Why a Spotted Python Should Totally Be Your Next Pet

Australia is a hot spot for reptiles; roughly 172 differentsnake speciesinhabit the Land Down Under. To find spotted pythons in their natural habitat, head east young traveler.Antaresia maculosaisnativeto eastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales.

Macs can thrive in a variety of environments, from forests to farmlands. They tend to prefer areas where rocky outcrops are found — and they've got a marked affinity for caves. Not unrelatedly, these pythons like to hunt bats.

Suspending themselves from the roof or walls, Macs wait for the aerial mammals to enter a cave in large numbers, usually at dusk. With a well-aimed strike, one of these snakes can pluck a victim from mid-air. Then the bat is constricted and swallowed.

But not every meal has to come on the fly. Wild Macs will alsoeatsmall birds, lizards, amphibians and rodents.

Most pythonshave sensory holes called "pits" clustered near their mouths — and Macs are no exception. The openings connect to organs which allow the reptiles to detectinfrared radiationgiven off by warm-bodied animals, which is a useful skill to have, since spotted pythons are nocturnal. Another asset is their vertical slit-like pupils. Researchers think eyes of this sort help their ownersassess depthin low-light conditions.

小型的,因为它可能看起来,python是一种发现ctually the biggest snake in its genus. Herpetologists recognizethree otherAntaresiaspecies, all of whom are limited to Australia. Up in the north, you may encounter the Children's python (Antaresiachildreni),a wee reptile named after its discoverer, naturalist John George Children. Next up, there'sAntaresiastimsoni, commonly called the Stimson's python.

But the real show-stealer might just be the itsy-bitsyanthill python(Antaresia perthensis).Indigenous to Western Australia,它是最小的生活python known to science, maxing out at 24 inches (61 centimeters) long. At that size, one could easily rest on your forearm.

And while we're on the subject of handling, let's get back to the Macs.

No two snakes are exactly alike; members of the same species might possess vastly different temperaments. Stranger things have happened. Still, if treated with respect, spotted pythons can make calm, affable pets who are tolerant of extended handling sessions, to boot.

You'll want to make sure your snake doesn'tassociatehuman hands with food. If the python only ever sees those lovely fingers at mealtime, it might start to get overexcited and bite the palm, wrist or arm that feeds it. Holding your Mac in between feeding sessions can help combat this problem, especially if the snake's still young and impressionable. Just don't pick the animal up right after it's eaten something; give itat least 24 hoursto digest its meal first. When they're young, spotted pythons tend to be a bit snappy and will latch on to a finger, but they are non-venomous and apuff of airwill cause them to let go and retreat.

Bats are great fodder for wild Macs, but captives will happily take thawed-out mice. Keepers should feed babies one mouse every five days. Juveniles and adults get one every seven to 10 days. Bigger snakes need bigger prey; a good rule of thumb is to serve up rodents that are about as thick as the pythons themselves. Note that Macs may choose to skip some meals when they're getting ready to shed their skin, or during the wintertime. Not to worry, it happens.

Without the right environment, your pet simply won't thrive. A standard 20-gallon (75.7-liter) glass terrarium is 30 inches (76 centimeters) long, 12 inches (30.5 centimeters) wide and 16 inches (40.6 centimeters) tall. That's ample space for even the biggest of spotted pythons.

Place a reptile-friendly heating lamp over one end of the tank and maintain a constanttemperatureof 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (29 to 32 degrees Celsius) on that side. Meanwhile, keep the other end at 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (23 to 27 degrees Celsius). It's always a good idea to give your pet reptile a thermal gradient— that way, if he wants to cool off, he can retreat to the slightly colder end for a while, and vice versa. You don't want the temps in his terrarium to be homogeneous.

As bedding goes, spotted pythons can make do with mulch or aspen shavings. Whatever you do,avoid using cedar; this substrate material is linked to all sorts ofhealth problemsin vertebrate pets.

Get your Mac a sturdy water dish that's big enough for the snake to curl up in. Another must-have is a hollow box or log it can use as a hiding spot. Finally, we'd recommend adding a sturdy tree branch or two; these guys really like to climb!

Captive spotted pythons canliveinto their 20s. And they make great ambassadors to the rich, rewarding world of snake husbandry. So here's hoping your new friend brings you many years of happiness.

The author of this story has owned a spotted python since February 2017. He and his wife named the little guy "Max" after the Australian movie character most recently played by Tom Hardy in the"Mad Max"franchise. Only later did the poor fools realize other hobbyists like to call these animals "Macs." So yeah, that might get confusing if they ever bring him to a reptile convention someday. Oh well.