It is the amount of food that your Ball Python consumes (and at what rate) that determines the rate at which your Ball Python will grow.



People seem to get confused between Ball Pythons and fish. So help me, I don't know why. They don't exactly look very similar. Some (BUT NOT ALL) species of fish will limit or slow their growth to fit their captive environment... but even fish people tend to frown very heavily on that.



Reptiles do not grow the same way at all. If you keep a Ball Python in a 5 gallon enclosure (which is definitely too small), and feed it the amount of food it requires for fast growth, it will continue to grow to its adult size. That is of course, if it continues to eat. If you keep an animal in sub-standard conditions, you can also expect that it will eventually fail to thrive. Unfortunately for the animals in question, reptiles are pretty slow to kill this way, and can continue to suffer for a very long time before they finally die from such conditions.



I sincerely hope that you are not doing this to an animal you are responsible for, and maybe even posted this question to prove a point to someone who may be doing this to their own pet.



A young Ball Python would be quite comfortable in a "20 gallon Long" sized aquarium or its equivalent. A large, mature Ball Python may be happier in something larger (though I am expecting that this question wouldn't concern an animal that has gotten this large).



If you have any more specific questions on proper cage size or husbandry, please post your questions!!



~Rebecca
-----
0.1 Dumeril's Boa '04 (Courtney)

1.2 Ball Pythons

[1.0 '05 Orange Hypo (Specter)]

[0.1 '05 Het Orange Hypo (Sylvia)]

[0.1 '03 Normal (Sue)]

0.2 American Pit Bull Terriers (40lb darling lap dogs:Brandy&Mara)

[ Show Entire Thread ]