Coral Glow Ball Pythons as Pets-Feeding, Facts and Genetic

Coral Glow Ball Pythons-Everything You Should Know

Coral Glow ball pythons are beautiful designer morphs every snake enthusiast should consider owning. Coral Glows are often referred to as Banana ball pythons. These are great pets to have, considering their non-aggressive nature and also the need for minimal maintenance.

Coral Glow ball pythons are a ball python morph remarkable for their exciting color combinations, featuring a tan base (or brown) adorned with sharp yellow spots distributed across the body. Indeed, the Coral Glow python reaches an average length of 3 feet. The Coral Glow is non-venomous, falling under the constrictor class of snakes. This snake would shed every 4-6 weeks.

The Coral Glow is an excellent acquisition. But before going on to buy it, there are some critical tidbits you should learn about this designer morph. You would like to know how compatible it is as a family pet, its genetics, and breeding. I suppose you are also curious about how you should handle this snake, given the traditional fear that comes with pythons. Good news is we will be learning this and many more in this piece.

Are Coral Glow Ball Pythons Dangerous?

Coral Glow ball pythons are the least dangerous snakes you should be worried about. Their aggression levels are so minimal, bringing on the reserved and shy temperament of the Coral Glow.

The Coral Glow rarely bites. And when it does in those extremely uncommon scenarios, the bite is not poisoned as it lacks venoms.

Unless threatened, expect a mild mannerism from this snake. Generally, the coral glow tends to keep to itself or play with you if it has bonded with you.

How Much Do Coral Glow Ball Pythons Cost?

This morph costs between $170-$300. Upon the introduction of more designer features, the cost could shoot up to around $750.

How Big Does a Coral Glow Ball Python Get?

On an average, you should be expecting your Coral Glow python to be as long as 12-18″.

Are Coral Glow Ball Pythons good pets?

A core feature of a good pet is the lack of aggression and welcomeness. Agreed, this is not the typical attention-seeking pet that would jump on you all day, but the Coral Glow is not irritable.

It is docile and wouldn’t mind some small plays with you often when adequately socialized, and it has trusted you. If you got your coral glow python as a hatchling, it would be more welcoming to your presence and touch as it grows up.

Another attraction for this snake is the well-reduced frequency of maintenance. If you have been distressed with high-maintenance pets like heavy shedding dogs, you would be relieved at the significantly reduced need for active grooming from the Coral Glow.

The Coral Glow would do just fine if you feed it just once in a week. You would also worry less about it messing its terrarium with poo as the coral glow defecates only once in a week.

What more, this pet is ready to love you for over 40 years as it is a long-living pet. This pet is so easy to take care of as you wouldn’t need to do much after setting up its cage.

A glass aquarium of say 30 gallons is decent enough for the Coral Glow ball python. For enhanced ventilation, the cage should be outfitted with a secure lid. Next, you could seal the bottom with a newspaper or any other befitting substrate like moss, orchid bark, and AstroTurf.

We don’t encourage the usage of substrates like pine shavings and aspen because of the increased dryness they introduce to your snake’s cage, which could be discomforting for your Coral Glow.

When you have procured this cage, you should furnish it with a water bowl, heat lamp, soaking tub, and thermometer, box (to often hide), and an object to aid shedding. 

Coral Glow Ball Python Cool Facts

Coral Glow ball python snakes are pretty amazing. Here are some cool facts you could be excited to learn about the Coral Glow python.

They Make Wonderful “Necklaces”

Would you be amazed to learn that coral glow pythons are worn in some cultures as a sign of royalty? Yes, they are, and taking into account their calm temperament, the person wearing it wouldn’t have to worry about the python strangling them. What more, coral glow pythons are charming, making them really adorable necklaces.

Coral Glow Snakes Reproduce Once in 24-36 Months

Female coral glow pythons lay a clutch every 2-3 years. This is in distinct contrast to other snakes that reproduce yearly.

This clutch contains 5-10 eggs, and in rare cases, 11 eggs. The female coral glow ball python would wrap itself around her eggs and incubate them from the warmth created from shivering them.

Coral Glow Ball Python Genetics

Coral glow ball pythons are also referred to as Banana ball pythons. These morphs share a strong similarity in genetic mutation. The differentiating factor here is that both the Banana and the coral glow were bred by two different breeders: Kevin McKurley and Will Slough. 

The Coral Glow is an incomplete dominant morph with much of its yellow being owed to the banana trait. Two copies of the Banana will give you the Super Banana ball python.

Interestingly, Male Bananas, when bred, have a high propensity to produce only male bananas in their offspring. Females could produce both males and females. The reason could be traced to the XY sex determination of the Banana morph, which is in sharp contrast to the traditional ZZ-ZW sex determination mechanism.

Handling Coral Glow Ball Pythons?

A general misconception is that coral glow pythons are dangerous and prone to attacking people. This is very wrong. Your coral glow’s receptiveness is largely dependent on how you handle it.

This is why you must handle the coral glow python the right way. Fundamentally, you must factor in that it is inherently shy.

Therefore, when you get a new coral glow python as a pet, strive to give it a bit of space to acclimatize to its surroundings as handling it immediately could stress it.

Once you notice that your Coral Glow ball python is feeding well (and relaxed when doing so), chances are it has adapted sufficiently to its new environment. If it doesn’t eat well, it may need more time to get used to the place. Ensure you adequately set the aquarium up.

After you have fed your coral glow ball python, you can give it some days to digest its food before you handle it. We highly prohibit you from trying to handle it when it has not eaten (in its new home) or when it has just eaten.

Depending on how mature the Coral Glow is, you may handle it 2-3 times weekly. We have seen many mishandle this python, necessitating the snake to defend itself – often in an ill-perceived counter-attack.

When you pick your coral glow ball python for the first time, make sure to lift it around the middle section of its body. Also, it is essential you properly support the coral glow ball python when you pick it up, so it doesn’t get anxious. Make sure you don’t hold the snake too tightly around the head and allow it ample space for movement even when you hold it.

If your Coral Glow ball python is yet to bond with you fully, we highly discourage you from lifting the coral ball python from behind. It may get it startled, prompting it into getting defensive. Ensure that you are in the line of sight of your Coral Glow so that it sees you and anticipates your touch.

Feeding Coral Glow Ball Pythons

Often we are asked how to feed the coral glow ball python. Truth is, there isn’t any spectacular way to feed the coral ball python other than you typically nourish your ball python.

Your coral glow ball python would feed on small rats and mice. Your coral glow’s preference is live meals, but with training, it can adapt to eating frozen mice. If your coral glow python is introduced to frozen food early enough, it will eat that sustainably throughout its lifespan.

There is a healthy supply of live rodents or thawed out mice in pet supply which you could get for your coral glow ball python.

How Do You Feed Your Snake These Rodents after Procuring Them?

You can put this rodent in a small container and place it strategically in its cage where it is visible or one location where the snake is already used to getting its food. After this, you can place it back in your snake’s cage and patiently wait for the snake to detect that its meal is now available.

Sometimes, your Coral Glow ball python may not be hungry and wouldn’t eat the rodent. If so, ensure you take off the rodent as leaving it could cause the rodent to bite or scratch your Coral Glow.

The next day, you can reintroduce the food and see if it eats. Snakes only eat out of necessity and not fun eaters like humans.

Coral Glow Ball Python Shedding

Your Coral Glow ball python would shed for two reasons. First, the new skin after shedding allows it an ample room for growth. Secondly, your coral ball python would shed to get a new skin for an enhanced barrier to moisture.

If your coral glow python is feeding well, its environment having the right humidity and warmth, you can expect your Coral Glow python to shed about every 4-6 weeks. The season has more effect on the shedding of a coral glow python that is out there in the wild.

A coral glow python in the wild (as opposed to yours in captivity living in an artificially generated clime in its terrarium) would shed once in the winter as it would hibernate and get less active.

How Do You Know Your Coral Glow Python is about to Shed?

Their eyes may take on a bluish tone, which is relatively milky. Their underbelly would go pinkish too as their general body color fades.

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