Basic Carpet Python Care

Carpet Pythons are amazing snakes and make great beginner snakes; they are a manageable size, easy to care for and are forgiving of minor keeping errors. They are great eaters, like to drape on branches so you can actually see them even though they are nocturnal and are active when out of the cage. Mostly though, they are truly stunning snakes!
Some people shy away from Carpets thinking they are 'too big', but keep in mind they are not a thick bodied snake at all. They are relatively slender unlike a Red Tail Boa or Ball Python yet slightly thicker than a Corn. 7 feet of Carpet is very different than 7 feet of RTB.
There are mainly three types kept in the U.S. (not counting intergrades):
Coastal (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) are the largest of the Carpets, females can get up to 10 feet but most will be in the 7-9 foot range.
Jungle (Morelia spilota cheynei) are the 'medium' Carpet, they are in the 5-7 foot range. These guys are probably the most popular due to their size and coloration...vivid yellow and black in a high quality specimen is indeed eye catching.
West Papuan/Irian Jaya (Morelia spilota harrisoni, formerly Morelia spilota variegata). The 'small' Carpet. They are in the 4 1/2 - 6 foot range although, as with any snake, there are bigger ones out there. IJ's are very 'earthy' toned snakes, creamy tans and yellows with varying degrees of darker tan/brown to mahogany to almost orange and rust banding...the colors are almost limitless! Most babies hatch out in a very red brick-like color and develop their 'adult' coloring over roughly three years, each shed reveals a slight change.
This care sheet is written for Irian Jaya's but can be used for all three mentioned, just get a bigger cage for a Jungle or Coastal.

HOUSING:
Babies should be kept in smaller cages, wide open space will stress them. A 10 gallon tank or similarly sized Rubbermaid bin is a great starter cage and will suffice for at least year, if not a bit longer.
Adults can be kept in a 3' x 2' x 18" cage (I use a 4' x 2' x 18", bigger is better), they do enjoy the height and will use whatever you give them. Keep in mind though, the higher the cage the harder it is to heat.
There are a ton of cage choices; glass tanks, pre-made PVC cages (http://www.boaphileplastics.com and http://www.animalplastics.com to name a few) or you can make your own. Just be sure your snake will have enough room as he grows. The 1 square foot of cage bottom to foot of snake is a good guideline, but you can go a bit smaller as long as there is some 'up' space too.

HEAT:
Ambient temperatures should be between 76-84(f) and a 'basking' spot of 88-92. A digital thermometer with a probe or temp-gun is recommended, you have to know what those temperatures really are. Heat tape or Under Tank Heaters (UTH) can be used or you can use heat bulbs and radiant heat panels (http://www.pro-products.com), or a combination thereof. Any heating device should be hooked up to a quality thermostat (http://www.spyderrobotics.com). Since Carpets will spend time off the ground there is nothing wrong with having the warm spot off the ground as well. A shelf, platform or sturdy branch under a RHP or heat bulb will work just as well as a warm spot on the ground. BE SURE THERE IS NO WAY THE SNAKE CAN COME IN CONTACT WITH A HOT BULB, THEY CAN AND WILL BURN YOUR SNAKE BADLY. Along that train of thought, do not use heat rocks as they have been known to develop hot spots and cause serious belly burns. It's just safer not to use them even though they claim to be built better these days, why risk it?
Temperatures can vary slightly from what is listed above, but the ranges given seem to work very well for most keepers. This is were Carpets are a tad forgiving, a degree cooler or warmer probably isn't going to matter, but try to shoot for those!

HUMIDITY:
There is conflicting information about this, some say it must be as high as 75% yet others say it can be as low as 45%. The general consensus is between 50% and 60%. This is one of those areas that doesn't have to be so precise, if your snake is shedding well, isn't dehydrated and is breathing clearly your humidity is probably fine. I have noticed that at 50% my male will get a 'dry head' but at 55% he has no issues...but he sheds perfectly at either level. Carpets, like any other snake, can get Respiratory Infections and they can be directly related to humidity levels and temperature so I tend to keep it in the middle range of recommendations and it has worked well for my snakes. A digital hygrometer is recommended, the all in one units are nice, they display humidity and indoor/outdoor (cool and warm side) temperatures.

SUBSTRATE :
Cypress and Aspen shavings are good choices and give a natural look to the cage, they also help retain humidity and can be spot cleaned/scooped. Newspaper is inexpensive and easy to maintain but can be unsightly in a display cage but is also a commonly used substrate .

WATER:
Provide fresh water in a sturdy bowl. Some Carpets will soak in their water bowl and some won't, make sure it is big enough in case they want to. Babies and juvies will sometimes perch on the rim.

LIGHTING:
No special lighting is required, they are nocturnal but will come out during the day to lounge on a branch or perch. It is important to maintain a day/night cycle, ample room lighting should do the trick nicely. A 12/12 hour schedule is fine.

FEEDING:
Every snake keeper has a different thought on feeding. Whether you decide to feed live or frozen/thawed is up to you, just monitor the feeding if you are using live rodents. Due to their size it makes more sense to feed rats but (multiple) mice are fine...Carpets can be hard-headed when it comes to switching. Most breeders start their babies on rat pinks or hopper mice. A Carpet can be fed a rodent that is 1 1/2 times their girth, although they are very capable of eating much larger prey items (up to 2 times their girth). There is no need to stuff them like a sausage though, they will grow just fine on a properly sized rodent offered every 7-10 days. Babies and small juvies can be fed more frequently, 4-6 days.

HIDES AND DECORATIONS:
Hides are critical in any snake cage. There should be at least one on the cool side and one on the warm side. They have to have somewhere to go to  feel secure. A stressed snake is not a happy snake, providing adequate hides is essential. Choose something that is a bit on the tight side, they like to squeeze in and have their body touching all sides, you may have to change hides as your snake grows but it's worth it. As mentioned earlier, Carpets will utilize branches and perches so provide them! They don't have to be fancy, but they do like them. My male's favorite spot is on top of a stack of plastic letter trays, he is either on top or in the middle layer most of the time. He also likes to be on top of a fake tree stump. He rarely goes in his hides, he likes to be on his hides. Plastic stick on leaves/vines, bendable vines, plastic trees and logs will all be appreciated by your Carpet and make a nice looking cage to boot. If you are crafty you can make PVC perches too.

by Clementine_3