Woma Python

This page is educational reference material for preparing questions. A licensed veterinarian examines the animal, makes the diagnosis, and sets the treatment.

A burrower that aims badly at dinner

Woma pythons, Aspidites ramsayi, are the sand-colored Australian pythons with no labial heat pits. Adults are about 4 to 5 feet. Lifespan is 15 to 20 years. Care is beginner to intermediate. They are calm, and they are food-motivated. Both can be true. A calm woma still bites a hand that enters with the mouse.

Give a long cage, several inches of substrate, a warm side in the upper 80s, and a cooler side in the 70s. They dig. They also roam at night. A water bowl and a snug hide on each end are enough furniture. Humidity stays moderate, with a damp hide during shed. Thawed rats or large mice, tong-fed, are the diet. One snake per cage. They have been known to eat cage mates.

Legal captives, careful feeds

Wild womas are protected in Australia. Pet animals should be captive-bred. Feed in a way that keeps your hand out of range, or feed in a separate bin if this individual tracks movement. After a bite, wash the wound. A bite that swells oddly or a snake that stops eating needs a professional look.

Reptile vets are listed at ARAV. Repeated refused meals are also covered on the not-eating page.

Woma python questions

Why did my woma bite me at feeding time?

Womas hunt by smell and touch. They have no heat pits, and they often miss. Use long tongs, and keep hands out of the strike path. The bite is a feeding error more than a mood.

Do woma pythons burrow?

Yes. Deep, dry substrate is part of the setup. A bare tank with one hide wastes the way the snake lives.

Are they beginner snakes?

Care is beginner to intermediate. Size and care are manageable. The food response is the part that surprises new keepers.