Pet Python Snake Care Sheet

Pythons are a family of 41 nonvenomous snake species found in Asia, Africa, and Australia. This care sheet outlines basic care needs for a variety of python species, including: 

• Carpet pythons 

• Blood pythons 

• Green tree pythons

While each species of python has a unique appearance, all pythons have a triangle-shaped head and hook-like fangs that they use to capture and latch onto prey. 

• As babies, green tree pythons are yellow, red, or dark brown. In adulthood, these snakes take on a distinctive grass-green color that helps them blend into trees and rainforests. 

• Blood pythons usually have a vibrant red body with blotches of yellow or brown along their sides. 

• Carpet pythons can have different colorations depending on their subspecies. For example, jungle carpet pythons have patterned black and yellow scales, while coastal carpet pythons are olive-brown with yellow stripes.

Pythons have holes near their mouth (called “pits”) that allow them to “see” infrared by detecting heat. In nature, this ability helps pythons find warm-blooded prey. 

Green tree pythons and carpet pythons are naturally arboreal snakes, meaning they climb trees. Blood pythons are terrestrial, or ground-dwelling, snakes that spend most of their time on the ground. 

Python Characteristics 

Difficulty of Care	Intermediate
Average Lifespan	Up to 30 years with proper care
Average Adult Size	Up to 10 feet long, depending on species
Diet	Carnivorous
Minimum Habitat Size	Varies depending on species

 

Pet Python Snake Handling

Pythons are known to nip when handled or restrained roughly. Like all snakes, they’re more likely to strike if they feel ill, stressed, or threatened.

Never grab a python when they are in motion. Wait until the snake is relaxed and still. 

When handling a python, allow the snake to move freely through your hands instead of trying to restrain them. 

On occasion, snakes may mistake human hands as food. This sometimes happens during shedding periods, when the clear scales that cover the snake’s eyes (eye caps) become loose and impair their vision.  

Always approach a snake calmly and quietly and try to minimize handling when they are shedding, as snakes are often more irritable during this time. 

All reptiles are potential carriers of infectious diseases, including salmonella bacteria, which is transmittable to people (zoonotic). Pet parents should always wash their hands before and after handling their snake or the habitat’s contents. 

Pet Python Snake Supplies List

To keep a pet python healthy, have these basic supplies on hand: 

• Appropriately sized habitat 

• Frozen rodents 

• Substrate 

• Sphagnum moss 

• Water dish 

• Hideaway place 

• Climbing decor 

• Plants 

• Heat lights and fixtures 

• UV light emitter 

• Under-tank heater 

• Thermostat 

• Thermometers 

• Humidity gauge 

• Mister 

Pet Python Enclosure

The recommended habitat size for a pet python varies depending on the snake’s size. Juvenile pythons need an enclosure that measures at least 18” L x 12” W x 12” H (around 15+ gallons), while adults need a habitat that’s 36” L x 24” W x 24” H (around 90+ gallons) or larger.

Many python species are large and easily stressed when approached from above, so open-top glass aquariums are not ideal. Instead, look for an enclosure with hinged or sliding side doors that lock securely.

Ensure that the habitat is properly ventilated by securing it with a fitted screened lid or by drilling holes into the side of the habitat. 

Tree-climbing species, including green tree pythons and carpet pythons, need a taller enclosure with plenty of vertical space for climbing. The snake should be able to reach the highest perch in its enclosure safely and easily.

Ground-dwelling pythons, such as blood pythons, thrive in wide habitats with plenty of horizontal floor space for hiding, resting, and exploring.

Most pythons reach their adult size in three to four years with proper care. Young pythons can feel stressed living in an overly large enclosure, so it’s best to gradually increase the habitat’s size as the snake matures instead of placing a baby snake in an adult-sized enclosure. 

Python Snake Habitat Mates 

Pythons are solitary animals that should always be housed alone. Keeping more than one python in the same habitat can encourage stress, aggression, and competition between tank mates. 

Never keep different species of reptiles or other animals in the same habitat.  

Python Tank Temperature 

Pythons need a thermal gradient in their enclosure so they can warm up and cool down as needed. The recommended temperature for the warm end of a python’s habitat is 85 to 90 F, while the cooler end should be kept between 75 and 80 F. Temperatures should not fall below 70 F at nighttime.

When not kept within their optimum temperature range, snakes are more likely to become immunosuppressed and sick. 

Pet parents must check the temperatures of their python’s habitat daily. At least two thermometers—one in the warm area and one in the cool area—should be placed in the enclosure so that both zones can be checked at once. A digital point-and-shoot thermometer can also be used to instantly read habitat temperatures. 

Python Snake Tank Lighting and Heating

You should install an over-the-tank basking lamp with a heat bulb to supply radiant heat in your snake’s habitat.

The wattage needed for the heat bulb will vary depending on the size of the enclosure, the distance of the bulb from the snake, and the ambient temperature of the room in which the enclosure is kept. Adjust the wattage of the bulb to maintain the recommended temperature gradient within the tank.

Note: Some light bulbs provide not only light to the tank, but also heat and/or ultraviolet (UV) light. Check the light sources you are considering so you fully understand their function in the tank. 

• Heat sources should be attached to a thermostat to keep temperatures within a safe and comfortable range. 

• Hot rocks should not be used because they can get too warm and cause injury.

• In some climates, under-tank heating pads can be used with heat bulbs to keep a snake’s habitat in the optimal range. If an under-tank heating pad is used, it must always be connected to a thermostat to prevent the snake from getting burned.

• Light bulbs should never be placed inside a snake’s habitat and should instead be suspended above the enclosure with a light fixture. Otherwise, the snake may try to curl themself around the bulb, causing severe burns. 

White lights should not be left on continuously, as they will disrupt the snake’s natural sleep cycle and negatively affect their overall health. At night, turn off lights inside the snake’s enclosure or switch to a nocturnal or infrared light to ensure the snake can rest.

UV Light 

Studies show that daily exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light can improve snakes’ immune system function and promote normal behavior such as basking. Pythons can also see within the UV spectrum, so providing UVB light also helps keep those visual cones in the eye active. Pet parents should provide their python with 10 to 12 hours of UVB light daily to imitate natural sunlight.

• UV lights should be placed about 12–18 inches from where the reptile sits.

• Replace UV bulbs every six months, as their potency wanes over time. 

• A day/night timer can make it easier to maintain a consistent day and night cycle. 

Python Tank Humidity 

Pythons need humidity in their environment to stay hydrated, support their respiratory system, and encourage healthy shed cycles. Habitat humidity levels should be maintained between 40 and 60% and monitored daily with a humidity gauge (hygrometer).

Pet pythons should have a bowl of fresh water in their habitat that’s wide and shallow enough for the snake to soak in at all times.

Increase the enclosure’s humidity when your snake is shedding. To boost humidity levels, mist the habitat’s interior walls and decor each day. A humid hide (a hideout box packed with moistened sphagnum moss or paper towels) should also be provided. Be sure to change the moss often to prevent mold from growing. 

Python Tank Substrate 

The bottom of a python’s habitat should be lined with a layer of substrate that’s deep enough for the snake to burrow in. Paper-based bedding, cypress mulch, coconut husk, and aspen wood shavings are all good options.

However, reptile carpet is not recommended because it will prevent the snake from digging, hiding, and burrowing in its substrate.

Pine and cedar bedding should not be used. They have oils that can irritate a snake’s skin and respiratory tract and cause illness. 

When selecting a substrate for your python’s tank, keep a few things in mind: 

• If aspen shavings are used as a substrate, they must be replaced weekly to prevent the bedding from getting excessively wet or soiled and becoming moldy.

Wood shavings, mulch, and coconut husk bedding are all indigestible. If any of these substrates are used, the snake should be fed in a separate enclosure without any substrate. Otherwise, the snake may accidentally consume bedding that is indigestible and develop a gastrointestinal tract obstruction. 

Python Tank Decorations

Terrarium Background

Pythons tend to be happier and less stressed in habitats with opaque sides and tops because it helps them feel secure and protected from potential predators. You can install a terrarium background in the snake’s enclosure. 

Climbing Branches and Shelves

Green tree pythons, carpet pythons, and other tree-climbing species should have sturdy branches and shelves of assorted sizes installed in their habitat so they can explore and exercise. 

Ensure that any branches installed in the habitat are sturdy and strong enough to support the snake’s body weight. Otherwise, the branch could topple over and cause injury. 

For larger/heavier snakes, shelves can be a safer and sturdier option than branches. 

Hiding Areas

Provide your python with at least two hiding areas—one kept on the warmer side of the enclosure and one on the cooler side. Aside from offering the snake some privacy, hideouts can help pythons regulate their body temperature, as they give the snake a space away from their enclosure’s direct basking area. 

• Monitor your snake’s behavior to be sure they are not hiding all the time, as they won’t have a chance to benefit from UV light exposure. 

• Synthetic or natural wood hiding logs are recommended. 

• Hiding logs should always be large enough for the snake to fit inside comfortably. Remember to increase the size of the hideout boxes as your python grows. 

Moss

Add moistened sphagnum moss to the inside of a hideout box kept on the warm side of a python’s enclosure to create a humid hide. Sphagnum moss holds moisture well and can aid in healthy shedding. Moss should be replaced often to prevent mold from forming. 

How To Clean a Snake Tank

A snake’s habitat needs to be cleaned and disinfected at least once a week with either a commercially available habitat cleaner or a 3% bleach solution.

To clean a python’s habitat, take these steps: 

1. Move the snake to a secure environment. Remove any old substrate, decor, and accessories from the habitat. 

2. Scrub the empty tank and any furnishings with a reptile habitat cleaner or 3% bleach solution. The bleach solution should stay on the habitat for at least 10 minutes to ensure that the surfaces are disinfected properly. If using a commercial habitat cleaner, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. 

3. Rinse the habitat and accessories thoroughly with water, making sure to remove any trace amounts or residual smells left by the cleaning agent or bleach solution.

4. Allow the habitat and its contents to dry completely before placing new substrate and clean accessories into the habitat. 

5. Return the snake to the clean habitat. 

What To Feed a Python

Pythons feed on whole, thawed previously frozen rodents, such as mice and rats. Snakes should always have access to fresh clean water.

Pythons can be diurnal (active during the day) or nocturnal (active at night) depending on their species. Pet parents can do additional research on the specific type of python they’re caring for to determine the best time to feed their snake.

Use feeding tongs, not fingers, to offer meals so that snakes do not associate hands with feeding and strike at hands. 

A nutritious and well-balanced diet for a python consists of appropriately sized frozen rodents, thawed and warmed.

The snake’s ideal feeding schedule will depend on its age, size, and activity level:

• Baby pythons and juveniles should be fed at least once a week. 

• Adult pythons should be fed every 1–2 weeks. Pet parents may decide to feed their snake less often if their pet is getting overweight.

• Pet parents should begin juvenile snakes on a diet of “pinkies,” or young and nearly hairless mice. As the snake grows into adulthood, it can be transitioned to a diet of slightly larger immature mice (“fuzzies” and larger “hoppers”). Eventually, snakes can be offered full-grown mice and rats. 

• Prey should be around the same size as the snake’s width at mid-body.

• Frozen rodents should never be microwaved, as this can leave “hot spots” that can burn a reptile. 

Fresh, clean water should always be available and replaced daily. Since reptiles absorb water through their skin to stay hydrated, especially during shedding periods, their water dishes should be large and shallow enough to allow them to soak in them.

Snake Feeding Guidelines 

Live prey should never be fed to pet snakes. While still alive, rodents can become aggressive and leave severe wounds that lead to life-threatening infections.

Ideally, feeding sessions should take place in a separate, empty enclosure that does not have any bedding material, to ensure that your snake will not accidentally ingest any bedding.

Instead of fingers, always use long feeding tongs to offer food to your snake. That way, the snake will not learn to associate your hand or the opening of their usual habitat with feeding. 

If you do decide to feed a snake in their usual habitat, food should always be offered in a bowl, rather than being placed directly on the floor of a snake’s habitat. Otherwise, the snake may accidentally ingest some of its bedding while eating, potentially leading to digestive blockages and other health issues. 

If a snake misses more than a couple of feeding sessions or regurgitates food, consult a veterinarian, especially if the snake isn’t shedding at the time. Snakes can become ill if they don’t eat food for extended periods. 

How to Thaw Frozen Prey 

To thaw frozen prey, take these steps: 

1. Remove the needed number of food items from the bag. 

2. Put the frozen food in a sealed plastic bag and place it in a thawing container filled with cold water. The thawing container should only be used for thawing your reptile’s frozen meals. 

3. Keep the food in the water until it thaws. Discard the cold water. 

4. Refill the thawing container with warm water. 

5. Place the thawed prey, still in the sealed plastic bag, in the warm water. Allow it to soak for 10–15 minutes before discarding the water. 

6. Just before feeding, run nearly hot water over the thawed food to warm it above room temperature. 

7. Remove the thawed food from the container and the plastic bag.

8. Using feeding tongs, offer the food to the pet right away. 

Remember: Pet parents should never use a microwave to thaw or warm frozen rodents, and never offer food that’s still frozen to a pet. Microwaving frozen rodents can also leave “hot spots” that can burn a reptile. Frozen food that has been thawed but not consumed should never be refrozen for future use, as this encourages bacteria to form in the food. 

Avoid preparing frozen rodents in the same area that you use to prepare food for personal consumption. If this is unavoidable, be sure to disinfect the area thoroughly after use. 

Pet Python Care

Shedding

Adult pythons will shed their skin multiple times a year. Healthy snakes should shed their skin in one complete piece. Younger snakes that are actively growing tend to shed more frequently than adults. 

• When snakes get ready to shed, their eye color turns cloudy blue or green and their skin develops a whitish sheen. 

• A snake’s eye caps, also called its spectacles, should come off with the rest of their shed skin. If the eye caps do not fall off, pet parents should not try to remove them and instead consult a veterinarian. 

• Snakes may become irritable and lose interest in eating while shedding. Avoid handling snakes during shedding periods.

Snakes can soak themselves in a shallow, open water dish to help them shed and stay hydrated. Damp paper towels and moistened sphagnum moss should be placed in the snake’s enclosure to provide moisture and encourage healthy shedding. You can also mist your snake daily with warm water to support proper hydration. 

If they aren’t soaking on their own, you should soak your snake for 10–15 minutes, two to three times a week.    

Pet Python Snake Veterinary Care

Annual Care

It is recommended to take your snake to your exotic veterinarian once a year, twice a year when they are seniors. They can be transported in a well-ventilated bin that is secure and escape-proof. It is important to also transport them within their optimal temperature zone by using warm water bottles, microwavable bean bags, and blankets to help insulate the transport carrier on the way to the vet.

Signs of a Healthy Python Snake

•  Active

• Clear open eyes

• Clean vent

• Small amount of saliva in the oral cavity

• Skin is intact, no bumps or swelling, or retained shed

• Regular flicking of their pink tongue

When To Call a Veterinarian

• Prolonged anorexia (not eating), does not eat for several feeding sessions and not actively shedding

• Regurgitation of food

• Lethargy

• Abnormal discharge from mouth or vent

• Visible injuries or abnormalities to scales/body

• Changes in breathing, such as open mouth breathing or nasal discharge

• Prolapse of tissue from vent

• Seizures or abnormal tongue flicking

Common Illnesses in Python Snakes

• Dystocia or difficulty passing eggs

• Burns

• Difficulty shedding (dysecdysis)

• Anorexia (not eating)

• Trauma or injury from prey items

• Respiratory disease

• Swelling or masses

• Parasites

• Infectious stomatitis or mouth rot