Jungle Carpet Python Questions & Concerns

[therealzeus]

My 2013 jungle carpet has not eaten yet and it has been about 3 weeks since I got him. I am going to try tonight as it has been a week since last feed. Is this normal? He still hides in his cave till about 2 or 3 in the morning. Also, I was wondering if my tank is too big for the guy as he is only about 18 inches. Do you guys have any suggestions for the tank or does it look alright?


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[Moreau]

You could try covering the sides and back of the tank with a dark material or paper to help make the snake more secure. If your heating and other husbandry are spot on, it could just need some extra time to settle in. Do you have multiple hides in there? What are the temps?

[Sublimeballs]

Temps? Have you been handling him?

As for the cage I'd add more branches to climb on, they will not go to waste.

[jpsteele80]

How are you keeping humidity in, with a screen top it's going right out the top, I'd cover it with tin foil for right now and cut holes for the dome lights to keep humidity in

[metalcopper]

What are you attempting to feed him, and what was he eating before you got him? My young one hid all the time for the first few weeks and slowly acclimated and got comfortable to coming out every night around 8 or 9pm.

[Terranaut]

I would start with the above. Cover the sides with something dark or get a forest look aquarium background at a pet store. You need to change a couple other small things. Those lights will turn your little friend into snake jerky in no time. Your setup is a convection oven. You also appear to be heating the entire tank evenly. Not good. Reptiles need a heat gradient to control their body temps. One side of your tank should be high 80's to low 90's and the other 75 ish. You can turn the heat off completely at night and let them get as low as 65° overnight. So my advice is to turf one light, put the other way over to one side ,cover the top with foil to keep the moisture in, add a second hide for the cool side, get a thermostat on the light and read read read. To be honest I would toss the entire setup if you can afford it. A lightless heat source is better as well.

Now as fr as eating...fix the setup and wait. They can live a year without food so a few weeks is like you getting a late lunch.

[therealzeus]

I normally keep a damp towel over the top and it keeps the humidity around 50. As for the lights, the left one isn't on ever I need to move it and the right one is a CHE used to warm the branches.

I have tried to feed him rat fuzzies because I have read it is a good thing to switch them to rats. The owner was feeding small weaned mice.

I will get something to cover the sides. Should I cover all of them or the 3 not counting the front? Thanks for the help

[RyanReptile]

I normally keep a damp towel over the top and it keeps the humidity around 50. As for the lights, the left one isn't on ever I need to move it and the right one is a CHE used to warm the branches.

I have tried to feed him rat fuzzies because I have read it is a good thing to switch them to rats. The owner was feeding small weaned mice.

I will get something to cover the sides. Should I cover all of them or the 3 not counting the front? Thanks for the help

It is true that it is best to switch them to rats when possible but until he is on a proper feeding schedule with you its probably best to stick with mice.

[Terranaut]

Carpets should be fed rat pinks right out of the egg. Best way to convert them is to never give them mice. Yes , cover 3 sides and leave the front. Got a thermostat on the che?