Morelia
This is a generalised care sheet for Pythons, a genus titled (Morelia). For more in this femily see Category:Boidae, or for a more detailed species care sheet see Category:Morelia.
| ||||||||||||
Pet Reptile (Morelia) Care Information | |
| Regions Found: | |
| Natural habitat: | |
| Longevity: | |
| Years to Maturity: | |
| Adult Size: | |
| Temperament: | |
| Housing, Feeding and Climate of Morelia | |
| Housing Size: | |
| Reptile Foods: | |
| Temperature: | |
| Humidity: | |
| Reptile Lighting: | Are there any special reptile lighting requirements? |
| Special Requirements: | |
| Breeding Morelia | |
| Breeding Difficulty: | |
| Morelia Clutch Size: |
|
| Gestation Period: | |
| Incubation Temperature: | |
| Incubation Humidity: | |
| Incubation Period: | |
| Health | |
| What are the reptile health concerns? Is pet insurance recommended? Is reptile health a common problem? | |
| Recommended Pet Supplies for Morelia | |
nb. All of these can be purchased from an online pet store | |
Contents |
[edit] Snake Bites
There are generally two types of bites: a strike and a feeding bite.
A strike is a warning that you have exceeded the bounds of what the snake will tolerate. It will shoot out, mouth open, then retract just as quickly, leaving you with a series of teeth marks.
A feeding bite is just that: they think they have prey, and are not going to let go; the more you move around, the more they try to 'kill' your hand. The easiest and fastest way to disengage a snake's mouth from your body is with grain (not rubbing) alcohol; in a school setting, you can use Listerine or, if none is available, isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. The latter can be toxic, so you must make sure that the snake's mouth is not flooded with it. Always tilt the snake's head downwards so that the fluid does not run up into its nose; from there it can get into its respiratory tract, causing infections. Compressed air can also be an effective way to coax a snake into releasing their bite. A quick burst or two into the mouth (not the nose or eyes) should do the trick, but long sprays must be avoided as they can cause frost bite both to the snake's mouth and to the person's skin.
Wash bites thoroughly with soap and water. Apply povidone-iodine (Betadine) or hydrogen peroxide, and let dry. Then apply a topical broad spectrum antibiotic ointment. Do not bandage. It should be noted that a snake will always signal when it is going to strike or bite; you just need to learn new body language. Once you see the snake stiffen and slowly retract, head held slightly above the ground or body, be alert and ready to move.
