In The Wild
April 23, 2026
In Captivity
April 22, 2026
Woma pythons can be housed on a mixture of eco earth in a 4 foot by 2 foot enclosure. They are not an arboreal species, but can benefit from climbing branches. They require at least two tight hides with the addition of a humid hide to assist with shedding. Womas, like all snakes, should have a water bowl large enough to soak in should they wish to.
Womas are an ectothermic, reptilian species, so they require a temperature gradient spanning their enclosure. This is so they can regulate their internal body temp. They reqire a basking temperature of 90 degrees fahrenheit to replicate the Australian heat. Since woma pythons are nocturnal, I like to give them a night light as well, but this is optional. UVB is not required for woma pythons, but it can be beneficial for them, as is true for a wide range of reptile species. Lastly, try to mist their enclosure once a week. The spike in humidity replicates rainfall they'd encounter in the wild.
Woma pythons must eat frozen-thawed mice about the width of their body. Babies should be fed weekly; as your snake ages, transition it to every ten days or biweekly depending on their weight. Woma pythons, unlike ball pythons, should be vaguely triangular in shape, like a pyramid. A round woma is an overweight woma.
Acquiring a woma python is not always easy, as they are endangered in some parts of the wild. Additionally, Australia passed an awesome law banning the export of naitve species, so all womas found in captivity must be captive bred. There are not a lot of active woma python breeders online, but a small amount can be found on MorphMarket. You'll have better luck finding one at your local reptile expo.
As far as handling goes, my personal woma python has been a dream, but I'm aware they're notorious for having an intense feeding response. One way to combat this is to purchase a juvenile; they will still be nippy, but it will be much easier to warm them up to regular handling. Another (perhaps better) method is tap training. Snakes hear using vibrations around them, so by tapping your snake or the top of their enclosure with a snake hook, you can annouce your presence. This informs the snake that he or she is not being fed, and should curb the response.
Sources
- Wikipedia -- Various Authors
- Woma Python Care -- Dubia
- Woma Python Care and Breeding -- Reptiles Magazine
- Personal experience -- meeee :3! I own a woma python, and I'm an animal educator, so that's professional experience I think.
