Help needed with spotted python care :)

[ptmbradley]

Hello everyone.

I live in the UK and until earlier today had never heard of a spotted python! I went out snake shopping with my girlfriend earlier as she was after a corn snake. Not seeing any she particularly fancied, the shop owner recommended a spotted. We asked for a bit more info and was told that their care is pretty much exactly the same as for corns.

However, since doing a bit of research when we got home there seems to be conflicting reports about heating their environment. The warm end for a corn is about 28-30 with the cool end at 21 ish. But I've read a couple of articles that spotteds need a warm end of 31-33 and a cool end up at about 27. Can someone please advise on a correct setup or point me in the direction of a proper decent care sheet for these snakes, as we obviously want to be looking after it correctly!

Thanks very much in advance,

Pete

 

[cadwallader]

hey pete mine al sit at around 31 and 26 great little snakes...

 

[wranga]

as cadwallader said

 

[Aussie-Python-97]

Mine sits alittle higher 32-28

 

[ptmbradley]

OK thanks everyone. Without help our cool end is only 20-22 so please can someone explain your heating setup. Do you use mats or lamps or both? All we have at the mo is a heat mat which was set for about 29 because I had it all prepared for a corn. But the bloke in the shop said spotteds were no different, but that doesn't seem to be all that accurate now!

I've also read a couple of articles saying they don't need height, but other articles have said they like to climb, so what do you guys have as enclosures?

Sorry for all the questions, but I just wasn't ready for a snake I knew nothing about so now trying rapidly to catch up, and I just can't seem to find a decent care sheet anywhere!

Thanks again for your very much appreciated help.

Pete

 

[snakeluvver]

Hey I have a spotted python, awesome snakes. They dont need a tall enclosure as they dont climb much, but a couple of vines will be appreciated, mine like climbing but will sleep on the ground. I use a heat mat at one end. Give them a 3 foot terrarium about 1.5 feet high. My yearling one is in a 45cm cubed tank.
I'd say about 30 in the warm end and 24 in the cool end.

 

[ptmbradley]

Hey I have a spotted python, awesome snakes. They dont need a tall enclosure as they dont climb much, but a couple of vines will be appreciated, mine like climbing but will sleep on the ground. I use a heat mat at one end. Give them a 3 foot terrarium about 1.5 feet high. My yearling one is in a 45cm cubed tank.
I'd say about 30 in the warm end and 24 in the cool end.

Cheers. I have a young corn in one of them 45 exo terras. So you just have the one heat mat then and your cool end stays naturally about 24? Coz here in the UK climate the cool end is unlikely to ever go above about 22 and overnight can dip to about 16!

And what about humidity? Is that something I need to consider as well?

 

[snakeluvver]

Hmmm in UK humidity may have to be provided. I dont mist mine but up where I am we have 70% humidity every day
Maybe spray every day or 2. If you have a radiator keep it on that should raise the room temp to about 25

 

[fugawi]

Have a bit of a research of where the natural habitat of spotteds come from as well as the general natural landscape. They come from the north east coast of OZ, which is mostly tropical with high humidity and higher temps.

 

[ptmbradley]

Cheers for helping out everyone. Much appreciated.

 

[AirCooled]

Hi Pete,my Mac temps are 26-31,but alot will say that they don't climb,mine has been climbing since a hatchie.After six years he still likes to sleep most times up the top of his enclosure.I think all snakes will have different ideas how to teach and train you

 

[snakeluvver]

What I suggest is get a hatchie, keep it in a click clack with some climbing stuff. If it enjoys climbing, buy a 60cm tall enclosure when its an adult. If its not interested in climbing, get it something shorter. Then you wont waste money buying a tall enclosure if it doesnt like climbing

 

[Juz92]

As sankeluvver said, get yourself a hatchie (that is already feeding well) and chuck him in a click-clack. Get a couple low branches as well, since young snakes typically like to climb a bit more than older snakes (form what I've heard, and witnessed with my little guy). With your heating (lamp/mat/chord/etc) ALWAYS use a thermostat and a thermometer. Good luck with it all, mate.

- Justin

 

[HerpMad]

You'll be stoked with a spotted, my little fella loves to climb and so i've got all sorts of different levels and hides in his enclosure, 30-31 warm end and 24 - 25 cool end and he seems to be right at home, great handlers and mine has a very distinct personality!! very curious!! haha, The maculosa is a native snake to the area of queensland i live and we have some crazy flucuating temps and i have found them in the wild in all types of terrain up here, and from what i can gather they are an fairly hardy python and great for newbies like myself.. Good Luck!

 

[KaotikJezta]

I have 2 that are 7 years old, the female climbed when I first put her in the new enclosure recently and hasn't really done it since, the male on the other hand likes to climb and usually sleeps on the top of the background during the day and on the floor at night when he is not exploring, so it really depends on the individual snake. The female is also a lot more reclusive than the male.

 

[ptmbradley]

OK cheers everyone for all your help. Heating will be sorted and putting in a little vine/climbing frame for the snake to use should she want to. This is my girlfriend's python. But I want one now! lol I've got 3 corns and also wanting a Brazilian Rainbow Boa at some point too...