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Carpet
Python (Morelia spilota )
Carpet pythons are found
throughout Australia and
parts of New Guinea. There
are many different
subspecies of carpet
pythons. The most common
are
Jungle Carpet Pythons,
Coastal Carpet Pythons,
and
Irian Jaya Carpet Pythons.
Jungle carpet pythons are
among the most beautiful
snakes and inhabit northern
Queensland. Coastal carpet
pythons inhabit much of
eastern Australia and adults
can reach over ten feet
long. Irian Jaya carpet
pythons are usually
reddish-brown as hatchlings
and adults seldom grow over
six feet. These snakes are
excellent climbers and can
usually be found in the
trees. Jungle carpet and
coastal carpet pythons
typically prefer denser
forests and are found near
waterways. The Irian Jaya
carpet python is restricted
to a more open savannah and
is usually not found in
dense forests. Carpet
pythons can lay 10-25 eggs
and they will hatch within
65 days when incubated at
84-88 degrees. Prehistoric
Pets promotes responsible
snake ownership and we
recommend locking cages that
prevent accidental escape.
Large constrictors and other
escaped snakes can have a
negative impact on the
general public which can
lead to a ban of snake
ownership.
Temperature
Carpet pythons should be
maintained at 85-90 degrees
during the day. A hot spot
under the heat light should
reach 95 degrees. Nighttime
temperatures need to range
between 72-80 degrees. If
you keep your snake too cool
it can regurgitate, so make
sure the temperatures are
maintained. Daily misting
should be used to maintain
humidity between 65-80 %.
Snakes shed in one complete
piece, if yours is shedding
in pieces the humidity is
too low. Another option to
increase humidity is to
provide a box with a small
entrance, for the snake to
enter, filled with damp
potting soil and moss.
Housing
Baby carpet pythons can be
kept in 29 gallon or larger
terrariums. Adults can be
housed comfortably in a
6’x2’x4’. Ideally the
larger the snake the more
room you want to provide.
Never place a cage near a
window where sunlight can
directly shine on your
cage. Cages placed in
direct sunlight can easily
overheat and ultimately lead
to the death of your snake.
Bedding
Our recommendation for
bedding is bark, coconut
bark, or Eco Earth. This
bedding holds moisture very
well and duplicates their
natural environment.
Food
Carpet pythons feed on
pinkie, fuzzy or small adult
mice as babies and
juveniles. As your snake
grows it will soon move up
to rats. We recommend that
you feed baby and juvenile
carpet pythons 1-2 times per
week. Adult carpet pythons
can be fed once every 7-10
days to maintain proper body
weight. Like most snakes,
carpet pythons typically
will not eat when they are
preparing to shed. After
your snake has shed you can
return to your normal
feeding regiment. If your
snake doesn’t eat make sure
you remove the rodent from
the cage. Rodents, when
hungry, can bite snakes and
possibly injure or kill your
snake.
Cleaning and Handling
The terrarium should be
cleaned as necessary. Any
fecal matter should be
cleaned out several times a
week. The bedding should be
completely changed once a
month and fresh clean water
should be provided at all
times. The inside of the
terrarium can be cleaned out
with an appropriate reptile
cage cleaner, we recommend
Natural Chemistry’s Healthy
Habitat. Carpet pythons can
be handled on a daily basis
and always wash your hands
before and after handling
them.