Basic Woma Python care

Womas are a medium sized python species native to central and northeastern Australia, although another population exists in the southwestern portion of Western Australia. They are a rather unique taxa of python that seem to have many characteristics of colubrid snakes, such as lacking the heat-sensitive pits along the upper jawline that most other pythons have (the other species to lack heat pits is the Blackhead python, Aspidites melanocephalus). They are nevertheless, active predators of small mammals and other snakes, and often "crush" their prey against the burrow's walls as a means of subduing them. Womas have also been known to exhibit caudal luring, which is unlike most other species of python .

Size: Womas range from 4 to 6 feet (48-72 inches). Females are typically larger than males.



Enclosure: The enclosure you choose must be secure to prevent the escape of the inhabitant and provide adequate ventilation. Although glass terrariums with screen tops can be used, I personally prefer plastic and PVC enclosures with sliding or swing-down acrylic doors on the front of the cage (there are several brands commercially available). This is due to the increased security the enclosures provide for snakes within them and simply because space can be better utilized with them (they can be stacked). A 4' X 2' enclosure is more than adequate for an adult woma. Larger numbers of womas can be housed in commercially available racks consisting of appropriately sized plastic containers that have holes melted along the sides with a soldering iron. A hide-box for allowing the snake to retreat from view is recommended as part of any setup.
The water dish should also be provided within the enclosure and be changed at least once weekly or sooner if fouled. The dish should heavy enough so that it isn't easily tipped over (plastic or ceramic crock dishes work well).

Temperature and Heating: Be sure to provide womas with a thermal gradient, in which a warm side can be created with an under tank heat heater (UTH), Flexwatt heat tape, or a radiant heat panel. Some commercially available plastic and PVC enclosures come with their own heating elements. It is important to disallow the snake to come into direct contact with any heating element, as thermal burns can result. The temperature within the enclosure should be 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit. This can be set and monitored with a quality thermostat designed for reptile enclosures or by using a handheld Proexotics Tempgun, which can be used to quickly spot check the temperature of a desired spot within the enclosure. Additional lighting other than the room's for photoperiods is not required for most species of snakes including womas. However, a fluorescent light mounted on the ceiling of the enclosure can be done if you wish to.

Substrate: Newspaper or aspen shavings are acceptable substrates for womas. Avoid pine and cedar shavings, as these substrates are toxic to snakes. Substrate should be kept dry and be spot cleaned when needed to reduce the likelihood of bacterial outbreaks.

Feeding: Womas normally possess aggressive feeding responses, so some care should be taken if working around them during feeding. Neonates can be started off on rat pinkies or hopper mice weekly, with the size of the prey being increased accordingly. Adults can be offered adult rats weekly. Frozen, thawed rodents can easily be offered with the appropriate tongs or hemostats and do not pose the risk of inflicting injury to the snake. Care should also be taken to prevent ingestion of substrate during feeding, which may lead to impaction.
*A behavioral indicator that a woma is actively hunting is most noticably indicated by a head bobbing behavior.

Reproduction: Womas are oviparous, with females laying 5-19 eggs per clutch depending on the age and size of the snake. Female womas reach sexual maturity at around 2 or 3 years

Aside from an aggressive feeding response, womas are, by far, the most docile, laid back python ever found. They are very easily socialized and enjoy being handled.