The Pastel Ball Python is a unique looking colourful snake.
Ball pythons are known to be kind and friendly snakes. They are beautiful looking snakes with very unique looking patterns and colours. Its no wonder why some people love snakes.
They do require some pretty specific care to pay attention to so if you do decide to get one make sure you’re committed to them. You have to stick within certain heating and humidity ranges or they can get sick pretty easily
If you want to learn more about the pastel ball python then keep on reading to learn more about how to take care of these guys
Pastel ball python appearance and colours
take a look at their heads in the picture above. They have dark heads and nice patterns throughout their bodies
They have this dark brown colourization throughout their orange colour. They also have really dark eyes as well.
Since they are bred with co-dominate Wild Genes
These snakes are know for their vibrancy and how much their colours pop
A bit of a downside to these snakes is as they age their colour tends to fade a bit. Not like it matters much once you’ve developed a bond with your snake but its good to know for any beginners that are looking into pastel ball python snakes.
Some people might think “they look like regular ball python snakes” and they kind of do! however on their belly will appear will appear whiter and cleaner. That’s the best way to explain it. wait until you see one in person so you can take a look yourself.
If you happen to breed two pastel Ball pythons together you will get a special kind of snake sometimes referred to as “Purple Haze”. They have this purple colour to them “hence the name” and they have a more distinct pattern to them.
Pastel ball python Lifespan
These snakes can live up to 30 years! given that they have proper care given to them. The less stressed out a reptile is the better off its going to be. Its sort of the same thing with humans. The more stressed we get, the more we stress our bodies the shorter our lives tend to be. If you keep a snakes cage/enclosure clean and you take them to the vet regularly they will live a long time
Pastel Ball Python Size
They can grow up to 5 feel long on average and the females grow larger at around 6 feet long. Many snakes are known to show Sexual Dimorphism (the females are bigger than the males)
Baby pastels are around 10 to 14 inches long.
Pastel Ball Python Care Guide
First we will start off with the size of the tank and then we will talk about substrate
Enclosure
Typically you’re going to want to aim for a large size tank (depending on the age of the snake you have) Tanks that are about 120 gallons are great for adult snakes. Small snakes and Hatchlings can live in tanks that are 20 gallons but you want to give adults a lot of breathing room.
The measurements for this tank are 48 inches long, by 24 inches wide and 12 inches high. 48x24x12
A lot of people think that the appropriate size tank for a snake is actually way too small. you want the snake to have plenty of room to run around (lol).
One little thing to know is that pastel ball python snakes are amazing at escaping the tank so make sure the thing is closed and locked tight when you don’t want your snake running around the house
I personally prefer glass enclosures so i can see my reptile. You can use plastic and PVC as well. Sometimes glass can stress your snake out but its up to you what you want to choose. If you notice that your snake is stressed out you can always change the enclosure they have.
If you’re going to use glass. Use something to block out some side of the enclosure. 2-3 of the sides. Sometimes you have a wall behind your enclosure
Temperature, Lighting and Humidity
This fantastic image is provided by Reptile guide
Starting with temperature. Pastel Ball Pythons need external sources of heat to survive. So like the image above you will need a temperature gradient.
Many reptiles need this kind of set up because of the way reptiles need to regulate heat. This process is called thermo-regulation. Lots of reptiles do this which is why you need to set up different parts of your tank at different temps. Your snake will move from one side to the other based off his needs.
Its a good idea to place your basking lamp on a rock or a big branch.
- Cool temp your snake is going to like 76 – 80 degrees Fahrenheit (24.4 – 28 Celsius)
- Warm temp your snake is going to like 84 – 89 degrees Fahrenheit (28- 32 Celsius)
- Basking Temp your snake is going to like 90-94 Degrees Fahrenheit (33 – 37 Celsius)
- Nighttime temp your snake is going to like 72-80 Degrees Fahrenheit (22 Celsius-26 Celsius)
You want to mimic nature as much as possible. That’s my motto when taking care of reptiles. So mimicking nature as close as possible in terms of temperature and humidity
You should use a ceramic heater at night to maintain the temperatures required for your Pastel Ball python remember the temp has to stay above 72 at night
A good idea for your snake is to put the light source above the tank.
Humidity
For humidity your snake is going to like the idea of this kind of humidity
Pastel Ball Pythons like being humid. They thrive in it. The downside to this is humidity can cause fungal and bacterial infections to happen.
Because of this you have to air out the substrate often and sanitize the enclosure once a month or so.
To keep the enclosure humid enough for their liking you’re going to need a misting system or you can mist it yourself. Keep a big water bowl too. This will help with humidity and also the snake likes to sit in the water just make sure you change it often.
In all my enclosures i have lives plants. You can mist the plants and that will help you with humidity.
Substrate
cypress mulch is good for a pastel ball python. You want something that’s going to hold on to humidity well. Coconut fibre works as well if you want another alternative.
Stay away from Dry and Dusty substrates. They can cause respiratory infections.
In my enclosures i change the substrate every month to help with sanitation.
Drinking water
As i mentioned earlier you should put a bowl of water in the tank and change the water often
your pastel ball python will bathe in the water and drink directly from it. Thinking about that they will be slithering around and then going into their water bowl. so clean the bowl often as well
Diet
Pastel Ball Pythons like to eat animals. They are completely carnivorous.
These snakes kill their prey by constriction. They will wrap their bodies around it and basically suffocate it to death
When giving them food make sure its not too big. A good rule of thumb is No bigger than the thickest part of their body.
They like to eat mice and rats.
Make sure you feed them frozen thawed prey. Rats and mice and scratch your snakes face and cause infections.
Feeding frequency
When they are babies you want to be feeding your snake one mouse or rat every 5 days. Snakes generally run by the same rules from young to adult.
juvenile snakes are around every 7 days.
Adult snakes are feeding every 10 days.
If you’re ever confused about any information contact your vet for more information
Pastel Ball Python Behaviour
These snakes are chill. They like to do the same thing like other reptiles. They are also pretty social too so you can have them on you sometimes.
These guys are nocturnal so you will see them the most active at night. Snakes that are nocturnal have something called Heat sensing pits in their faces so they can hunt in the dark.
Expect them to hide a lot during the day, burrowed inside their substrate or hiding somewhere you set up.
If you scare them they will ball up like this
If you want to buy one of these guys make sure you only buy one. If more than one is inside an enclosure they will fight one another. They like to be alone.
Give them time to acclimate to their new home and to you. They are nice snakes and generally don’t want to hurt you but they are shy.
If you handle them too much they can get scared and stressed. Stressed reptiles will need space.
Shedding Information
About every 4 to 6 weeks your snake will shed. Ive had questions from new reptile owners that had no idea how often a snake should shed its skin and they were freaking out.
Its quite normal. To make sure your snake can shed properly make sure the humidity is the right amount. They will have trouble shedding if you have the humidity too low.
New owners sometimes have to help their snakes shed because they are new to the process of setting up the enclosure correctly. Which is fine. Don’t think you’re hurting your snake or anything. You can help the shedding along with ease
Grab a bin or bucket of water and keep your pets head above the surface of the water and let them rub against you. Don’t force it off just repeat until they have shed. Increase the humidity in their enclosure as well and this will prevent bad shedding experiences.
Make sure the water is warm if you assist them in the shedding process
Health and wellness
Keeping your snake healthy is obviously priority number one. Sick pets can happen and i want you to know what to look out for. sometimes with the wrong information you can find yourself causing more harm than good. Especially with new reptile owners
Pastel Ball Pythons will show these signs if they are sick
- They are having consistent problems shedding
- open mouth breathing or wheezing (usually caused by respiratory infections)
- No appetite
- They really don’t want to be handled
Respiratory infections are scary and can require medicine from your vet. This is usually caused by low humidity
Shedding issues were mentioned above but you just need to assist them in the shedding process if they’re having issues.
Scale rot looks like something is on their skin. Kind of looks like blisters. Like humans when you’re skin is too humid or too dry you will develop skin issues. If the humidity is too high then you will notice these pop up more frequently
Lower the humidity and see if that helps or changes anything and please change the substrate and air out the enclosure often.
Pastel Ball python handling
These guys have a great attitude. Many people think snakes are all aggressive and want to bite you. You can handle them with ease and they are great for beginners but you want to make sure you know a few things first
The first month of handling should be minimal. You will see them ball up the most here as they get used to their environment.
the first two weeks i would avoid handling completely so they can slither around their new home and find out where they like to hide and hang out. They want to see where they can burrow and where they can hide from any threats.
weeks 3 and 4 of the first month you can start handling your snake for around 15 to 20 minutes of the day. If you want them to gain trust for you faster wear a shirt that hasn’t been washed much and wear it often. They use their scent to learn about the environment.
Baby Pastel ball pythons
Some owners want new baby snakes and want to know the process behind what happens. This information is going to be great for beginners
Pastels are born(hatch) from eggs
They are usually born from September to November/December and will be around 10 inches long when born.
Unlike some animals in the wild where the mother will help the babies learn and hunt. Pastels don’t do that. They leave their babies to defend themselves from birth. They literally have to hunt for food as soon as they are born. They have to learn quick!
How much do Pastel Ball Pythons Cost?
They can cost around 50 to 60 dollars
Some will cost more or less depending on their vibrancy and colour but it wont jump up to hundreds of dollars or anything like that
Pastel Ball Python Summary
They are awesome snakes known for their great attitudes and make great beginner pets.
The great thing about these snakes is they can live a long time. Up to 30 years! Some people grow up with snakes in their house.
Use this table to help you for quick information
| scientific name | Python Regius |
| Size | 3 to 5 feet long |
| Price | $50 to $60 |
| Diet | Rats, Mice, gerbals |
| Tank Size | 100 – 120 Gallon tank |
| Temperature | Hot 90 to 94 degrees Warm 84 -89 degrees Cool dude 75 to 80 Degrees |
| Humidity | 50 – 60 percent |
| Lifespan | 25 to 30 years |
If you’re looking for a different kind of snake to try out as a pet look here
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