and I encourage investigating each for the best options for you.  I currently use Vision cages and Animal Plastics racks with great success.  But even I have to admit building your own can be a better, more economical option in some cases not to mention somewhat fun. The attached designs (click here if you have Microsoft Excel) can be referred to when investigating a home-made caging option.  They worked for me and others, but there is no guarantee it will work for you.  Please consider all your options before going this route especially if you are not familiar with carpentry or electrical work.



Build an Incubator
Incubators have been around since the beginning of time.  Really, they are called maternal incubators!  Pythons maternally incubate their eggs and in some cases actually elevate their body temperature above the surrounding temperatures of their environment.  In captivity it is best to remove the eggs from the mother and artificially incubate them.  When you do this, you have to factor several things at once for success:  1) Temperature, 2) Humidity, 3) Airflow, and 4) Protection.

Temperature is straight forward with a good proportional thermostat.  There are many on the market, but my favorites are the Helix DBS-1000 and the Spyder Robotics line of thermostats.  For most python species, the appropriate incubation temperature ranges from 89-92F though higher or lower temperatures still CAN be successful, mortality increases dramatically.

Humidity is another key factor and too little can also increase mortality with pythons.  In general, you want 100% humidity with fresh air exchange to avoid mold growth and stale air.  An open container of water in the incubator combined with the appropriately hydrated incubation medium is the key to success.  Perlite and vermiculite are the best in my opinion though other media including no media have also been used with some success.  I prefer to use course vermiculite purchased from shipping or botanical supply houses and mixed with just enough water (usually 1 for 1 by weight) to make the vermiculite clump together when squeezed.

Airflow is critical in the incubation process since oxygen is needed for the eggs as the embryos develop.  Generally opening the incubator and exposing the eggs to fresh air at least once a week during the incubation process is generally sufficient depending on the volume of air in your container/incubator.  You may have to do this more frequently especially later in the inbubation process when more heat is created by the eggs and they demand more oxygen.

Protection is critical since the eggs are relatively fragile though a few keepers have dropped the eggs when removing them from the mother with no harm to the eggs.  Even I have to admit to doing this once and even though I was mortified with my slip, the egg hatched successfully and the animal developed normally.  Obviously Humpty Dumpty wasn't from a python!  Some keepers try to pip the eggs or slit the egg shell to peek at the offspring.  I don't recommend this unless you have been shown how.  However, it is very exciting to see a peek at the morph or species you are hatching.  Click here to see what it looks like under "the hood" of the egg when a egg is successfully pipped. 

Return on Investment
Inevitably someone decides to make some money off their hobby.  The question is when is an financial commitment in breeding stock worth it from an investment perspective?  Most of us just like to get the newest, prettiest, most unusual animals for our own enjoyment, but they often cost a lot of money.  So many decide to justify the expense by breeding the animal and at least recovering some of the initial outlay of cash to justify the purchase.  Being an accountant, I found many ways to justify a purchase with my wife.  Only time proves whether my justification satisfies her expectations!  One way is to dazzle with investment analysis the most popular being "return on investment" calculations.  By selecting the following link to my ROI Spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel 2007 or a less functional version in Microsoft Excel 2003, you can do your own calculations to determine whether the hypothetical purchase and returns will justify the outlays of cash.  Let me know what you think or if you have any questions.



Big Snakes, Big Mistakes
This sounds ominous and it should.  Handling animals especially large or potentially life-threatening animals should always be done with care.  Large contrictors warrant special care for many reasons.  Click on this link to download a document with helpful advice for anyone wanting to understand the safety precautions to take around these fantastic and sometimes frightening animals.  At the end of the paper is some legal references for Illinois keepers for additional information.

Helpful Tips and Tricks
This helpful download is in construction - stay tuned!