The Angolan Python is a non-venomous species of snake that is native to the South-Western coast of Africa. They are sometimes called the Anchieta’s Dwarf Python and it is closely related to the Ball Python.
Taxonomy
The Angolan Python belongs to the Pythonidae family of reptiles. This essentially just means that the Angolan Python is a Python. This is a large family of snake that can be broken down into 9 different genera.
The genus that this snake belongs to is also called Python. The Python genus consists of 9 different species of snakes and these snakes are referred to as the ‘True Pythons’.
The snakes in this genus can be found over a large geographical area including Africa, India, South-East Asia and Indonesia. Some of the other species in the Python genus include the African Rock Python, Ball Python, Borneo Short Tailed Python and the Burmese Python.
The scientific name for the Angolan Python is Python anchietae, named after Portuguese explorer and naturalist Jose Alberto de Oliveira Anchieta. Jose spent much of his life studying the animals and plants of Angola.
Description
The Angolan python is a medium sized snake that can grow to a length of 5-6 feet. This is relatively small for a python with some of the other snakes in the Python genus growing much larger, such as the African Rock Python.
The background colour of the snake is usually brown. This can vary from a light reddish-brown to a very dark tone of brown. The background is overlaid with a lot of white or yellow spots. These spots can sometimes turn to bands an are often outlined with black markings.
Their head is very similar in appearance to a Ball Python. The big difference is that the Angolan Python has small raised head scales and 5 heat sensing pits on eather side as opposed to a Ball Python’s four.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The range of the Angolan Python is limited to the South-Western coast of Africa. They can only be found in two countries, Angola and Namibia. Interestingly, the Angolan Python’s range is larger in Namibia than it is in Angola.
Their range extends from Lobito in Angola down to Maltahohe in Namibia. In Namibia, their range extends inland towards Otavi. The type locality of the Angolan Python is Catumbella, near Lobito in Angola.
These snakes are particularly fond of habitats with a lot of rocks. Among the rocky outcrops, these snakes have plenty of crevices where they can hide and cool off in the shade. They can also be found in brushland and grassland.
Feeding an Angolan Python
A juvenile Angolan Python can be fed an appropriately sized rodent once a week. The size of the meal should not be wider that the width of the snake at the snakes largest point.
It is best not to handle your snake for a couple of hours after feeding them. This is to minimise stress as a nervous snake may refuse a meal.
You can continue to feed an adult Angolan Python an appropriately sized rodent once a week. Some people choose to feed their adults a very large meal every 10-14 days but feeding smaller meals weekly seems to work better.
You should try to convert your Angolan Python over to rat pups as soon as they are big enough to take them. Rats are far more notorious for snakes than mice.
You should not handle your snake for 24 hours after they have eaten. Excessive handling right after a meal can be stressful for the snake and can lead to regurgitation.
Angolan Python Enclosure
A juvenile Angolan Python can be housed in an enclosure measuring 18×12 inches. It is best to keep these enclosures basic so you can monitor the snakes more easily.
At a minimum, you should include a hide in both the warm and cool end of the enclosure. This will allow the snake to feel secure while thermoregulating. A clean water bowl should also be present at all times.
Once the snake outgrows this enclosure, you can move him up to his adult setup. An Angolan Python will do well in an enclosure measuring 3ft x 1.5ft x 1.5ft. You can choose to go larger if you can offer the snake more space.
Keep in mind when setting up an Angolan Python enclosure that they come from a warm dry climate. However, they are known to hide under rock ledges or in burrows that are more humid.
For this reason, it is recommended to include a damp hide in the enclosure. This will allow the snake to replicate their natural behaviour and seek refuge in a damp shelter if they want to.
Light and Heat
The Angolan Python likes a hot spot of around 90F. The cool side of the enclosure can drop to around 75F. This thermal gradient will allow your snake to regulate its body temperature.
You can choose to use an overheat basking or ceramic bulb or an under-tank heat mat as your source of heat. We prefer to use a combination of both, turning the overhead heat off at night but keeping the heat mat on.
All heat sources should be positioned at one end of the enclosure. This is necessary to create that thermal gradient which will allow your snake to control their body temperature by moving towards or away from the heat source.
Any heat source you use must be connected to a high-quality thermostat. This will ensure that the correct amount of heat is given out and prevents your enclosure from overheating.
An Angolan Python does not need any special kind of lighting such as UVB. However, you can choose to provide it if you want, it will not do the snake any harm. In fact, some research suggests UVB can offer some benefit for snakes.
If you do choose to include lighting in your enclosure, it is important that you turn them off at night. This is to provide your snake with a proper day/night cycle.
Angolan Python Humidity and Substrate
The Angolan Python will do well on a wide range of substrates. You can choose a basic substrate that is easy to clean or a more naturalistic substrate that replicates their native habitat.
Basic substrates that work well include paper towel and newspaper. These substrates are easily cleaned by replacing them once soiled.
More ‘naturalistic’ substrates include Coco Fibre, Eco Earth, Aspen Bedding and Cork Bark. If you are trying to make your enclosure look natural, all these substrates are good options. Simply spot clean when soiled and deep clean the enclosure once a month.
The Angolan Python does not need excessively high levels of humidity. A level of around 50% is enough for these snakes. You usually won’t have to do anything other than placing a large water bowl in the enclosure to achieve this.
If you are living in a very humid environment, you may even need to decrease the humidity levels in the enclosure. This can be achieved by ensuring there is plenty of ventilation in the enclosure.
If humidity levels are still too high, you could choose to place a dehumidifier close to your Angolan Python enclosure. This will drain the humidity from the air and reduce the levels inside the enclosure.
While these snakes live in relatively low humidity, they are known to seek refuge in burrows or rock crevices that have fairly high humidity levels. Therefore, it is a good idea to include a humid hide in the enclosure.
Handling an Angolan Python
Many people compare the Angolan Python to a Ball Python as they come from the same part of the world. Both these Python species grow to a similar size and have a somewhat similar appearance.
However, the Angolan Python isn’t as ‘shy’ as the typical Ball Python. These lizards are far more active and will enjoy time out of their enclosure to explore their surroundings.
As with all snakes, regular handling is necessary to ensure your snake does not see you as a threat. A defensive strike from a snake is the most common reason why people get bit.
When handling your Angolan Python, make sure you always support the snake’s weight . Allow the snake to move from one hand to the other, supporting the body at all times.