Spotted Python Caresheet and Bioactive Habitat Maintenance

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Spotted pythons (Antaresia maculosa) are adaptable, nocturnal snakes native to Australia’s northeast coast. These dwarf pythons make low-difficulty pets due to their docile temperament and straightforward care.

While they are considered low-difficulty pets, proper husbandry is still essential for their well-being. Here’s how to care for spotted pythons with a bioactive terrarium:

Materials needed for housing a spotted python:

36”L x 18”W x 18”H front-opening enclosure, or larger
75w Arcadia GoldenSun Basking Floodlight, x2
5.5” Arcadia Ceramic Reflector Clamp Lamp, x2
Light-colored flat basking stone
4x5 Exo Terra Heat Mat, 4w
VE-100 Proportional Thermostat, x2
Bio Dude Digital Thermometer / Hygrometer, and 1 temp gun
12” Zoo Med T5 HO Reptisun 5.0 UVB bulb
12” Bio Dude Solar Lamp Fixture
24” Bio Dude Solar Grow LED
Digital lamp timer power strip
Mondi Mist n' Spray 2 Quart Pressure Sprayer
The Bio Dude Terra Sahara Bioactive Substrate Kit
Arid springtails
Dwarf White isopods
Giant Canyon isopods
Semi-arid plants
Sky hide
Cork flats for hides (at least 2)
Sturdy branches (at least 1)
Other décor items (rocks, magnetic ledges, etc.)
Bio Dude Rock Water Bowl, small
Arcadia EarthPro Calcium Pro Mg supplement
Repashy Supervite supplement
Zoo Med Stainless Steel Feeding Tongs
F10SC or Rescue RTU veterinary disinfectant

Housing requirements:

Spotted pythons generally grow to around 3’ long, so they should be housed in no smaller than a front-opening 36”L x 18”W x 18”H (50-gallon) enclosure, but larger is ideal. An enclosure as large as 5’L x 2’W x 2’H will be especially necessary for larger adults, as the Cape York Peninsula locality can get as big as 5’ long! Males may also need larger enclosures, as they tend to be significantly more active than females.

Although they will tolerate smaller enclosures, snakes do best when housed in an enclosure that is large enough for them to stretch out to their full length whenever they feel like it. This also ensures enough space for proper thermo/hygro-regulation, as well as a minimum of environmental enrichment, so giving them a generous amount of space does not go to waste.

Recommended enclosures:

Can spotted pythons cohabitate?

Spotted pythons are not particularly social, so it’s best to keep only one per enclosure.

Substrate Requirements

Spotted pythons generally prefer a temperate habitat with fertile soil and a good amount of greenery. Although they don’t demonstrate burrowing behavior, it’s important to use a substrate that will support a humid hide/burrow while also facilitating a medium-humidity environment. Since you’re building a bioactive terrarium, you will need at least 4” of soil to support your plants.

The Bio Dude’s Terra Firma Bioactive Kit works well for spotted pythons. This kit includes everything you need for peace of mind when setting up a new bioactive enclosure: a soil mix, sphagnum moss, leaf litter, and The Bio Dude’s BioShot soil inoculant.

If you prefer to mix your own substrate, see our preferred soil recipes here.

You can’t have a bioactive enclosure without a good microfauna clean-up crew (CUC). For a temperate spotted python vivarium, a combination of tropical springtails, dwarf white isopods, and party mix (Porcellionides pruinosus) isopods are likely to do well in this environment.

Plan on setting the enclosure up at least 1 month in advance so your plants and CUC can get established without the strain of having to deal with a reptilian roommate. This is a great time to quarantine your new snake in a temporary enclosure. This time period also gives you a chance to watch for illness, test for (and treat) parasites, and generally make sure you’re not introducing any pathogens into your new ecosystem. A quarantine enclosure should be set up much the same as the long-term enclosure, but with easily cleaned-décor and a temporary substrate like paper towels. The enclosure itself can be a cheap fish tank (wrapped with paper for security) or even a modified plastic tub.

Décor (Environmental Enrichment) Requirements

Spotted pythons do more than just hang out in their hides. Given the opportunity, they will climb branches, hang out inside tubes, and generally explore! The more space and variation in landscape they are given, the more unique behaviors you’ll be able to see from your pet.

Flat, light-colored stone like sandstone or flagstone makes a great basking surface. (If you want to stack stones, make sure to secure them with Gorilla Glue or a similar adhesive to prevent accidental shifting that could crush your pet!)

Cork and cholla tubes make excellent branches that also double as functional hides.

Cork flats make excellent hides for spotted pythons, as they like to squeeze themselves into tight spaces where they can feel squished between the ceiling and floor.

Sky hides are particularly appreciated by juvenile spotted pythons, which prefer to hang out off the ground when possible. You can easily make your own by attaching a plastic box hide upside-down to the underside of the terrarium’s ceiling.

Sturdy branches like cork or ghostwood (manzanita) branches make good climbing opportunities for this species, which spends a fair amount of its life in trees and shrubs.

Live plants are essential to a functional semi-arid bioactive enclosure. Their roots help keep your soil fresh, balanced, and clean! Here are some sturdy choices for spotted pythons:

Use the largest plants that will fit in your enclosure, as these are less likely to be damaged by your snake’s activities and will be more beneficial to your substrate. And make sure to quarantine them before adding them to your enclosure!

Snake “toys” like specially-made climbing rings, jungle gyms, and other similar items can be a great way to add functionality to your python’s setup.

Lighting/Temperature/Humidity Requirements

Lamps should be on for 12 hours/day. You can use a smart timer to sync your lamps with your local sunrise and sunset times for more natural seasonal variation.

Visible Light

Although spotted pythons are nocturnal, having supplementary visible light in the enclosure helps better simulate the brightness of sunlight and a distinct day-night cycle. Having a solid day-night cycle is important to healthy hormones (and therefore a healthy snake!), and don’t worry, the light isn’t bright enough to hurt their eyes. In addition, a heat lamp plus UVB provides nowhere near enough light to nourish the live plants your bioactive setup needs to stay functional and healthy!

Your bioactive spotted python enclosure should have one LED bar grow lamp, long enough to span at least ~75% of the enclosure’s length.

UVB

Spotted pythons can survive without UVB, but it’s not best practice for optimal health and wellbeing. We recommend providing a basking area with a UVI (UV Index) of 2.0-3.0 in order to make enough vitamin D3 and generally stay healthy. However, not all UVB lamps are high-quality (or even safe!). The Zoo Med T5 HO Reptisun 5.0 or Arcadia T5 HO Forest 6% are good UVB bulbs for spotted pythons, and should be about 22-24” long.

The strength of your UVB diminishes with distance from the source, and mesh partly blocks the output as well. It’s best to measure the UVI at your basking spot with a solar meter 6.5 tool, but if that’s not an option, placing your basking area 10-13” below the UVB bulb should do the job.

Make sure to install your UVB bulb in a high-quality T5 HO fixture with a highly polished reflector. The Bio Dude Solar Lamp fixture is a good choice.

Heat

Like other reptiles, spotted pythons are cold-blooded, which means they need the right set of temperatures in their environment for their body to function properly. Here’s what your spotted python’s temperature gradient should look like:

Basking surface: 90°F
Warm hide: 90°F
Cool side: 78-84°F
Nighttime: 68-76°F

Use two digital probe thermometers to keep track of the temperatures in the enclosure. One probe should be inside the warm hide, and the other probe should be in the middle of the cool side (“shade”). Use an infrared thermometer (temp gun) for quick temperature checks elsewhere in the setup, including the basking area.

How do you heat a spotted python enclosure? All you need should be a couple of incandescent heat bulbs. Incandescent and halogen heat bulbs produce sun-like infrared, unlike non-light emitting heat sources like heat projectors, ceramic heaters, and heat mats. This makes them the best and most natural way to help your cold-blooded friend regulate its metabolism!

Recommended heat bulbs:

Arcadia GoldenSun Basking Floodlight, 50-75w*

*A different wattage may be required to achieve the right basking temperature for your snake. Basking temperature varies based on basking distance, room temperature, and even the enclosure itself. Be prepared to experiment a little bit to create the correct environment for your pet.

Since spotted pythons are nocturnal, you will also need a warm hide. This is best done with a black box reptile hide or similar, placed directly under the heat lamps and covered with a large piece of light-colored flagstone or concrete paver. Sandwich a heat mat slightly smaller than the hide box between the hide and the stone, and connect that heat mat to a thermostat set to maintain 90°F. The thermostat probe should be placed inside the warm hide.

A thermostat isn’t required for micromanaging your basking temperature, but it’s a good safeguard against potential overheating. Plug your heat lamps into the thermostat, and place the thermostat’s probe on the cool end of the enclosure. The thermostat should be set to turn off the heat lamps at 84°F.

Note: Spotted pythons should be brumated each winter for best health.

Humidity

Spotted pythons are pretty tolerant when it comes to humidity, but it’s still important to pay attention to their humidity levels so they don’t get dehydrated. Ambient humidity for a spotted python should stay between 20-80%. To monitor your enclosure’s humidity levels, use a digital probe hygrometer, with the probe placed on the cool side of the setup.

You can increase humidity levels in your snake’s enclosure by misting as needed with a pressurized spray bottle. It also helps to pour water into the substrate (for example, when watering plants). A humid hide stuffed with moist sphagnum moss and/or substrate should be available at all times.

Dietary Requirements

Spotted pythons are obligate carnivores, which means that they exclusively eat other animals. In the wild, they have a varied diet of frogs, lizards, small birds, bats, and rodents. Try to replicate this variety as much as you can with your own pet’s nutrition.

Prey animals for spotted pythons:

Mice
Young rats
Young hamsters
Young gerbils
Young quail
Chicks
Green anoles
Mourning geckos
Pictus geckos
Reptilinks

Prey should be approximately 1-1.5x the width of your snake at its widest point. Multiple smaller feeders can be offered instead of one larger feeder. For best feeding response, warm frozen prey in a sealed plastic bag in hot water up to 90-100°F before offering.

Feeding schedule

Juvenile spotted pythons should be fed every 7-10 days, and adults should be fed every 10-21 days. Adjust the feeding schedule and size of feeders as needed to keep your pet in a healthy body shape.

Supplements

Although snakes can survive without dietary supplements, it’s best practice to use them. Every 4-6 feeds, add a 50/50 mix of Arcadia CalciumPro Calcium with Magnesium and Repashy SuperVite for extra calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin D3, and other important nutrients.

The supplement powder can be lightly sprinkled over prey before feeding. If this is a turn-off for your snake, you can use a syringe to inject a small amount of supplement mixed with water into the prey item’s throat.

Supplements degrade over time, so we recommend replacing your supplements every 6 months to keep them fresh.

Water

Your spotted python should have access to a small bowl of water at all times. Keep this water clean. 1x/week (or as needed), give the bowl a good scrub and a spritz with veterinary-grade disinfectant.

Maintaining Your Bioactive Spotted Python Terrarium

Bioactive enclosures are often touted as low-maintenance, but there are still some things you need to do to keep your mini-ecosystem functional and thriving:

Water the plants. If the substrate around your plant’s roots feels dry to the touch, it’s time for water. Make sure to water the substrate around the base of each plant, not just dump water on top.
Remove extra poo and urates. Snakes can produce more waste than a bioactive setup can handle quickly, so keep an eye on your pet’s output and manually remove any waste material that doesn’t get cleaned up. This also helps prevent excess nitrogen from building up in the soil!
Prune the plants. As your plants grow, some of them might start to overrun the enclosure. Trim them regularly with clean scissors or shears to keep an attractive shape and prevent a “leggy” appearance.
Add more biodegradables. Your CUC will break down your leaf litter and bark accents into soil over time, so you will need to add more every once in a while.
Add The Bio Dude’s BioVive. Throughout the life of your bioactive terrarium, some elements become depleted. Mix this into your substrate every 6-12 months as needed.