Australia may be home to some of the world’s most venomous snakes, but don’t let that worry you if you are considering an Australian python as a pet.
Pythons are not venomous, and by their nature, are quite docile and placid. Australian pythons, in particular, make great pets. The most common sort of pet python is the carpet python (named after the pattern on their skin). Carpet pythons don’t get as large as some other snakes and the largest an Australian one can get is around 11-13 feet.
Carpet pythons are preferred by beginner snake owners due to their placid nature, although they may be a bit temperamental when they are young. Pythons are like living sculptures, they have a few basic requirements but are not in need of continual attention or pampering!
In terms of diet, an Australian python will quite happily live off a simple regime of mice – and as they get bigger – rats. For the python’s safety, as well as being humane to the rodents, it’s recommended you only feed your python dead mice & rats. Believe it or not, a cornered rat can actually hurt your pet snake, so do the right thing and avoid live food.
Apart from their simple diet, pythons are also tropical animals and require a heated habitat to live in and a source of fresh water. That, in a nutshell, is the basic requirements for a pet python.
Pythons don’t interact with humans much in the wild, so you will need to handle them regularly so that they become aquainted with pople. Although they can be easily frightened – and therefore a little “snappy” – when they are young, as they grow they will become more confident and used to being man-handled.
These basic requirements are just about all you’ll need to care for a pet python. They’re beautiful animals and you’ll always be able to enjoy a little bit of “wild nature” in your own home. While they won’t fetch balls or do tricks, there can be something really calming about the graceful movement of a python.
Bear in mind that while Australian pythons are now kept as pets all over the world, if you are in Australia (or some other countries) you will require getting a license (permit) to own one. These permits are not expensive, but you must remember to keep your log book up to date.
These Australian pythons are great pet’s and ive been keeping these for a few years now. As you said they are very placid and a great starter snake but sill a great snake for all keepers.
Thanks for the great info and keep up the good work..
Great pets? Pythons? Really? Do they interact with their owners? Show affection and such? I’m honestly interested.
Python young ones,say from 1 month -2 years,are curios little creatures, with such a subtle and placid manner,they are so adorable.They get frightened easily, and if i put a new log in there enclosure,they fully investigate it,then after about 3-4 days, they might start using it.Then they love it. Everything is slowed down, in a pythons life.They are passionate, about their privacy, and sometimes can fear a hand may be a big bird or something and have a nip, but its because they are u8nsure.as they get older, they become loyal, trusting, interactive pets, that become a part of the family like any other animal, that has been treat with respect.
You’ll never be able to get it to do something it doesn’t want to, but they do like to swim, and if they trust you enough ,they will swim with you excitedly .Its great, and there’s is nothing else comparable to the trust of a Python,as a pet.Just My Opinion.Cheers Heather
I’d love to have such a Python in my home, but it’s illegal to keep any kind of pets here 🙁
I wouldn’t want a pet snake, though that is because snakes scare the crap out of me.
I had a ball python as a kid. It was a great pet. I used to let it climb all over my body, sometimes without even realizing it was there. They drape from your neck and climb on your arms and stuff. Very cool, imo.
I thin i am not able to have such type of “pet” 🙂