Ball Python / Royal Python (Pyton regius)
Order: Squamata
Family: Pythonidae
IUCN Red List: LC (Least concern).
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Habitat
Grasslands and wooded areas of Africa
Informations
The royal python belongs to the python family, which includes more than twenty species of snakes of various sizes. Among them, the royal python is one of the shortest and most stocky-bodied species.
Its name comes from the Latin word regius, meaning “royal.” According to legend, Cleopatra wore this snake around her wrist like a bracelet. It is also known as the ball python, because when it feels threatened it curls its body tightly into a nearly perfect ball, protecting its most vulnerable parts. This defensive behavior is one of the reasons the species is considered calm and relatively gentle.
The royal python is mainly active at dusk and dawn. During the day it hides in places where it is protected from heat and predators. During reproduction the female shows remarkable parental care: after laying her eggs, she coils tightly around them, keeping them warm and protected until they hatch.
Because of its manageable size and calm temperament, the royal python is a popular species kept in terrariums as a pet.
