Water Python Enclosure Questions

[sharky]

I've been looking to get a water python as my next snake but can't seem to find much info on them. After having a thorough look on the search engine I have a few questions that still haven't been answered. I know they are pretty much housed like normal pythons. Hot end/cold end, water bowl (a bit larger than the standard), hides, higher humidity(?) and to stll provide climbing spaces,etc.

1) What size enclosure size do adults need? I have found people keeping their's in 4x2x2 but I think that's too small. What size is best?
2) What are the best temps to have for them?
3) Does anyone keep their's in outdoor enclosures in cold areas? (I live in Adelaide Hills, would this be too cold in winter even with heating?)
4) What is the best substrate? Do they like to burrow?

All help is appreciated, extra info is also helpful!

Thanks, Sharkyy

 

[Chris]

The psychotic animal I had (he's gone now) was in a 5'x2'x2' with the enclosure set up similar to a carpet python except I gave the psycho a large tub, he spent most of his time in the water. Time spent out of the water was on trying to bite me or the glass. Substrate was Kritters Krumble. Forget about keeping him outside in the hills.

 

[sacred_DUC]

was a memmeber few years ago house a water python in fish tank full of water with just a shelf out of the water to bask and feed on

 

[reb01]

Ive got a psychotic female thats 6-7ft and shes currently in a 6ft-2ft-2ft enclosure and i have a large container with water in the cool end which she loves to sit in..The warm is around 32-34 and cool end 22-24 depending on outside temperatures..Ive only got newspaper as substrade in all my enclosures...She loves her food thou,and i pity the male i put with her...

 

[fourexes]

My little water will need a bigger enclosure soon, he's coming up to a yearling and overtaking my 6 year old spotted lol.

I use kritters krumble and he likes digging around in it, always seems to poo up the walls and everywhere else BUT the substrate though.... hence why I'm taking him out of my display tank. IIRC the average male size is 2meters and 3 meters for a female so this will define what enclosure you need as that is a big difference.

Humidity in mine sits at around 50-60% but he gets sprayed everyday when coming into shed because they do need alot of moisture to slough properly. I would advise against them being kept outside anywhere but north Queensland and NT, remember they are a fairly tropical snake only found in the northern regions of Aus and Papua.

I couldn't give you an exact temp range he gets because in the enclosure I have it ranges so much & he seems to use every bit of it. from 20 degrees to about 28 ambient and 32-34 on his basking shelf and he seems happy.

As for room for adults, I'm playing it by ear so to speak to see how big he gets & how quick. I threw him from a click clack into a quite large enclosure when he was around 6 months and he's almost outgrown this one so I assume bigger is best, mine likes to wander to. This summer I've got small custom made fish tank in with him but he doesn't use it all that much.

 

[mje772003]

I've been looking to get a water python as my next snake but can't seem to find much info on them. After having a thorough look on the search engine I have a few questions that still haven't been answered. I know they are pretty much housed like normal pythons. Hot end/cold end, water bowl (a bit larger than the standard), hides, higher humidity(?) and to stll provide climbing spaces,etc.

1) What size enclosure size do adults need? I have found people keeping their's in 4x2x2 but I think that's too small. What size is best?
2) What are the best temps to have for them?
3) Does anyone keep their's in outdoor enclosures in cold areas? (I live in Adelaide Hills, would this be too cold in winter even with heating?)
4) What is the best substrate? Do they like to burrow?

All help is appreciated, extra info is also helpful!

Thanks, Sharkyy

My water python is 2 in march and she is in a enclosure 1.2 m by 50cm by 50cm
the temp I maintain is around 32 I keep my pythons in an indoor enclosure using a habistat thermo stat pulse propotional with raidiator panel for heating

I use astro turf and marine carpet for substrate

Hope this helps

- - - Updated - - -

Also in the warmer months I change the water bowl for a bigger one I use a cat litter tray also use a drift wood branch as mine likes to climb

 

[Coppersimon]

I've got mine in a 4/2/2 which I thought would be big enough for them as adults. There just over a year old and I will be looking at moving them into large enclosure by the end of the year. I keep on paper because they have a tendency to strike and get a mouth full of substrate.
I keep them exactly like my carpets worm end 32 cold 24. Mine don't seem to be in their water bowls more then the others.

 

[saintanger]

my girl can be a sweet angel one minute and a phyco the next.

i own 3 water pythons and i think their personalities is like someone with bipolar.

mine i keep in 4x2x2 2 of mine are1.5 years old and the other 2.5 years old.

all have a large tub of water and a hide wen they are not in the water they are in the hide or out exploring at night. never seen them burrow but they love their hides.

cool end 22-24 hot end 30.

i use critter litter as their substrate.

 

[notechistiger]

Keep them the same as carpet pythons, except give them a bigger water bowl. Not all animals are the same, but you might find yours loves the water. 4x2x2 should be plenty. I have my adult female in a 3x2x2, but she's small so it suits her well.

 

[Tsubakai]

4X2X2 is plenty big enough for most adult water pythons. Going bigger is ok if you have the room and budget but is not necessary. My female hates going into bigger spaces/enclosures and stops eating until I downsize again. A water bowl big enough for them to get into and fully submerge is adequate and will be used. Something to climb on will probably be used too. One of mine went through a phase of only eating while hanging from a branch. Otherwise if you follow the husbandry advice for keeping carpets, you will be fine.

 

[mje772003]

I got my water python from one of the sponsors here pythons1 and once settled she was fine she can get enclosure defensive but once out she is a darling