Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm thinking about getting a black headed python but don't know anything about them, so I've got a few questions:

How much do they generally cost?
How big do they get?
What sort of temperament do they have?
How easy are they to look after?

I like the look of them but I can't be bothered searching the net for info untill I know these 4 questions. Thanks in advanced, Jack
-----
There's a village in Texas missing it's idiot

Hey Jack. I haven't ever kept black-headed pythons myself, but your signature line compelled me to post anyway...lol. The information that follows is purely anecdotal and based upon things I've read, observed, and been told by others.

"How much do they generally cost?"
I've seen babies for sale in the classifieds for anywhere from $2,000 to $3,500. I've seen proven adult pairs for as much as $12,000 for the pair. In other words, they are expensive, but IMHO, well worth it.

"How big do they get?"
BH's get larger than their woma cousins. Their average sizes seem to be between 6 and 10', with females being larger than males. I'd say 8' is a very easily reached adult length for a BH.

"What sort of temperament do they have?"
From everything I've heard, most are great. Both the Aspidites pythons are well-known for their feeding responces, so caution must be taken while they are inside the cage, but outside the cage, they are supposedly very docile animals.

"How easy are they to look after?"
People tend to refer to Aspidites as the "kingsnakes of the python world" in terms of their ease of care. They don't need any special requirements in the form of humidity or substrate, and they feed voraciously. BH babies may go a couple months without eating, as they tend to eat reptiles in the wild, but once started on rodents they don't stop. BH's are supposedly more difficult to breed than womas, hence their much higher price. Some people give them substrates to allow them to burrow, and I imagine they'd make use of this. Others give them newspaper and they still do great.

I hope this is of some help. I would have just waited and let someone else who is actually experienced with the species reply to you, but sometimes that doesn't happen and these posts make their way further and further down the page with no answers. Good luck!
-Chance
-----
Chance Duncan
http://www.rivervalleysnakes.com

Hi Jack,

Chance is pretty close in all accounts. The price is about right.

Size: My male is right about 7 feet and relatively slender. The female is probably 9 feet and more heavily built than the male.

Feeding: The one thing I'd note is that they don't have the swallowing capacity that many other types of boas and pythons have. They can eat a lot, but it can't be too thick.

Temperament: My male is as mellow as any snake I have. The female is a bit jumpier when in her cage, but just as mellow once out. I've heard of occasional ones being somewhat defensive, but I haven't had to deal with that with my BHP's.

Ease of care: Easy. They are durable and tough and don't require too much feeding.

There are a few different types around. There are the "Eastern" variety, which I have, which get a bit bigger. A "Western" variety that aren't as large or as reliable in temperament. Then there are a few differnt colored types that lack black stripes as they age, developing more red where the black was, called "reds". They are all equally beautiful and worthy of keeping. I've even seen pics of one from Australia that is losing the black on the head, which to me is the least attractive.

One comment I would add is that they aren't really like any other python but womas. Their head shapes and body shapes are more like a super giant milk snake than any python I could think of. They have the "Feel" of a giant colubrid. It's awesome.

I have seen mating behaviors with mine so I'm hoping for some positive results. Good luck.

Doug T
Doug Taylor Reptiles

Thanks for your help

I like the look of them, but the price is too high. It frustrates me because I come from Australia, and the reptile law is really tough here. Licences are exprensive, and so are snakes. There's a BHP in my backyard (my dog was barking at it a few minutes ago), but I still have to pay $1000's for it, and I get whacked with a $10000 fine if I take one from the wild. Too bad I guess, thanks for your help, Jack
-----
There's a village in Texas missing it's idiot

Yeah, the licensese are tough, but I believe it's becoming easier to keep reptiles there in OZ. Here they keep trying to make everything illegal to keep.

Enjoy your bright future.

Doug T

>>Thanks for your help
>>
>>I like the look of them, but the price is too high. It frustrates me because I come from Australia, and the reptile law is really tough here. Licences are exprensive, and so are snakes. There's a BHP in my backyard (my dog was barking at it a few minutes ago), but I still have to pay $1000's for it, and I get whacked with a $10000 fine if I take one from the wild. Too bad I guess, thanks for your help, Jack
>>-----
>>There's a village in Texas missing it's idiot