Sumatran short-tailed python

Common Name: Sumatran Short-Tailed Python
Scientific Name: Python curtus
Source: WC
Adult Size: Typically 1.2–1.8m (4–6ft), with a notably heavy, stocky build relative to length
Native Range: Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula; lowland rainforests, swamps, and river margins

Enclosure: A minimum 120×60×60cm Viperia PVC vivarium for adults — this is a heavy-bodied, terrestrial (ground-dwelling) python that benefits from a spacious floor area. Furnish with a deep, moisture-retaining substrate such as coco coir or cypress mulch, at least two secure hides (one warm side, one cool), and a large enough water vessel for occasional soaking. Branches and cork bark provide environmental enrichment and help the animal feel secure.
Heating: Warm basking spot of 32°C; ambient cool side of 26–28°C; night-time temperatures can drop to 24–26°C — avoid allowing it to fall below this in a UK home setting
Humidity: 70–80% relative humidity, reflecting the humid tropical rainforests of Sumatra. Achieve this with a moisture-retaining substrate kept lightly damp, regular misting of the enclosure, and a partially restricted ventilation panel. A digital hygrometer is essential to monitor levels accurately.
UVB: A 6% UVB tube run along most of the vivarium's width, positioned so the animal can bask 20–30cm below it. While short-tailed pythons are largely crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk) and spend much of the day in cover, low-level UVB exposure supports long-term health and is considered best practice in modern reptile husbandry.
Diet: Appropriately sized defrosted rodents (mice for juveniles, rats for adults) every 10–14 days for adults, and every 7–10 days for growing juveniles. Feed in or near a hide to reduce stress, and always use feeding tongs rather than offering prey by hand to avoid a feeding response.

ABOUT THIS SPECIES

The Sumatran Short-Tailed Python is one of the most impressively built pythons available in the hobby — a compact, barrel-bodied snake from the humid lowland forests and swamplands of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. Despite its relatively modest length, it has a bulk and presence that far exceeds what the numbers suggest, and its rich, earthy patterning makes it a genuinely striking animal to keep.

Short-tails have a reputation for being feisty as hatchlings, but well-handled captive-bred individuals generally settle into calm, manageable adults with time and consistent, patient interaction. They suit a keeper who has some prior python experience, is comfortable working with a confident snake, and can provide the warm, humid environment this species needs to thrive.