How Big Do Ball Pythons Get?

The ball python is one of the popular snakes which is kept as a pet by many people because they are non-venomous in nature and they can grow properly if you take care of the ball python properly.

The ball python is one of the calmest species of snakes which is another reason why they are so popular among reptile enthusiasts. The ball pythons grow to a size that is manageable by the owners of the ball python. In this article, we will discuss the topic that how big a ball python can grow and its full-grown size, and the growth rate with which they grow. One needs to know about the growth of the ball python so that they can know more about them.

How big do ball pythons get?

The ball pythons can grow up to 3 to 5 feet in length and they can weigh around 2.5 to 5.5 pounds. There is an interesting factor about the growth rate of ball pythons and that is the female ball python can grow larger than the male ball pythons. Where male ball pythons can reach a length of 2 to 3 feet and on the other hand the female ball pythons can reach up to a length of even 6 feet respectively.

The female ball pythons grow at a faster pace as compared to the male ball pythons. The female ball python also appears larger in size because of the difference in the diameter between the two. The diameter of the female ball python is more as compared to the male ball python and the male ball pythons will appear slimmer in size and also they will have a smaller head in comparison to the female ball pythons.

The full-grown female ball pythons can be twice the length of the male ball python as they grow .5 times faster than the male ball python. The size of the ball python makes them quite famous among their owners because this size of the snake is quite manageable.

The growth rate of ball python

You will notice that growth rate is an important factor when it comes to determining the health of the ball python because by their growth rate you will come to know how healthy they are doing. The growth rate of the female ball python is 1.5 times more than the male ball python.

You will observe that the female ball pythons will grow at nearly 1 foot per year but this growth rate will decrease after four years. The male ball python on the other hand will grow around 8 inches per year and this rate will decrease when they will reach their sexual maturity.

Determining size by age

The size of the ball python can also be determined by age and you can estimate it by the table given below:-

1. Hatchling ball python both male and female are 10 to 17 inches long.
2. In six months ball python both male and female are 20 to 27 inches long.
3. In nine months male ball python will grow up to 25 to 30 inches while the female ball python will grow up to 25 to 35 inches.
4. In one year the male ball python will grow up to 1.5 to 2 feet and the female ball python will grow up to 2 feet.
5. In one and a half years the male ball python will grow up to 2 to 2.5 feet and the female ball python will grow up to 2 to 3 feet.
6. In two years the male ball python will grow up to 2 to 3 feet and the female ball python will grow up to 2.5 to 3.5 feet.
7. In three years the male ball python will grow up to 2.5 to 3.5 feet and the female ball python will grow up to 3 to 5 feet.
8. In four and four-plus years the male ball python will grow up to 2.5 to 3.5 feet and the female ball python will grow up to 4 to 6 feet.

These are the sizes up to which both male and female ball pythons will grow at a particular age and by this, you can determine their age easily.

Factors affecting the growth of the ball python

The growth of the ball python also depends upon many factors which can also be controlled by their owners and some of those factors has been listed as below:-

1. Nutrition: As we know food is very important for any living organism so when they will get a healthy diet they will grow properly at a normal growth rate.
2. Stress: If your ball python is facing any sort of stress then also they will not be able to grow properly and chances are that they will not grow the length that it should grow up to.
3. Disease or infection: When the ball python will be suffering from some sort of infection or disease then they will not be able to grow at the growth rate that they usually grow into.
4. Improper environment: When the environment for the ball python is not appropriate then also the ball python is not able to grow properly.

You need to keep in mind all the above-mentioned factors so that the ball python grows in a healthy way and also so that they do not face any sort of problem while growing up.

Final thoughts:

The ball python a calm-natured snake is a popular and also most favored snake to be kept as a pet. The ball python grows up to a manageable length which makes it an appropriate pet.

You should also take care of the ball python so that they can grow up in a healthy way and also there is no problem while they are growing. Also as a responsible owner, you need to take care of them so that you both can build a bonding with each other and also enjoy each other’s company. This will also help in understanding each other.

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