Children's Python — care sheet

Beginner. One of the world's smallest pythons: hardy, calm, feeds reliably, and thrives in a simple front-opening setup. The main "gotcha" is a long commitment (often 20-30 years) and the fact that hatchlings can be nippy until they settle.

Strict carnivore fed appropriately sized rodents. Prey should be no wider than the thickest part of the snake's body. Adults eat an adult mouse to a small rat roughly every 10-14 days; growing juveniles every 5-7 days. Use frozen-thawed prey rather than live.

Adult minimum 36 x 18 x 18 in (3 x 2 x 2 ft / ~90 x 45 x 45 cm) of floor space; bigger is always better. Being a ground-dwelling snake, prioritize length and width over height, and use a secure front-opening enclosure with a tight lid (pythons are excellent escape artists).

88-90°F (31-32°C) warm-side surface/hotspot, provided by an under-tank heater or overhead heat source on a thermostat. Verify with a probe or temp gun, never a stick-on dial.

75-80°F (24-27°C) at the cool end, giving the snake a true thermal gradient to choose from.

A natural night drop is fine and healthy; roughly 68-75°F (20-24°C). Don't let the whole enclosure fall below the upper 60s°F.

Not required. This is a nocturnal, secretive species that does fine without UVB, though a low-output tube (roughly Ferguson Zone 1–2, a basking UVI of about 2.0–3.0) offers modest benefits for vitamin D synthesis and general well-being. If you skip it, provide a proper day/night light cycle instead. UVI need is low.

Moderate, around 50-60%. They're forgiving of a fairly wide range, but bump humidity up (mist lightly or offer a humid hide) during a shed. Always keep a bowl of fresh water big enough to soak in.

Aspen shavings, cypress mulch, coconut husk/coir, beech chip, or plain paper towels for quarantine/hatchlings, at about 2-3 in deep so the snake can burrow. Avoid cedar and pine, which give off oils that are toxic to reptiles.

Whole prey (mice/rats) is nutritionally complete, so routine calcium/vitamin dusting isn't needed. Just feed properly sized, quality frozen-thawed rodents.

Roughly 2-4 ft (60-120 cm), most commonly around 3 ft (90 cm); one of the smallest pythons. Females tend to run slightly larger than males.

Commonly 20-30 years in captivity; well-kept animals routinely reach 25-30 years, so plan for a multi-decade commitment.

See a reptile or exotics vet if you notice: Open-mouth breathing, wheezing, popping/clicking sounds, or bubbles/mucus around the mouth or nose (possible respiratory infection) - see an exotics vet.; Repeated incomplete or stuck sheds, especially retained eye caps, or a stuck shed on the tail tip that could cut off circulation.; Refusing food for an extended stretch alongside weight loss or a sunken/dehydrated look.; Mouth held open, redness, swelling, or cheesy material inside the mouth (possible mouth rot / stomatitis).; Lumps, wounds, discoloration, mites (tiny moving specks), or regurgitating meals - book an exotics vet; this record is for triage, not diagnosis..