Aurora

[revent]

Hello, I'm new to these forums. I am also a new carpet python keeper. I acquired Aurora at the Portland metro reptile expo last month. I was told she hatched in April. I picked her up and she bite me 5 times and peed all over me and I decided I liked her because she has spunk. She refused food from me for the first three weeks I had her but she finally ate a mouse I left in her cage for her last water day, and I am pleased that she struck and took a hopper off my tongs for the first time today :-) . anyways I thought I would post a couple pics I took of her with my phone to show her off. I'm told she's a jungle carpet with a little coastal in her.

[formica]

congrats. nice lookin carpet :) i suppose someone has to like the bitey ones haha

[franks]

Welcome to ssnakess! And welcome to the carpet club!

It is my opinion that you will be much much better off waiting the snake out and offering it rat pups. If it were my coastal/jungle cross, I would never let it see a mouse ever again. Generally, they seem to prefer mice when offered to them, but mice will not be a suitable food item for your adult coastal/jungle cross. You will find yourself trying to defrost a dozen mice for a feeding, and it will be easier for you in the long run if you can get it eating rats while it is young.

Also: here is a great video I found on how to calm down the young bitey hatchlings.
How To Handle aggressive snakes - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB9S51g60Ig)

Some never really calm down, but most will calm down considerably when they put some size on and their confidence grows. Coastal carpet pythons are not really known as aggressive snakes, even when coming across one in the wild. Size goes a long way to calming them down, so be patient and stick with it. Great looking guy btw, you must be excited. Carpet pythons are the greatest snakes.

[revent]

Well the breeder told me she was already on hopper mice, and honestly I wouldn't wanna try to feed her anything larger then a pinky rat so right now I am just happy she's eating at all. Perhaps after a few more succesfull feedings we will move on to rats.

[HoldenC]

It is my opinion that you will be much much better off waiting the snake out and offering it rat pups. If it were my coastal/jungle cross, I would never let it see a mouse ever again. Generally, they seem to prefer mice when offered to them, but mice will not be a suitable food item for your adult coastal/jungle cross. You will find yourself trying to defrost a dozen mice for a feeding, and it will be easier for you in the long run if you can get it eating rats while it is young.
If the snake doesn't accept rats (scented, brained or otherwise), would you still refuse to offer mice no matter how long they've gone without eating? My yearling got awfully skinny from refusing rats for an entire month...

[Donnie]

If the snake doesn't accept rats (scented, brained or otherwise), would you still refuse to offer mice no matter how long they've gone without eating? My yearling got awfully skinny from refusing rats for an entire month...

I didn't offer mice again once I decided it was time to switch with mine, one of them didn't eat for about 13 weeks when switching but ever since she hasn't missed a rat feed :)

[Terranaut]

Start all carpets on rat pinks right out of the egg. They are big enough to eat it despite how it looks and you will never have this problem.

[revent]

Yeah unfortunately I didn't have her as a hatchling so I didn't get the chance. I'm sure I'll be able to switch her over to rats tho soon. Anyways here is another pic of her I just snapped as she was looking all cute like in her home

[revent]

Yay now she took her first rat pinkie.

[EL Ziggy]

Congrats! No turning back now.

[sharthun]

Very Nice!

[GUITARZAN509]

Nice looking snake, looks like it has more Irian Jaya in it

[revent]

What makes you say that?

[GUITARZAN509]

Except for the stripe down its side like a Coastal has, it has the Dorsal markings and color of an Irian Jaya, not trying to dicredit you, its your snake, just said it " looks like "

[sweatshirt]

Beautiful snake! Welcome to the forum :D

[GUITARZAN509]

Yes regardless of what it is, its a very nice looking snake and will look really nice as it grows

[revent]

Don't worry I'm not butt hurt or nothing, I was just wondering how you could tell the difference. She was sold to me as a jungle x coastal tho and I have no reason to doubt the breeder.

[shaunyboy]

imo once you get it feeding regular i would try and get it crossed over to rats,as sometimes the older they get the harder it is to get the to cross over from mice to rats,and it takes an aweful lot of mice to feed an adult carpet

good looking carpet,i really like the pattern mate

cheers shaun

[revent]

She is actually feeding very well now. I've been swapping back and forth between mice hoppers and rat pinks. She doesn't seem very picky.