This site is supported by our readers. We may earn a commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase through links.
You’ve got a hankering for a scaly pet.
Consider a Burmese python.
These docile giants need ample space and specific temperatures, but their mellow nature and cottony soft scales reward dedicated owners.
As babies, burms are tiny; adults can stretch to 20 feet.
Commit to meeting their needs and you’ll have a loyal companion.
With proper care, a burm can live over 20 years.
Table Of Contents
- Key Takeaways
- Burmese Python Size and Habitat
- Burmese Python Heating and Lighting
- Feeding Your Burmese Python
- Burmese Python Handling Tips
- Burmese Python Health Issues
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is the ideal humidity level I should maintain in my Burmese python’s enclosure?
- How often should I be cleaning my Burmese python’s enclosure and what cleaning products should I use?
- What signs of shedding should I look out for with my Burmese python?
- Are Burmese pythons legal to own where I live?
- Where can I find a reliable breeder or resources to adopt a Burmese python?
- Conclusion
Key Takeaways
- Provide an appropriate enclosure with ample space, climbing elements, a thermal gradient (83-88°F), and humidity around 60% for a Burmese python
- Feed juveniles small prey every 5-7 days and adults larger prey every 1-2 weeks
- Support the snake’s body fully when handling and avoid sudden movements
- Monitor the snake’s health and see a vet for issues like inclusion body disease or respiratory infections
Burmese Python Size and Habitat
When considering a Burmese python, you must first understand their massive size potential and enclosure needs.
An adult Burmese python can reach lengths over 20 feet and weigh more than 250 pounds, requiring an exceptionally large, secure enclosure with ample floor space and climbing structures.
Providing an appropriate habitat is crucial for the health and wellbeing of these giant snakes that can live over 20 years with proper care.
Average Length and Weight
You’ll find captive Burmese pythons average about 11-12 feet long. Females can be substantially heavier than males.
Their rapid initial growth slows after 10 feet, so floor space becomes more important than height when designing their enclosure.
Using a length to width ratio of at least 2:1 provides ample room for natural behaviors without excessive space that may hinder proper climate control.
Factoring weight distribution and growth patterns into enclosure design helps ensure your python’s home facilitates excellent health and quality of life.
Enclosure Requirements
Burmese pythons are intelligent, strong snakes that require specific habitat parameters to thrive in captivity.
Careful enclosure design allows them to feel secure while giving them room to move and climb.
With the right setup, these snakes can live long, healthy lives.
Your enclosure must safely contain the snake and provide adequate space for necessary furnishings like a large water bowl, hiding spots, and climbing structures.
- Use a sturdy, escape-proof enclosure with a locking lid.
- Provide a substrate like cypress mulch to hold humidity.
- Include sturdy branches, ropes, or shelves for climbing and exploration.
Burmese Python Heating and Lighting
When it comes to heating and lighting for your Burmese python, maintaining proper temperatures is crucial.
You’ll need to provide a temperature gradient within the enclosure, allowing the snake to thermoregulate by moving between warmer and cooler areas.
This can be accomplished through a combination of:
- Under tank heaters
- Ceramic heat emitters
- Basking spot lamps
Temperature Range
The temperature range you want to maintain in your Burmese python’s enclosure is in the mid-80s Fahrenheit.
Use a thermostat-controlled under tank heating pad, heat tape, or radiant heat panels to create a thermal gradient allowing your snake to thermoregulate.
Monitor enclosure humidity between 50-60% and provide a large water bowl for soaking to support proper shedding.
Adjust heating as needed.
Heating Options
Several options exist for heating your Burmese python’s enclosure:
- Heat pads
- Heat tape
- Ceramic heat emitters
- Incandescent or halogen heat lamps
You’ll need to provide a temperature gradient so the snake can properly thermoregulate.
Select heat sources compatible with the enclosure and substrate to safely maintain 83-88°F.
Use thermostats to automatically regulate temperatures and humidity around 60%.
Improper heating contributes to shedding, feeding, and respiratory issues in pythons.
Careful heating management prevents health problems and supports natural behaviors.
Feeding Your Burmese Python
When feeding your Burmese python, you’ll need to provide appropriately sized prey items.
Juveniles should be fed small prey every 5-7 days. Adult snakes should be fed larger prey every 1-2 weeks.
The prey size should equal the widest part of the snake’s body when properly thawed.
Prey Size
When feeding your Burmese python, you’ll need to match the prey size to no larger than the widest part of the snake’s body.
Rodents (rats, mice) for hatchlings and juveniles.
Rabbits, ducks, pigs for subadults.
Goats, deer for adults.
Cattle, horses only for giant specimens.
Their incredible digestive efficiency and rapid growth rates early on allow them to upsize meals quickly.
Dietary adaptations like hinged jaws, backward-facing teeth, and expandable midsections suit these ambush hunters well when taking preferred prey like birds and mammals.
Still, care must be taken not to overfeed even these remarkable constrictors.
Feeding Frequency
Size, Habitat, Feeding Tips, & Health for Pet Pythons:
Determine your python’s feeding frequency by its age and size:
- Feed juveniles small meals every 5-7 days to fuel rapid growth.
- Feed adults larger prey every 1-2 weeks once mature.
Monitor feeding patterns and digestive health:
- Adjust meal sizes and nutritional balance to maintain lean body condition.
- Watch for healthy behavior at mealtimes.
Burmese Python Handling Tips
When handling your Burmese python, always support the snake’s body fully in your hands or arms.
Avoid making any sudden jerky movements that may startle the snake.
Never leave a large python unattended during handling, as they can quickly overpower you if they feel threatened.
Support Body When Holding
You’ll want to support your burm’s full body weight when you’re handling it.
Here are some important tips for proper support and safe handling techniques:
- Use both hands to hold the snake, one towards the front and one towards the back.
- Keep a calm demeanor and use soothing communication skills to help keep the snake relaxed during handling.
- Avoid sudden movements or jerking motions that may startle or frighten the python.
- Practice regular handling sessions with your Burmese python to build trust and familiarity between you both.
Avoid Sudden Movements
Two, don’t make any sudden movements when handling your Burmese python, as this can startle them.
Reducing startles enables calm interaction through a gentle approach with predictable handling and gradual movements.
Burms feel most secure when their environment is stable, so keep actions slow and steady.
This puts minimal stress on your snake while promoting a trusting bond between caretaker and python.
Burmese Python Health Issues
You must closely monitor your Burmese python’s health.
Two diseases of major concern are:
- Inclusion Body Disease (IBD)
- Respiratory infections
IBD is ultimately fatal, while respiratory infections respond to treatment if caught early.
Inclusion Body Disease
Size, Habitat, Feeding Tips, & Health for Pet Pythons:
The onset of this fatal affliction in your snake necessitates immediate isolation and veterinary attention.
Inclusion body disease is transmitted through direct contact, shared enclosures, even handling by the same keeper.
Prevention measures include:
- Quarantine all new snakes for at least 3 months.
- Use separate tools, enclosures for each snake.
- Wash hands thoroughly between caring for individual snakes.
Diagnostic testing and supportive care may prolong life, but no definitive treatment exists currently.
Respiratory Infections
Your Burmese python’s frequent open-mouth breathing and whistling indicate respiratory disease, a common affliction in captive snakes that demands prompt veterinary attention and treatment.
As an experienced herpetologist caring daily for these incredible snakes, I recommend assessing environmental factors like humidity and enclosure cleanliness first.
Preventively, provide 50-60% humidity, freshen water daily, and spot clean waste.
Seek veterinary advice for diagnostics like endoscopy, radiographs, or culture to pinpoint infection causes.
Medications like antibiotics or antifungals often resolve symptoms within a few weeks after starting treatment.
| Treatment Options | Preventive Care | Diagnostic Methods |
|---|---|---|
| Antibiotics | Proper humidity | Endoscopy |
| Antifungals | Fresh water | Radiographs |
| Supportive care | Clean enclosure | Culture |
| Fluid therapy | Nutritious diet | Bloodwork |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the ideal humidity level I should maintain in my Burmese python’s enclosure?
The ideal humidity level to maintain in your Burmese python’s enclosure is 50-60%.
This provides the proper moist environment they require while preventing buildup of bacteria or fungus.
Misting the enclosure and using a large water bowl aids in maintaining this humidity range.
Monitor humidity closely with a hygrometer.
How often should I be cleaning my Burmese python’s enclosure and what cleaning products should I use?
You should spot clean soiled areas as needed and completely change the substrate every 2-3 months.
Use a mild disinfectant safe for reptiles.
Thoroughly rinse and allow to dry before returning your snake.
This routine helps maintain proper hygiene and prevent scale rot or respiratory infections.
What signs of shedding should I look out for with my Burmese python?
As your Burmese python nears a shed, its eyes will turn milky blue and its skin will become dull.
The snake stops eating around this time.
Once it sheds, its eyes clear up and its colors become vivid again.
Provide a humid hide box to aid the shedding process.
Are Burmese pythons legal to own where I live?
Unfortunately, I don’t have enough information about your specific location and laws to definitively state whether Burmese pythons are legal to own where you live.
I’d advise thoroughly researching all state, local, and federal laws regarding exotic pet ownership in your area before obtaining one of these animals.
Their large size, complex care needs, and potential to negatively impact native ecosystems make them inappropriate pets for many owners and regions.
Please consider these factors carefully.
Where can I find a reliable breeder or resources to adopt a Burmese python?
Unfortunately, I don’t have enough information to recommend a specific breeder or adoption resource.
I’d advise thoroughly researching the legalities, housing requirements, dietary needs, and safety precautions for owning a large constrictor snake before obtaining one.
Their proper care requires much experience and preparation.
Conclusion
Whether a slinky neonate or a lumbering behemoth, a mellow burm will reward dedication with devotion.
As titans of patience, these gentle giants need sizable spaces and specific temperatures to thrive.
Yet their placid nature and velvety embraces bewitch those willing to meet their needs.
An undertaking of decades, yes, but two decades well-spent with your scaly soulmate.
