# Water Python Care



## trailblazer295 (Jun 29, 2017)

Hey everyone

I'm considering adding a Australian water python to my collection. There is a local breeder of them not far from me. However care requirements is very hard to find even basics. Not many people keeping them on this side of the pond to ask either. What do you guys recommend for care? Adult cage size, temperature hot/cold, humidity? Anything else I've forgotten. I'd be starting with a baby so have time to grow with it.


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## pinefamily (Jun 29, 2017)

Welcome to APS. From your post I guess you're not in Oz.
Keeping water pythons isn't that different from other Australian pythons really, apart from providing a larger water area. Some keepers don't even provide that. I have never kept one (they are on my wish list too).
Apparently there is a big difference in temperament between Qld and NT varieties. Qld ones have a grey colour with a yellow underbelly, while the NT ones are browner with a white underside. From what I have read, you want a Qld one; NT water pythons have been described as the spawn of Satan, lol.


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## trailblazer295 (Jun 29, 2017)

Thanks for the response. I'm from Canada, I don't know the locality of the babies. I held one a year ago and it was very chill. They look like a tiny version of this. They aren't common over here or even in general. I'm on another reptile forum but isn't a kept species. 

I figured this would be the place to get accurate information on care.


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## pinefamily (Jun 29, 2017)

If the ones available to you look like that, you should be ok. Sorry I can't help more, but not having kept them I don't want to give you incorrect advice.
"Keeping and Breeding Australian Pythons", by Mike Swan, and "A Guide to Australian Pythons in Captivity", by Adam Elliott are two good books to look out for.
The other forum you mention doesn't have a stutter does it?


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## trailblazer295 (Jun 29, 2017)

lol Yes it does, been a good resource so far with other snakes. But haven't seen a single member have water pythons.


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## Tyloop (Jun 29, 2017)

Im following this...

If you provided a large water area and heated it, would you use a thermostat and an aquarium heater, or no thermostat? tia.


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## trailblazer295 (Jun 29, 2017)

Tyloop said:


> Im following this...
> 
> If you provided a large water area and heated it, would you use a thermostat and an aquarium heater, or no thermostat? tia.



If you wanted heated water you could place it on the warm end and let your heat source do the work. Instead of a heating element somewhere the snake can coil around. Some aquarium heaters can get pretty hot.


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## pinefamily (Jun 29, 2017)

Not sure how you would go about heating the water. Under the heat source would also help with humidity, but evaporation could be a problem. I'd be cautious about an aquarium heater too (we did use one for a Mertens water monitor). Possibly a heat mat or cord would do the trick.


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## Tyloop (Jun 29, 2017)

Im not sure if you have seen this video... 

This is why I think it would be great to have an aquarium to see them do this!!


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## SpottedPythons (Jun 29, 2017)

Be careful, they do scent you... and as babies to subadult they are incredibly defensive. On heating the water, I don't see why you'll need to do that in an indoor cage. Provide maybe the same cage size as a carpet (with less height and more floor space) and put in a water bowl large enough for it to soak in. The reason why I suggest a large water bowl instead of a pond or aquarium is because in their natural habitat they live in billabongs. They are not aquatic and are more soakers than swimmers. For substrate I'd suggest coco fiber since that'll hold humidity and won't spoil if water splashes onto it like paper based substrates. As babies they prefer belly heat from a heat pad and as adults they bask so maybe a 75 watt halogen bulb? They also have an aggressive feeding response. Despite all this the water python is classified as a beginner snake according to Snake Ranch. Most breeders agree that bloodline is very important when it comes to temperament, so pick a pure QLD locale specimen. Harder to get if you're overseas but look for the greyish brown colour and yellow belly.

EDIT: If water heating does become necessary, don't use a heat pad. Heat pads don't heat water evenly (according to an aquarium expert) and will create "hot spots" that may injure your snake in the long term.


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## pinefamily (Jun 29, 2017)

By heat pad, I assume you mean heat mat. Surely the correct wattage heat mat is preferable to an aquarium heater which can potentially burn a python? When I say correct wattage, I mean one that heats enough to take the chill from the water, and won't create a hot spot.


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## SpottedPythons (Jun 29, 2017)

Yes, but I don't see a need to heat the water as long as the enclosure temp. is ok.


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## SpottedPythons (Jun 29, 2017)

Cause as I've said, they're soakers rather than swimmers and smaller bodies of water generally need no heating. If heating is required, maybe an aquarium heater protected by a wire cage? It works for bulbs so it should for heaters too.


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## Scutellatus (Jun 29, 2017)

You can buy aquarium heater covers that will prevent any burns if you did want to use an aquarium heater.


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## pinefamily (Jun 29, 2017)

The OP is from Canada, so he may well want/need to heat the water to at least take the chill off in winter.


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## SpottedPythons (Jun 29, 2017)

In that case, I would suggest simply raising the temperature in the enclosure. As they soak, even in slightly colder water, they will still absorb the heat from the enclosure. Also in the wild they like using water to cool off, so they use it to thermoregulate. The water in the water bowl will never reach fatal temperatures as long as the enclosure temps are properly controlled. For example, you might heat a frog tank with a heat pad, but you wouldn't heat the actual water bowl.


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## pinefamily (Jun 29, 2017)

True, and a good point with the frog tank example. I was only thinking about ambient temps in Canada.


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## SpottedPythons (Jun 29, 2017)

Hmm... Canada does get pretty cold. Maybe in winter cover the water bowl with a large, well ventilated hide and place that under the heat source? That would keep the temperature well, just as long as there's enough ventilation. Sphagnum moss around the bowl to keep in humidity maybe? Similar concept to humid hide for shedding.


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## trailblazer295 (Jun 29, 2017)

My house is 22-23c all year round. I use heat panels in my cages to heat hot side and raise ambient temps above room temperature. 

I have space for a 6x2 footprint. Is this suitable for an adult water python?


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## SpottedPythons (Jun 29, 2017)

6x2m or 6x2 feet? And if your house is that temperature, forget water heating completely!


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## trailblazer295 (Jun 29, 2017)

Sorry 6x2 feet

I wasn't even asking about water so not sure what happened. I use coco husk chunks for all my cages already to keep the humidity in the ranges I want. I just can't find what humidity range is best for them or what hot side temperature is correct.


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## SpottedPythons (Jun 29, 2017)

That should be plenty of space for an adult water python, provided that it isn't too overcrowded.


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## trailblazer295 (Jun 29, 2017)

This is a picture of a baby that the breeder had for reference.


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## trailblazer295 (Jun 29, 2017)

What sort of height do they need? Do they climb?


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## pinefamily (Jun 29, 2017)

A basking spot of 32-34 degrees Celsius is what you should aim for.


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## SpottedPythons (Jun 29, 2017)

And though they will climb occaisionally, they are not arboreal. For the enclosure aim for a bit of height (maybe 60cm - 90cm). From the pictures, it looks like a QLD water python, so it should settle down with a bit of handling.


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## trailblazer295 (Jun 29, 2017)

I was thinking of a cage 6x2x2 feet so same 90cm tall. What humidity range do they need?

32-34c won't be a problem, most of my others are kept at 32c.


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## SpottedPythons (Jun 29, 2017)

Humidity should be kept at I think 50% - 80%, optimal 70%.


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## trailblazer295 (Jun 29, 2017)

Any other care information I should know?


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## SpottedPythons (Jun 30, 2017)

Yes, one more thing. Water python scales are a lot finer than other pythons', so take extra care during shedding time e.g. raise humidity, don't handle, don't feed, etc. They have an aggressive feeding response, so to keep them docile you must handle a lot. They stress more easily than other pythons, so be very steady and calm when handling them. They have horrendous bites: rated as some of the worst of Aussie pythons. Their teeth are actually longer than many elapid fangs.


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## trailblazer295 (Jun 30, 2017)

Thanks for the tips, I do most of that already with my other snakes. Boost humidity and leave them alone until they have shed. I don't know if my other snakes will eat during shed I just leave them alone and skip that week once I see the signs they are deep. I just check on the humidity levels and take a quick look through the glass if they have shed and walk away. After quarantine they are in my basement and I live alone so there will not be much foot traffic. I have multiple/temp humidity sensors so it's a quick scan of the readings. I use coco husk chunks for my other snakes to maintain humidity so this won't be a change.

Good to know about handling often to keep them docile. That's the other reason I like buying young snakes, work with them from a small size so can be calm and confident and grow with them.


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## pinefamily (Jun 30, 2017)

Like Spotted Pythons said, just be wary of the bites. I've heard water python bites are one of the worst.


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## trailblazer295 (Jun 30, 2017)

I have a general rule to not get bitten already in place lol I tap train my snakes as well.


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## PythonLegs (Jun 30, 2017)

6x2 is plenty. They climb, but they're bad at it, bit like bhps. I've had mine for a decade now. Apart from upping humidity once they turn grey, don't worry too much about water 24/7. But they like the odd swim and mine seems to go crocodile when I put a tub in with him, every few weeks.
Up here you often see the adults hanging out in the shallows of creeks and billabongs in the weeds, waiting for birds and baby crocs. Temperament is like any snake, go slow and gentle and put the time in and you'll be rewarded.


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## trailblazer295 (Jun 30, 2017)

Thanks for the replies, I offering a branch or log to my ball python and BCI as well, not great climbers but my BP likes hanging out off the ground. I can offer a few branches to perch on or slide over.


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