Sub Saharan Africa denotes the region of Africa directly below the Sahara Desert, South until it meets up with the Equator. Distributionīall Pythons occur in Sub Saharan Africa from the West coast of Senegal, Cot D'Ivoire and Ghana Eastwards toward Chad, Sudan, Cameroon and Uganda up to the Nile River which makes a geographic border for the species. Ball Pythons are capable climbers and are sometimes found up in tree branches, however the majority are found on the ground and in small mammal burrows. Ecology Habitatīall Pythons live in regions marked by varying vegetation vast grassland called the savanna defines the landscape with more scattered forests arising towards the southern extent of the range. These pits are able to detect wavelengths of light in the infrared spectrum and the signal is processed visually, meaning, Boas, Pythons and 'Pit' Vipers such as Rattlesnakes are capable of seeing a thermal image of their surroundings giving them an advantage in hunting in the dark as well as seeking out thermal refuges when temperatures are too hot or cold. Physiological: While most snake's sense of smell relies on their tongue to process chemical trails within their Jacobson's Organ, Pythons have the added advantage of having heat sensing pores on their upper lip called labial pits. Additionally, a snake's chin is not fused together as it is in mammals, rather, they can open their mouth both vertically and horizontally allowing them to consume larger animals. Physical CharacteristicsĪnatomical: Like most snakes, Ball Pythons have a quadrate bone at the back of their jaw which allows them to open their mouth to sizes twice as big as their head. Species Specificsĭespite its lack of venom, a bite from a Ball Python will be painful as their mouth is equipped with roughly 150 needle sharp teeth about 1cm long designed to hook into and hold prey while the snake wraps its coils for constriction. Scale coloration is predominantly black with scattered, asymmetrical blotches of tan and browns. The head is relatively small compared to their stocky bodies which can exceed several inches in diameter. Considered a medium bodied snake, the Ball or Royal Python is the smallest of the Python species, reaching only 4-5 feet on average with longer individuals reaching 6 feet and weighing 3-5 pounds.
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