Care Instructions & Species Profile: Scrub Python

Simalia amethystine, the scrub python, is a charming exotic pet that is not poisonous.
Before we get started, it’s vital to remember that this article is about the amethystine python, also referred to as the scrub python. However, the term “scrub python” is also occasionally used to describe the Australian scrub python (Simalia Kinghorn), which is much larger and more challenging to get and care for.

Make sure you choose the suitable scrub python and adhere to the recommended care instructions if you’re looking to purchase one.
Owning one of these incredible animals is not for the weak of heart, but if you’re a genuine reptile aficionado, bringing one home might be a wonderful experience.
For more information on this amazing pet and how to care for it, please keep reading!

Brief Fact

Known as the Scrub Python or the Amethystine Python
Simalia amethystine is its scientific name.
Adult size 7′-’13’.

Minimum tank dimensions for snakes under 6′ are 4′ * 3′ * 2′ (L x W x H).

Larger snakes should have a length of up to 6′.
Temperature & Humidity: 55–60%; 80–85 °F (90 °F for basking region);

Humidity: level of care-experienced
Popular substitutes A reticulated python, a common boa

A scrub python is what?

Along with the six more species listed below, this species is a member of the Simalia genus:

  • Python Oenpelli Rock
  • Pythagorean python
  • Tibetan Python
  • Python from southern Moluccan
  • Python’s of Boelen

Australian Scrub Pythons are among the world’s longest snakes and can reach lengths of more than 10 feet. They are native to Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and Australia.

Before making the decision to have one of these incredible animals, you should surely think about this because you will need enough space in your home for it.

Care Sheet for Scrub Pythons

What Food Consumes a Scrub Python?

You should feed tiny creatures, like rats, mice, or possums, to your new pet snake. It could be fed with tiny birds or bats as well.

Please refrain from feeding your reptile live prey. Live prey may retaliate by scratching and hurting your snake, which could cause additional health issues.

Larger specimens will catch and consume cuscus and wallabies in their natural environments.

How to Maintain the Health of a Scrub Python

One of the most important steps you can do to make sure your new pet is healthy is to get it from a reputable breeder and take it to a qualified reptile veterinarian who can look for early indications of illness or dangerous parasites.
Since pythons are not sociable animals, never keep more than one snake in the same tank. Doing so could upset the snakes.

Tank Volume

Additionally, you need to make sure that you get your reptile companion a tank that is appropriate and made just for it. To be on the safe side, the tank should be at least 2-thirds the snake’s body length; for an adult python, 6′ is usually an acceptable length.

Heating and Lighting

Typically, 80 to 85 °F during the day will do. Avoid lower temperatures because they are bad for the health of your pet snake.

Special reptile heating pads 0r incandescent light bulbs with reflector hoods can be used to keep the tank warm. Avoid making any direct contact with your snake and these objects.
You must also give the python a place to bask in the tank. Your pet snake should be able to climb up a branch-like structure in this location, which should be around 90 °F.

Substrate

The health and wellbeing of the snake depend heavily on the substrate.

You and your snake might avoid a lot of hassle by selecting the proper substrate.

Before buying substrate, you should pay special attention to the following:

  • Good water retention to maintain the right amounts of humidity
  • Its capacity to ward off mould and parasites makes it comfortable for a snake to dig beneath it.
  • simple to clean
  • Inexpensive
  • Availability (easily obtainable and buyable)
  • Beautiful in appearance
  • not harmful to your pet if consumed
  • You must routinely clean out your tank to keep it safe for them to live long, healthy lives, regardless of which of the substrate options you choose to employ.

The following would be excellent choices for your pet scrub python:

  • soil that is alive
  • Coco husk fibre
  • A coconut’s husk
  • Conifer mulch
  • Butcher block newspaper paper
  • Printed towels
  • Pine and cedar shavings should not be used since they may produce noxious gases into the air that could be dangerous to your pet’s welfare and health.

Sand should never be used as a bedding material for a snake since it encourages the growth of mould, lowers humidity levels, irritates the respiratory system, and could result in impactions due to clumping.

Python Scrub Behaviour

Scrub pythons are not sociable creatures, like the majority of snakes. They enjoy having their own private space.

If you want them to feel the most comfortable, you shouldn’t put one in a tank with another snake or animal.

Although they can be in the trees, as adults they usually prefer to be on the ground. To help them feel more at home in their tank, it’s a good idea to provide a branch-like object they can climb on.

The majority of the time, these reptiles are not particularly aggressive and won’t attack unless provoked.
It is advised to keep children and pets away from these snakes because they could be dangerous to tiny children and animals.

You shouldn’t anticipate them to accomplish much during the day because they are more active at night.

Appearance

The magnificent scales and colour of scrub pythons, in addition to their size, make them a sight to behold.

Although the colour of their smooth scales varies, they often exhibit the same patterns. On their midsections, they often have bands of black or dark brown colour that resemble net designs.
Their scales can have an iridescent appearance that creates a captivating sight. Typically, the underside has a flat colour.

Their neck is usually shorter than their triangular head. They have forked, flashing tongues and light eyes that are often greenish-brown.

See more: https://thereptilebay.com/green-tree-python/

Size

These reptiles can get very big, as was already noted. Some people have even asserted (rarely, though) that they can grow to be longer than 20 feet.

Males are typically smaller and leaner than females, yet they are still capable of growing to enormous sizes. A guy typically weighs 11 to 24 pounds, but a girl typically weighs 33 pounds.

Colors

From a pale golden yellow to a muddy greenish-brown, the colour of these snakes varies. Their bodies are covered in a net-like texture that is blackish-brown. They also reflect light and have a lovely iridescent appearance.
Typically, the snake’s underside has a creamy beige colour. In the wild, these snakes may blend in quite well.

Baby scrub pythons

Scrub pythons often mate in the wild from late July through September. Males frequently fight with their female counterparts in order to procreate during mating season.

A female can lay anywhere between five and twenty-one eggs after mating with a male. Eggs will spend about 80 days in the egg stage. In order to keep the eggs warm during this period, the mother snake would coil around them.

Rarely does the mother snake leave her eggs unattended. This will keep them warm and shield them from potential predators. She will even skip meals in order to preserve her eggs.

The embryos may suffer major problems or perhaps die if the temperature of the eggs falls too low. The mother must therefore constantly be present with her eggs in order to maintain the proper temperature for them using her body.
The young pythons are between 10 and 16 inches long when they emerge from the eggs. These young snakes will consume whatever food that will fit in their mouths, including eggs, very small rodents, and insects. When they reach a certain size, they will eat larger prey to sate their expanding appetites.

After their first skin shedding, which usually happens 20 to 30 days after they hatch, they won’t typically want to.

What is the Price of a Scrub Python?

Scrub pythons can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars. The price often varies according to the snake’s age, gender, colour, length, and propensity for mating. If you decide to buy one, be sure to find a trustworthy breeder that is well-versed in this reptile.

Never buy from someone who is buying or selling snakes illegally. Additionally, confirm that possessing a scrub python is allowed and under what particular restrictions by consulting your local laws.

For instance, the state of New York forbids private ownership of some snake species, such as scrub pythons.

Care Guide Synopsis

Pros Cons
Non-venomous Additional heating and lighting needed Passiveunable to live together
Capable of adaptationPets and young children are not permitted nearby.
For the majority of reptile lovers, the scrub python would be a fantastic pet! They are stunning, majestic animals to see if you don’t mind their size.

They may need a few extra modifications, but they’re generally simple to care for and maintain.

If you’re considering getting one for your house, have a suitable tank ready with the right heating and lighting to maintain its health.

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