Jungle Carpet Python
(Morelia spilota cheyneib)

Carpet pythons are one of the most attractive snakes seen in the pet trade. Carpet pythons have are a medium sized slender python with a long neck and a large head with pits on the lips. The head is broader than the neck. Carpet pythons are most have amazing yellow and black markings. The markings can vary greatly and consist of bands, stripes, blotches, spots, or any combination of these. Colors can vary from a vibrant lemon yellow, deep gold, pale yellow, or even ivory. While not as large as other pythons, the jungle carpet python can reach lengths of 4½ to 7 feet.

Wild jungle carpet pythons can be found in the rainforests of Atherton Tablelands of northeastern Queensland, Australia

Difficulty

NOVICE to MODERATE: Becuase of their medium size and larger caging requirements, you may not want to keep this python if you are new to keeping reptiles and amphibians.

Requirements

An enclosure, such as:

• Glass or acrylic aquarium (40 gallons or larger, depending on the size of the carpet python) with a secure lid with clamps
• Custom constructed enclosure

Substrate, such as:

• Aspen wood shavings
• Indoor/outdoor carpeting
• Newspaper

A heating element, such as:

• Under the tank heater
• Incandescent heat bulb
• Ceramic infrared heat emitters

Enclosure

The size of the enclosure you will need for your carpet python depends on the size of the snake. Young hatchling carpet pythons will often be timid and scared in too large of an enclosure while adult carpet pythons will need a larger enclosure to move around in and feel more comfortable. Carpet pythons are an arboreal python and enjoy climbing and hanging on to branches. When designing your enclosure be sure to provide plenty of places for your carpet python to climb and explore. If you are constructing your own enclosure, try not to use unfinished wood as it is harder to clean and can harbour disease. Pressure treated lumber should also be avoided due to the chemicals used. Many hobbyists also like to decorate their enclosure with drift wood and other decoration. The choices are limitless and you can make your enclosure as sparse or as ornate as you wish, depending on your own desires.

It is also important to provide your carpet python with an area to hide. There are many comercially available caves that can be purchased from your favorite pet supply store, or you can use things like flower pots, plastic containers, or just about anything that is big enough for your carpet python to completely crawl into and can provide a dark place to hide.

Always remember that carpet pythons, like all snakes are escape artists. They will always test your enclosure to see if they can get out. For this reason, you will always want to make sure that your enclosure has a secure lid that the snake can not push open. If using an aquarium, be sure to use a screen top with enough clamps to prevent the carpet python from pushing open the top. If making your own enclosure, be sure that all access doors are secured with some kind of latch and can not be pushed open easily from the inside.

Substrate

The substrate or bedding that you use is one of the most important parts of your carpet python's home, since your snake will be spending much of its time on it. Some of the best substrate is folded newspaper. While it is not the most visually appealing option, it is one of the easiest and cleanest. Indoor/Outdoor carpeting can also be used as an effective substrate for your snake. Be sure to have at least two identical pieces so that you can simply place the clean piece of carpeting in the enclosure while you rinse and disenfect the soiled piece. You can then allow the newly cleaned piece of carpeting to dry for the next days use. It's important to note that it is important to completely rinse the carpet after cleaning it to be sure there is no residual chemicals remaining on the carpet that could irritate your carpet python. Aspen wood shavings provide an excellent, absorbent choice for your carpet python as well. Be sure to stay away from cedar or pine shavings as these can cause health problems for your carpet python.

Heating and Light

Carpet pythons like an ambient daytime temperature of 75°F to 80°F with nighttime temperatures of 65°F to 70°F. A basking spot of 85°F to 90°F should be provided during the day. These temperatures can be achieved by using under the tank heaters, incadescent basking bulbs, or ceramic emitters. We recommend using a timer to automatically turn off your daytime heating and lighting elements at night. It's important to check these temperatures regularly with a thermometer. Many hobbyists will install thermometers or thermostats in the enclsosure to be able to accurately maintain these temperatures. We do not recommend the use of any kind of heat rocks as they can often lead to burns on your carpet python.

Diet

Carpet pythons can be fed rodents their entire lives. Hatchling carpet pythons will need to be fed fuzzie mice, while adult carpet pythons can be fed adult mice or rats. It's important that you feed the appropriate sized prey to your carpet python. If the prey is too small, it may not be getting all the nutrtion that it needs, if it is too large it may spit the prey back up. A good rule to follow is to feed prey that is about 1½ times the size of the largest portion of your carpet python's body. Generally your snake will only need to eat about once a week, but younger carpet pythons may need to be fed more often. Fresh water should be provided at all times.

When feeding your carpet python, it is important that you feed it seperately from other snakes and in an area of the enclosure that is free from smaller wood shavings or other small items that could be inadvertently ingested with the food. We also find that thawed, pre-killed frozen rodents to provide the safest food source. Live prey can injur your carpet python during feeding. The freezing process will also kill most parasites that the prey may be carrying. Most carpet pythons will easily take to the thawed prey with little effort.