A carpet python is a midsize snake that is gradually increasing in popularity among exotic pet owners. A carpet python originates from Australia and New Guinea where they live in rain forests, desert areas, mountain ranges, grasslands, and floodplains. A carpet python has a distinctive color pattern that allows the snake the ability to camouflage itself against the natural background and ambush prey or hide from predators. The base color of a carpet python is light brown, beige, or tan with darker circles, stripes, or bands of brown, gray, yellow, gold, rust, and black.

 

Captivity

A carpet python is able to adapt to extremely diverse living conditions. The major threats to a carpet python’s survival in the wild are large birds-of-prey and human poachers who gather the snakes and slaughter them when they become larger so the unique looking skin to make leather clothing.

 

The average lifecycle for a carpet python within a natural setting is 10 - 15 years, but in captivity a carpet python will live over 20 years.

 

Size

A carpet python will grow to a length of 8 - 12 feet long.

 

Diet

While living in its natural environment a carpet python eats birds, bats, marsupials, lizards and rodents. In captivity, a carpet python will eat live, pre-killed, or pre-frozen mouse or rat once a week. The food should be as big as the width of the snake’s body even if the food is larger than the size of the snakes head.

 

Housing

The size of the housing for a hatchling carpet python should be at least 10 gallons. Adults should be housed in an aquarium at least 20 gallons.

 

The lid should be made of thick screen mesh, tightly fastened to the aquarium, and reinforced. Carpet pythons are active at night, and the extreme strength that they possess is often underestimated. If the lid is not secure, even reinforced, the snake will push against it and escape.

 

The internal temperature of the aquarium must be 78 - 82 degrees Fahrenheit for a constant twelve hours, equivalent to daytime. During the 12 hours that the light is off, considered nighttime, the internal temperature of the aquarium must be 10 degrees cooler than the daytime temperatures. Provide internal heat from a basking bulb or thermal panels located above the screen lid. The internal heat must be monitored by multiple thermometers positioned various places within the aquarium.

 

The humidity level within the aquarium must be between 70 - 80 percent. The best way to help maintain a constant high humidity level is to provide a large water bowl directly under the heat source. The water bowl must be large enough for the snake to soak in, which will happen often just before the snake sheds its skin. 

 

The base of the aquarium should consist of a thick layer of store-bought sterile soil. Plant several plants within the aquarium and mist with water at least once a day. The water from the plant leaves and the soil around the plants will also help maintain a constant high humidity level.

 

Include large branches inside the living area to provide the snake with items to climb and wrap around. Position logs in a way that provides places for the carpet python to hide. Include large rocks in an open area, which will provide a warm basking area for the snake. 

 

 Copyright © 2016 John Mallozzi