White Lipped Python Care

SnoopySnake · 08-20-13, 07:36 PM

Hey guys!

So, I've been pondering the idea of getting a white-lipped python, once I have enough money to take care of it.

I was thinking I would prefer the Northern White-Lipped python, as opposed to a Southern. I read that WLP's need higher temperatures and a higher humidity than most snakes. Also I read that they tend to get RI's easily if their humidity gets too low, and they have softer skin, and I saw numbers ranging from 4 to 8 feet in length.

My questions: What specific temps & humidity are required?
How large do males average?
Are there any husbandry differences between the Northern and Southern WLP's?
And, anything else I would need to know to take care of one of these?

Any responses and help is greatly appreciated!

**Aaron_S** · 08-20-13, 07:43 PM

Really long leather gloves.

Snake hooks.

They tend to be flighty and highly defensive.

smy_749 · 08-20-13, 09:02 PM

This is a pretty damn large species of python. In the 8 - 10 foot range I believe... They are also very defense as Aaron said, and working with an Adult is not an easy task. The southerns carry quite the heavy price tag, 700 being the lowest I've seen. They do get a bit larger than the northerns as well (northerns more in the 7 foot range tops)

I'll let someone who actually owns one talk about humidity and what not. I don't want this to come off the wrong way, and it probably will. But seeing as your only 14, and have limited experience with larger snake species, especially demon child ones like d'alberts, you might wanna hold off. Unlike species which people say are 'advanced' but aren't actually all that difficult, d'alberts are a bit difficult, especially since your almost guaranteed to be purchasing a wild caught animal.

SnoopySnake · 08-20-13, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smy_749

...In the 8 - 10 foot range I believe... They are also very defense as Aaron said, and working with an Adult is not an easy task. The southerns carry quite the heavy price tag, 700 being the lowest I've seen. They do get a bit larger than the northerns as well (northerns more in the 7 foot range tops)

This was my exact reasoning for looking into the Northerns instead. Plus I love the way they look.

Quote:

Originally Posted by smy_749

...I don't want this to come off the wrong way, and it probably will. But seeing as your only 14, and have limited experience with larger snake species, especially demon child ones like d'alberts, you might wanna hold off....

I understand 100% why you would say I should hold off on this one. :P They do sound like a handful, If I ever did decide to get one, it wouldn't be for a little while I don't think.

Would you be more likely to get a captive bred animal if you were looking for a Northern?

smy_749 · 08-20-13, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoopySnake

This was my exact reasoning for looking into the Northerns instead. Plus I love the way they look.

I understand 100% why you would say I should hold off on this one. :P They do sound like a handful, If I ever did decide to get one, it wouldn't be for a little while I don't think.

Would you be more likely to get a captive bred animal if you were looking for a Northern?

Not really, they are less rare yes, but they are both so rare to find CB that the difference is negligible. CB animals are also double the price, so somewhere in the 400 dollar range. I personally prefer the southerns 100 times over. 10 foot solid black iridescent snake...doesn't get much better imo.

SnoopySnake · 08-20-13, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smy_749

Not really, they are less rare yes, but they are both so rare to find CB that the difference is negligible. CB animals are also double the price, so somewhere in the 400 dollar range....

Looking around at various places online, I've found places who apparently have CB babies as low as $160...Although, babies seem like they would be more difficult to keep. IMO its hard to favor one over the other, they both look amazing

smy_749 · 08-20-13, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoopySnake

Looking around at various places online, I've found places who apparently have CB babies as low as $160...Although, babies seem like they would be more difficult to keep. IMO its hard to favor one over the other, they both look amazing

They aren't captive bred, its the same stupid crap that everyone pulls unfortunately. 'Captive bred on our farms in Indonesia by our local breeders'....

Basically they just find pregnant females and hatch them in their possession, or hatch the eggs they find and send them over. Lots of names for the same stupid garbage, captive hatched, captive farmed, farm raised, farmed, captive bred at overseas facilties, blah blah blah.

If they don't have pics of the parents / copulation / clutch / babies hatching, you can call bullshit and assume they are lying. Especially for 160 dollars.

I talked with D.Roddy about this in the passed, was looking for a pair but couldn't find a male. He pointed me in the direction of two well known U.S. breeders, unfortunately neither of them had a pair. Ask who the breeder was before you buy them.

Oh: And not to name names here, but I can almost guarantee you found the 160 dollar price at backwater, because everyone always mentions them. The animals are not CB, the label is just thrown on everything. Please don't purchase an animal from them.

SnoopySnake · 08-20-13, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smy_749

If they don't have pics of the parents / copulation / clutch / babies hatching, you can call bullshit and assume they are lying. Especially for 160 dollars.

Why I said apparently

lol.. I definitely would have to find out the breeder and have the snakes info if I end up to committing to such an expensive animal.

SnoopySnake · 08-20-13, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smy_749

Oh: And not to name names here, but I can almost guarantee you found the 160 dollar price at backwater, because everyone always mentions them. The animals are not CB, the label is just thrown on everything. Please don't purchase an animal from them.

You would be correct. Stating that price, I didn't mean that I would actually get one from there...I got my last two snakes from there but decided I wouldn't be getting anymore from there after I started to read into it more.

SuperSleuth · 08-20-13, 11:52 PM

While I'm by far no expert here, I would have to agree with others here who said to wait a while and get more experience before getting one of these guys. Speaking as a parent, I would be ticked to find out that my son intended on buying such a high strung (potentially large) snake. By the looks of your signature, you have several animals that could quite possibly become dinner if it were to Chuck Norris it's way out of it's enclosure. I'd say to at least wait until you're living out on your own and have gotten experience with reptiles that require a higher level of husbandry.

Don't get discouraged, consider it a stepping stone so you know you'll be able to safely care for it in the best possible way.

marvelfreak · 08-21-13, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoopySnake

My questions: What specific temps & humidity are required?
How large do males average?
Are there any husbandry differences between the Northern and Southern WLP's?
And, anything else I would need to know to take care of one of these?

Any responses and help is greatly appreciated!

I have a Northern WLP It came from S&S Exotic Animals out of Texas. A buddy of mine got it and got tired of it crapping and pissing on him. so he trade it to me. He said they told him it was CB. It was a yearling when he got it. So now it's about 2.5. One thing about them is they are a very slow
growing snake. Mine likes to close mouth strike or as i call it headbutt you.

One thing to remember is these are a show snake not a culled with hold me every couple days type snake. When Shawn the guy i got him from had him he would handle him a couple times a week or more. This just stressed it out. Mine only gets handle twice a month. For cage cleaning and once in a great while for a video or pictures. He has never bitten or pissed or crapped on me. I always use a hook and keep the section under 5 minutes long.

Here's a video showing his cage set up when i first got him. He now in a much bigger cage. It simple but has three hide and several branches to climb on.

Now to answer your questions.
1. Temp high side 89 and low 73. Humidity right around 70 to 75%. He tends to spend most of his time in the middle of the cage hiding under his big water bowl. BTW totes make it much easier to maintain humidity. In the winter i does mist every other day.

2. Male Northern WLP can get up to 7 plus feet. But they are a very slender body snake. A seven foot WLP is only going to be about half the girth of say a carpet python of the same length.

3. Your last question i can't answer as i never worked with or owned a Southern WLP.

SnoopySnake · 08-21-13, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marvelfreak

I have a Northern WLP It came from S&S Exotic Animals out of Texas. A buddy of mine got it and got tired of it crapping and pissing on him. so he trade it to me. He said they told him it was CB. It was a yearling when he got it. So now it's about 2.5. One thing about them is they are a very slow
growing snake. Mine likes to close mouth strike or as i call it headbutt you.

One thing to remember is these are a show snake not a culled with hold me every couple days type snake. When Shawn the guy i got him from had him he would handle him a couple times a week or more. This just stressed it out. Mine only gets handle twice a month.

Thank you for your response!

I wasn't aware they are slow growing, which would be a plus to me. How long do they usually take to reach full size?However I was aware that they would be more for show, which is okay for me, because I have other snakes that I can handle more regularly. I also hear they're very vocal, and that their mouths sometime spit or bubble when they're really angry.. Has yours done this? How bad would it be to get bitten by an adult? Or a sub-adult?

Your little guy is gorgeous! I'm jealous!

Quote:

Originally Posted by marvelfreak

...2. Male Northern WLP can get up to 7 plus feet. But they are a very slender body snake. A seven foot WLP is only going to be about half the girth of say a carpet python of the same length....

This is the a reason I'm considering a snake that could get so large :P

marvelfreak · 08-21-13, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoopySnake

Thank you for your response!

I wasn't aware they are slow growing, which would be a plus to me. How long do they usually take to reach full size?However I was aware that they would be more for show, which is okay for me, because I have other snakes that I can handle more regularly. I also hear they're very vocal, and that their mouths sometime spit or bubble when they're really angry.. Has yours done this? How bad would it be to get bitten by an adult? Or a sub-adult?

Your little guy is gorgeous! I'm jealous!

This is the a reason I'm considering a snake that could get so large :P

That i am not sure of but mine seem to grow way slower than any other snake i ever owned. Ever time he eats he sheds, but just doesn't seem to be getting much bigger. he eats a small rat every two weeks.

Mine never do that. He has throw up hair balls a day or two after eating. This is normal for WLP, but i have noticed since i cut back his handling he does do it as often.

I don't thing it would hurt at all. But your asking a guy who been nail by a 8 foot yellow anaconda and didn't think it hurt. What might not be a painful bite to me could be the most painful thing to some one else.

Thanks!