Carpet Python

Reptiles are cold blooded - they must utilize their environment to properly regulate their body temperature. It is critical that captive reptiles are able to both warm up, and escape the heat as they wish.

Hot side: 88°–92°F. Cool side: 72°–78°F. Evening: 70°–80°F. The thermometer should be on the ground (where the snake is!), not the wall.

*Note, the diamond python has slightly different requirements. Diamonds require cooler temperatures than other carpet pythons. These cold-adapted snakes should be given a 3-4 month winter cooldown where nighttime low temperatures drop in to the 50's. Daytime temps can remain normal, but many keepers shorten the duration of time in which diamond pythons have access to heat during the winter. It is not advised to turn off heat entirely - the snake still needs some heat to perform basic metabolic functions.

Keep thermometers on both the hot and cool side of the enclosure at all times. We strongly recommend a min/max thermometer on the cool side so you can monitor how cold overnight temperatures are getting.

If cool-side or evening temperatures drop too low, your snake may start to refuse food.

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Provide a water dish large enough for your carpet python to curl up in and submerge its entire body.

Provide a minimum of two tight-fitting hides; one on the warm side and one on the cold side. Other mindfully placed decor may be used to make the enclosure aesthetically pleasing and enriching for the snake. Carpet pythons are natural climbers, if given the opportunity to climb you'll able to witness these natural behaviors.

Enclosure sizing needs vary by species and their average size range. As a handy rule of thumb: the enclosure's length + width should be equal to or in excess of the snake's length.

Carpet pythons can be successfully maintained in a variety of enclosure types. Enclosures made from PVC, wood, melamine, and standard glass 'aquarium-style' can all be good options so long as environmental requirements are met. Solid top enclosures are useful in that they retain heat and humidity; if using a screen top enclosure, consider covering up the mesh to prevent heat and moisture loss. Enclosures must be escape-proof: secure screen tops with reptile cage clips and put the drop pin in sliding tops.

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Repti-Soil, Bio Active Supply substrates, Forest Floor cypress mulch, Eco Earth coco fiber, and more all work and help hold your ball python humidity. If using a dry substrate such as aspen, be sure to provide humid hides.

The carpet python complex includes: jungle carpet pythons (Morelia spilota cheynei), diamond pythons (Morelia spilota spilota), coastal carpet pythons (Morelia spilota mcdowelli), inland/murray-darling pythons (Morelia spilota metcalfei), Darwin carpet pythons (Morelia spilota variagata), southwestern carpet pythons (Morelia imbricata), Centralian carpet pythons (Morelia bredli), and the Papuan carpet pythons (Morelia spilota harrisoni). Thanks to the work of passionate breeders, all but imbricata are readily available to keepers in the United States.

Carpet pythons have a prehensile tail and are well adapted to climbing- if given vertical opportunity and a basking branch or platform with which to perch, these magnificent animals make incredible display animals.

Carpet pythons vary in average size and habitat preferences by species and sub-species. With the exception of the diamond python, basic care parameters are largely uniform across the complex.

Prey should be approximately the same thickness as the thickest part of your snake. We recommend feeding frozen/thawed rodents when possible, as a live rodent can injure or kill a snake with sharp teeth and claws.

Metabolic rates and food requirements vary by species and age. As a general rule, most keepers feed baby carpet pythons once every 7 days. The rate of feed should be reduced when the snake approaches adulthood. Many carpet pythons can maintain healthy size and weight while eating an appropriately sized prey item once every ~14 days.

Overfeeding and obesity can cause poor health in all captive snakes; pythons and boas are particularly susceptible due to their slower metabolic rates. Keepers should feed mindfully and with health and longevity in mind.

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Regulate your carpet python's day/night cycle using lighting on a timer. For regular care, a 12 hours on, 12 hours off light cycle works well for most species.

While UVB lighting is not required for carpets to survive, there is growing evidence that exposure to UVB lighting may be beneficial for the health of your snake. If you choose to offer UVB, it should be offered as a gradient similar to heat so that the snake can limit exposure as it desires.

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