Care Sheet for PythonsAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 0 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 03/28/2008 |
Main Category: | Snakes |
Sub Category: | Pythons |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Trentiusmaximus |
Years Experience: | 3 to 5 Years |
Species: | Carpet Pythons |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | Coastal Carpet Pythons
Jungle Carpet Pythons |
Sexing and Characteristics: | Probing is the safest and most accurate way to determine the sex of a snake. "Popping" a snake could lead to permanent damage that can be fatal. |
Mostly Active During: | Night |
Substrate and Water Needs: | Newspaper either shredded or flat works, as do paper towels, coconut bedding, cypress mulch, sphagnum moss, and most other wood chip and dedicated snake or reptile bedding. Burrowing substrate and substrates made from cedar or pine chip should not be used under any circumstances! Burrowing clay makes a big mess and cedar and pine are poisonous to herps. |
Lighting and UVB: | There are a few types of lighting that may be used. Fluorescent lights may be used in combination with radiant style heaters. This includes heat tape, heat cords, radiant heat panels, or ceramic bulbs. Heat panels and bulbs would be the most successful to use with fluorescent lights. UVB is not needed however I may use on occasion a 1.0 uvb rated fluorescent bulb. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | Temperatures should stay between 85-90 degrees on the hot end, and between 80-85 degrees on the cool side. A designated basking area should be accessible.
Particularly, humidity is recommended, but i dont mist cages or increase humidity, and my animals have had no change in behavior or health. I use two water dishes at each end of the cage instead. I dont believe that high humidity is needed. No more than 45-50% humidity should take place at any time except during shedding, where I increase it to about 60%. |
Heating and Equipment: | Heating equipment really depends on what lighting source you will use. If you have a fluorescent fixture, then bulbs that emit both heat and light would defeat the purpose of owning fluorescent lights. A 40-80 watt white incandescent light bulb may be used if it is placed inside of an aluminum or ceramic reflector. (Using incandescent bulbs as a heating source is effective however heat will vary by distance, it is always a good idea to test different wattages to get the best effects) Heat panels and ceramic heaters are also affective, heat cord is the least effective for these species. |
Caging Provided: | Hatchling snakes can be kept in an 10 gallon aquarium with an appropriately sized water dish (not a swimming pool in proportion) and a branch to bask and climb on. Juvenile snakes 20-30 inches could be kept in a 30 gallon aquarium with appropriately sized water dish and branch. Adult snakes should have a tank no smaller than a 40 gallon breeder. However the tank doesnt need to be any larger than 60-75 gallons. Remember that the water dish should be large enough enough for the snake to soak in. It should be deep enough so the snake can lay comfortably on the bottom and still be able to have its nostrils protrude from the surface without needing to extend its neck. |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | Mice and Rats. The food item should be no larger than one and a half times the largest part of the snake. I typically feed items that are about the same size as the snake. The snake should be fed one mouse or rat every 7-10 days. Hatchlings should be fed pinkie mice, juveniles fuzzy or hopper mice or rat pups. Adults usually will not need to eat anything larger than jumbo rats. However in rare cases, very large coastal carpet pythons may need to be changed over to small pigs. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | Vitamins and Calcium supplements are usually unneeded unless there is directed use by a vet. I do however breed feeder mice and increase the calcium in their diet. This, in turn, transfers this nutrient to the snake that eats the mouse. |
Maintenance: | Spot clean the cage as needed. Every month, I place the snake in a holding tank, vacuum out the substrate, and disinfect all decorations, water bowls, branches etc. in a bath of a 5-10% bleach solution. I have in the past used inexpensive rubbing alcohol to do this with equal effects. I disinfect the cage (walls, floor and ceiling) with the same solution. Contrary to popular belief, windex and other ammonia based glass cleaning agents are perfectly acceptable to use. ONLY AS LONG AS THE CLEANER IS AMMONIA BASED! As long as it is, the chemicals can be easily wiped away from the glass (or acrylic in some cases) and any remaining ammonia will evaporate in seconds. |
Some Words on this Species: | Carpet pythons can be some of the most beautiful snakes that you could own as a pet. Remember to not get discouraged with a young, nippy snake. Young pythons always tend to be aggressive and bite. Constant handling is usually always the cure. My jungle carpet baby would always bite as a first reaction. I hold her all the time and now she is more calm than than any other snake I have. |
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