Ball Python
Python regius · Reptile, snake
Meet them at our Fort Lauderdale cafe
- Native range
- Grasslands, savannas, and open forests of West and Central Africa.
- Size
- One of the smaller pythons, typically 3 to 5 feet.
- Lifespan
- Famously long lived in human care, commonly 20 to 30 years. A ball python at the Saint Louis Zoo made global headlines by laying eggs at an estimated age past 60.
- Conservation
- IUCN Near Threatened, driven largely by collection for the pet trade, which is one more reason to meet one here instead of buying one.
Little Learners Corner
When a ball python feels shy, it curls up into a ball and hides its head in the middle.
Say it like a scientist: PY-thon REE-jee-us
Where They Live
Ball pythons shelter in burrows and termite mounds by day and hunt by night, sensing warmth through heat sensitive pits along the lips.
What They Eat
Carnivore. Small mammals and birds, constricted and swallowed whole, sometimes weeks apart.
How They Live
Solitary and famously gentle. When threatened, a ball python does not strike first; it curls into a tight ball with its head protected in the middle, which is exactly how it got its name.
Ball Pythons as Pets?
Ball pythons are among the most traded reptiles on Earth, and the trade pressures wild populations. A snake is also a decades long commitment with exacting heat and humidity needs. Meet ours, hold one with a guide, and let that be the experience.
Fun Facts
A ball python can go weeks between meals and be perfectly healthy.
They see heat. Pits along the mouth detect the warmth of prey in total darkness.
Snakes smell in stereo, each fork of the tongue sampling a different direction.
Capy Quiz: Prove It
How did the ball python get its name?
People also ask: How Long Do Ball Pythons Live?
Keep exploring: Chicken came before this, Tortoise is next, or head back to the full Animal Encyclopedia.
Fort Lauderdale Is Now Booking
The Fort Lauderdale booking calendar is open. Reserve your spot now, or book at our St. Augustine or St. Petersburg locations today.