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reptilebeginner
Children's Python
Antaresia childreni
Australia's gentle little python — stays small, eats like clockwork, and shrugs off beginner mistakes. One of the best first snakes.
2.5–3.5 ft15–20 years
Habitat
Enclosure
20–30 gal with a secure lid
Temperature
Hot side 88–90°F · cool side 75–78°F
Humidity / Water
40–50%, raised during shed
Heating & lighting
Under-tank or overhead heat on a thermostat covering a third of the enclosure. Aspen or similar bedding; a snug hide on each side.
Diet
Feed these
- Frozen-thawed mice
- Frozen-thawed fuzzy rats, sized to the body width
Never feed
- Live prey
- Handling for 48 hours after feeding
- Wild-caught prey
Frozen-thawed mice and eventually small rats, weekly to every 10 days. Reliable feeders — hatchlings rarely refuse a meal.
Cohabitation
Can live with
No one — house this species alone.
Never house with
Other snakes Any other species
One per enclosure, like all snakes. Calm, food-predictable, and famously easy.
