Setting up juvenile carpet in aquarium

[Kaianuanu]

Hey everybody, I’ve been out of the reptile keeping game for a solid 5 years Which I just ended by putting down a deposit on a gorgeous Axanthic Zebra female. According to the breeder, she hatched last summer and has been on a maintenance diet since then so she’s not too big for her age. Although I just put her on hold last night, I have already started getting a setup together for her with the purchase of a 20 gallon tall aquarium and a 10” deep dome lamp. In the past, I’ve kept juvenile carpets like this one in 10 gallon aquariums with wood perches hot glued in on one side under a red heat lamp, a hide, a water bowl of course, and using zoo med repti bark as the substrate. I also had foam board covering the majority of the screen lid to keep in a bit of humidity and heat. Does anybody see any issues with a setup like this for a carpet. It’s been a while since I’ve kept any reptiles I’m a little anxious about getting her setup right.

Thanks in advance!

[chairman]

I have a pair of high percentage IJ carpet pythons; that means that my carpets are among the smallest varieties of carpet pythons. My pythons are housed in Animal Plastics T-10 enclosures (one per snake). The cage is 4'x2'x15" (LWH) and is a pretty good size for my snakes. I wouldn't go any smaller than than this on a cage for a carpet though some do.

I got my carpets when they were eating adult mice, so probably around the size of the snake you'll be getting. I immediately placed the snakes in 2'x2'x3' (LWH) enclosures and they did just fine. One of the nice things about carpets is that they perch and eat directly from their perches, making feeding frozen/thawed from tongs easy. I had no problems with my small snakes in large enclosures.

I would recommend buying an adult size enclosure and placing your snake straight in to it. Carpets aren't shy and are reasonably food aggressive so you don't typically see issues when giving them a nice, big cage.

That said, the 20 gallon is adequate for a little while. I would place a LED light bulb in your deep dome, controlled by a standard timer. This will provide light, no heat. I would get another dome, a 40-60 watt ceramic heat emitter, and a thermostat to control the temperature. This will provide a safe temperature 24 hours a day, with no light to disturb sleep patterns. Your plan for the substrate and water dish are fine. The foam board may not end up being necessary.

The snakes aren't that picky on perches. My adults have large sticks that I screwed to the sides of their enclosures. I have a handful of juveniles and their perches have included terra cotta pots and branches from my yard that I drilled holes in and put bamboo through. Little jungle gyms made of pvc pipe will work too.

It sounds like you're headed in the right direction. The biggest tweak that you must make is buying a thermostat to control the heat source.

[craigafrechette]

I'm brand new to morellia, but I've been in the snake game a while. I'll share my experience so far and what has worked.

I currently have a Bredli python and a Jungle CP, both under a year old.
My Bredli came first, and for the first 90+ days was in a 20 long. Heat lamp, heat mat (both on thermostats!!), hide, water bowl and perch. I made a simple perch using 1/2" pvc pipe. Basically a horizontal piece, with two vertical legs and a base. Cost all of $3 and took 10 minutes or less. If you go this route, be sure to buy end caps so you're snake can't get inside the pipe.

I left her in there for the duration of her quarantine before moving her to a 3 foot Neodesha enclosure. Her setup there is almost the same, but two hides and two perches. I built another, slightly larger PVC perch as well as used curtain holder cups to install a branch perch screwed in.

My Jungle boy is now in the 20 gallon until he graduates quarantine. He'll be moving into a 3 foot Boaphile when his quarantine is up.

They are fantastic eaters and my Bredli girl is doing very well in the large(ish) Neodesha. I have no doubts whatsoever that my Jungle boy will be just as successful when he moves to his Boaphile.

Both will be getting 5x2x3 enclosures eventually, but I got plenty of time, they'll be fine in 3 footers for a while.

Anyway, that's my (limited) experience with carpets (and their Bredli cousins) so far. Both of these snakes settled in super easy, neither have missed a meal.

Good luck!