Brought to the Sharon Audubon Center: August 1998

History: Monty was given to the Sharon Audubon Center for use in education programs. She (along with another python named Hiss, who passed away in 2013) was a pet that had quickly outgrown her housing facility and could not be cared for properly. Because Monty is our biggest snake at the center, she is a big hit during our reptile programs. When not in a program, Monty can usually be found snoozing on her rock under the heat lamp or soaking in her water bath.

Ball Python (Python regius)

Did You Know? Ball Pythons are also known as Royal Pythons because Cleopatra supposedly wore them around her wrists.

Description: The Ball Python is a relatively small, ground-dwelling, non-venomous snake. They are typically brown and black in color, with a tan-yellow underbelly.

Size: 3 - 6 feet, females are generally longer than males

Life Span: In captivity they generally live 20 - 30 years, though some have been known to live for as long as 40 years.

Habitat: They live in savannahs and rain forests.

Range: Ball Pythons are native to Western Africa.

Diet: Ball Pythons are constrictors that eat a wide variety of prey in the wild, including lizards, amphibians, birds, and small mammals.