Antaresia childreni
Children's python
A secure terrestrial cage with two hides. The name commemorates J. G. Children. It is not a snake for children to keep unsupervised.
Legal status
- EU Annex B
- CITES II
Antaresia childreni is CITES Appendix II because Pythonidae spp. is in Appendix II except species placed in Appendix I. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/966 places that family listing in Annex B except species in Annex A. It is recorded here as Annex B on that basis, the same way Python regius is recorded. Confirm the current annex before you rely on it. Not venomous. Not on the EU invasive-alien-species list. Not named in 50 CFR 16.15. Check local rules before you keep, move, or rehome an animal. This record is not a permit and not legal advice.
Official sourceNot legal advice. Rules differ by country, and sometimes by region. Check the law that applies to you.
- Temperature
- 26–32°C
- Basking
- 32–33°C
- UVB
- Ferguson zone 1. About 0.1–0.7
- Humidity
- 40–60%
- Minimum enclosure
- About 90 × 45 × 45 cm for one adult
- Adult size
- About 75–100 cm.
- Lifespan
- Often 20 years.
- Difficulty
- beginner
Diet and feeding
Rodents, or chicks for the occasional variety an adult already accepts. Every 5–7 days for juveniles. Every 7–14 days for adults.
Substrate
Cypress, paper, or aspen.
Health
Ordinary snake problems: mites, stuck shed, and a refused meal in a cold cage.
Handling
Small and manageable. Support the body.
Husbandry ranges are general guidance for captive care, not a veterinary prescription or a permit. Confirm the gradient with your own thermometers. UV zones follow Baines et al., Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 4(1), 2016, https://www.jzar.org/jzar/article/view/150. Legal fields use the source link on this species and stay empty when an annex was not verified.