Let’s create a checklist for our animal research report.
First Paragraph: (3+ sentences)
Use a hook. Introduce your animal.
Explain why your animal is of interest.
Did you know that the ball python rolls into a ball when frightened? The ball python is a snake that is native to Africa and this research report will be about this interesting animal. This animal is one that many snake owners have because it is popular and you will find out why.
Second Paragraph: 17+ sentences
●Where animal is from.
●Describe environment that animal is from.
●Describe the appearance of your animal.
●Your animal’s diet. What does it eat?
●How does your animal find its food? Does it hunt? Is it a herbivore, carnivore, etc.?
●Optional: Is your animal endangered? If so, why are they?
●How does your animal protect itself? Prey? Predator?
●How many offsprings does your animal have?
●Lifespan.
The ball python is originally from Southern Africa. Ball pythons live in tropical, humid rain forests. Their environments are naturally very warm, wet, and isolated because they like to live on their own. Ball pythons live in warm environments because they are cold-blooded and they need the external warmth to keep their body temperatures healthy. The ball python is an asymmetric looking snake - its head is very tiny compared to the rest of its body. Its scales come in many different colors but the typical looking ball python will be green and black. Along with coming in different colors, their sizes can be different too. Females grow up to five feet long while males are smaller at four feet long. These types of snakes are carnivores - they only eat meat. Most ball pythons eat mice or rats. Younger and smaller ball pythons eat mice and adult ball pythons eat larger sized rats. In order to capture their prey, these snakes will strike and wrap their bodies around them as a way for them to not escape. Snakes are unable to chew their food so they swallow them whole. Their jaws are able to stretch and open wider than their little heads! Fortunately, ball pythons are far from being endangered. There are many of them in Southern Africa and there are many kept in captivity by reptile enthusiasts in the United States.