The woma python is a striking Australian desert python with a narrow head and banded body, notable for being one of the few pythons that lacks heat-sensing pits. Hardy and generally docile, it is a rewarding intermediate snake, though availability and Australian export restrictions affect cost and paperwork.
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Medium-large terrestrial python; typically 4.5-5 ft, occasionally to 7 ft.
Lifespan
20–30 years
Social needs
solo
Native region
Arid and semi-arid interior of Australia
Origin
Old World
Climate
🏜️ Arid
Family
Pythonidae
Genus
Aspidites
Part of the Pythons
Pythons are non-venomous constrictors of the Old World tropics and subtropics, ranging from small, beginner-friendly species to giants. Many are hardy, long-lived, and popular in the pet trade, though the largest species carry serious legal and safety considerations.
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
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Minimum
Adult enclosure
5 × 2 × 1.5 ft (≈ 75 gal)
Woma pythons (Aspidites ramsayi) reach 4–5 ft. Minimum is a 5×2×1.5 with deep dig substrate, two hides, basking 35 °C (they like it hot), cool 26 °C, low humidity. Diurnal active.
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Recommended
Front-opening vivarium
6 × 2 × 1.5 ft, arid
A 6×2×1.5 with deep dig substrate, multiple hides, hardscape, and strong thermal gradient. Womas are active diurnal foragers — provide enrichment and basking variety.
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Ideal
Bioactive Australian desert
6 × 2 × 2 ft, bioactive arid
Bioactive central Australian arid enclosure with deep substrate, varied hardscape, and drought-tolerant plants. Mimics Western Desert habitat.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
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Egg / Neonate
Most reptiles lay leathery- or hard-shelled eggs incubated by ambient warmth, though some snakes and lizards give live birth. Incubation temperature can influence sex and development in many species.
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Hatchling
Hatchlings emerge as fully formed miniatures of the adult, often using an egg tooth to slit the shell. They are independent from birth but small and vulnerable, and may show brighter or different juvenile patterning.
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Juvenile
Juveniles grow steadily, shedding their skin periodically as they enlarge. Coloration and proportions shift toward the adult form, and growth rate depends heavily on temperature, diet, and basking/UVB access.
Adult
Adults reach the species' full length and mass and become sexually mature. Many reptiles show sex differences in size, coloration, or features (such as larger heads, hemipenal bulges, or femoral pores), and continue to shed throughout life.
Habitat & enclosure
Provide a ground-level enclosure of at least 4 x 2 ft for an adult; womas are terrestrial burrowing snakes from arid country that use floor space, not height. Maintain a warm basking spot of 90-95 F and a cool end of 78-82 F, with a nighttime drop. Keep humidity low to moderate at 30-50%, raising it during shed with a humid hide. Provide deep substrate for burrowing and secure hides.
Substrate
Use a burrowable arid-friendly substrate such as aspen, a sand/soil loam that holds tunnels, or cypress for humidity control. Avoid cedar, pine, and pure dusty sand. Offer a deep layer for natural burrowing, plus tight hides and a humid hide with damp sphagnum for shedding.
Equipment & setup
Thermostat-controlled basking heat (overhead bulb or radiant panel) to create a hot basking spot, plus an under-tank heater option; a sturdy water bowl; deep burrowable substrate; and secure hides. Low-level UVB is beneficial. Use digital thermometer/hygrometer at both ends and a secure enclosure.
Diet
Carnivorous constrictor fed appropriately sized rodents; in the wild womas also eat reptiles. Juveniles take mice/rat pups, adults eat medium rats every 10-21 days. Because they lack heat-sensing pits and naturally eat reptiles in burrows, they can be enthusiastic, sometimes imprecise feeders, so tong-feed carefully and house singly to avoid feeding-response cannibalism risk.
Behavior & temperament
Generally calm and handleable, often described as curious and food-motivated. Lacking facial heat pits, they rely on sight and scent and can mistake warm objects (or cagemates) for prey, so always tong-feed and never cohabit. Non-venomous; a powerful constrictor for its size. Womas are active burrowers and may push through substrate; expect crepuscular activity. Settle new animals before regular handling.
Health
Hardy desert specialists. Main risks are respiratory infection from cold/damp setups, retained shed in low humidity (mitigate with a humid hide), scale rot on wet substrate, obesity, and mites. They tolerate dry heat well but need a proper gradient and a humid microclimate for shedding. Quarantine new arrivals.
Tips, DIY & hacks
Always house singly and tong-feed: lacking heat pits, womas readily mistake warm cagemates or hands for prey. Provide a hot basking spot and deep substrate to satisfy basking and burrowing instincts. A humid hide ensures clean sheds in the otherwise dry setup. Source captive-bred stock and keep provenance paperwork given Australian export restrictions.
