For those of you who own a Carpet!

[Michaeladevine1]

Im looking into purchasing a jungle carpet python, how are there tempers? (from your experience) how are they compared to a ball?
-Thanks!

[exwizard]

They are much more active than a Ball, more inquisitive and always on the go. Ive heard the babies have the potential to be somewhat bitey but that has not been my experience. Every Carpet I have ever seen has been very tame and handleable, even the babies. I have yearlings now and they are even more tame than the Carpets Ive been around before. Hers few pics of Mick and Sheila. Not only are they fun but theyre pretty as well. :)

[youngster]

exwizard covered it pretty well. The hatchlings are known for being bitey but that's part of the fun for me. But basically every older carpet is dog tame from what I've seen.
They are certainly more active than a royal. But IMO waaaaayyy more fun (no offense to the avid ballers out there ;))

How could you not want that face? Even if it's trying to bite your face off :D
http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad280/eliwuzheer/DSC_0036-2.jpg

[Hillsberry]

Baby carpets are very nippy, but with time they do calm down. Carpets are always on the move looking to climb. Carpets are semi-arboreal snakes. Bottom line carpets make amazing pets. With some handling babies do calm down. Hopes this helps! :)

[UwabamiReptiles]

Jungles are known for being nippy as hatchlings. But I think that is for every hatchling snake. I know people who's meanest snake they have is a ball python. Carpets are my hands down favorite python for the following reasons: They are active and are curious about everything, holding them is never just sit there and hold a blob(ball python :)). They get a good size to them, they are still very impressive without being a monster of a snake. They make great display animals, a carpet in a display viv on a perch is one of the best sights I personally can see. Most display snakes are "hands off", carpets are not. I have 5 of them and I haven't had any aggressive behavior from any of them at all.

Not to mention all the different kinds (ijs, jungles, and coastals) and morphs ( jags, albinos, tiger, zebras, caramels, etc). There is a carpet for everyone's taste now. My first snake was a adult IJ carpet and I will always have a carpet in my collection.

To answer your temperament question more thoroughly, they are different from a ball python. A bp will usually go into a ball when you approach them. A carpet will watch you the entire time you're approaching them. I have one that every time I touch her she will head butt me then I pick her up and she's a sweetheart. The only time they are iffy is feeding time. Carpets have a great feeding response(my bps drive me crazy with not eating!).

I think if you have the space, carpets are great animals. If you want a jungle, if I were you I would research breeders and get a top of the line animal. Jungles can be so variable, so spending the extra $ is definitely worth it.

[GarterPython]

I am jsut wondering, how big do they get? I am not going to get one since they are to big plus im not even sure if I can get a tiny Garter/Corn snake but I was just wondering how big they get because they don't look that big?

[youngster]

I am jsut wondering, how big do they get? I am not going to get one since they are to big plus im not even sure if I can get a tiny Garter/Corn snake but I was just wondering how big they get because they don't look that big?

They differ, male IJs only get about 5-6 foot while female coastals tend to go big at like 9+ foot.

[GarterPython]

Okay thank you

[Michaeladevine1]

Thank you all! this really helped! :)

[Michaeladevine1]

They are much more active than a Ball, more inquisitive and always on the go. Ive heard the babies have the potential to be somewhat bitey but that has not been my experience. Every Carpet I have ever seen has been very tame and handleable, even the babies. I have yearlings now and they are even more tame than the Carpets Ive been around before. Hers few pics of Mick and Sheila. Not only are they fun but theyre pretty as well. :)

Gorgeous!! :)

[UwabamiReptiles]

I forgot pics :hmm:. Here are some of my carpets.

My 75% ij jag.
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l615/Uwabami/201075ijjagpostshed1-8-128.jpg

My 7 year old IJ female, she's close to 10lbs. She's a big girl.

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l615/Uwabami/IMG_1615.jpg

Here's my jungle female.

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l615/Uwabami/IMG_1747.jpg

[Terranaut]

Yup. Everything is covered. Love my carpets. Just don't name them Mick or Shiela. Lol!
My Mick
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j9/terranaut0/photo-95.jpg


My Shiela
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j9/terranaut0/photo-96.jpg

[red ink]

Well since every one is showing off their carpets here's a couple more to help convince you that a JCP is the right choice...

A pair of JCPs at home
Male
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/Red-Ink-Buldogs/Greyham/625412ec.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/Red-Ink-Buldogs/Greyham/0c791b8e.jpg

Female
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/Red-Ink-Buldogs/Female%20JCP/791f90b7.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/Red-Ink-Buldogs/Female%20JCP/f300c198.jpg

GO the carpet mate you won't be disappointed.

[shaunyboy]

Im looking into purchasing a jungle carpet python, how are there tempers? (from your experience) how are they compared to a ball?
-Thanks!

carpet python hatchlings can be bitey,its mostly defensive biting though

once they get a bit of size about them and realise your not a threat,they usually settle/calm down

of my own collection,its been the jungles that were the most defensive/bitey as hatchlings

i even had an adult that just did not calm down and remained bitey

carpets usually mistake fast hand movements as food or a threat,so they will strike you

once they realise your not food,they let go

i've found,they also go into feeding mode the minute they smell the prey defrosting (and i defrost in a seperate room).they usually stay in feeding mode a good 24 hours after feeding

i tend to leave mine alone for 3 days to digest their meal,so i have no trouble being mistaken for food

when they're in feeding mode,they tend to strike you with a feeding response,during a feeding response,they tend to constrict and try and eat the part of you they're latched onto

.imo,its because they can smell rats,and feel the heat in their mouth from you and they will also taste your blood.imo,this confuses them and they think your food

they are amazing snakes to keep,always up to something,or hanging off a branch,great feeding response,hard fast strikers,also very hardy and fascinating to keep

i don't know much about ball pythons,but the ones i've personally handled,have been very tollerant,timid,placid animals.a lot different to carpets pythons.move fast,or approach a carpet fast from above and a carpet will strike first ask questionsl later

you learn fairly quickly how to read them,and always make sure its awake/aware of you before you pick it up.i've found they get startled fairly easily

i'm sure you'll love keeping carpets,and you DO get a lot of placid hatchlings,also imo if you find a placid sub adult,or placid adult,then they tend to stay placid their whole lives

when talking to the seller,ask for as much lineage/bloodline informamation he can give you.imo,its always best to get as much history as possible,genetic wise with carpets

cheers shaun

[shaunyboy]

Yup. Everything is covered. Love my carpets. Just don't name them Mick or Shiela. Lol!
My Mick
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j9/terranaut0/photo-95.jpg


My Shiela
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j9/terranaut0/photo-96.jpg


sheila's a lovely looking big girl,she's pretty big for a jungle,she's a good ooking jungle mate

any breeding plans for her ?

cheers shaun

[shaunyboy]

Well since every one is showing off their carpets here's a couple more to help convince you that a JCP is the right choice...

A pair of JCPs at home
Male
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/Red-Ink-Buldogs/Greyham/625412ec.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/Red-Ink-Buldogs/Greyham/0c791b8e.jpg

Female
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/Red-Ink-Buldogs/Female%20JCP/791f90b7.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/Red-Ink-Buldogs/Female%20JCP/f300c198.jpg

GO the carpet mate you won't be disappointed.


your females getting brighter,the older she gets mate

such a nice crisp,clean colour of yellow on her,i can't wait to see what they produce one day

chwers shaun

[DavethePython]

Just want to throw my 2 cents in. First great pics . Those are some amazing snakes , second , I have to defend the Balls out there lol. Mine are anything but lumps sitting in my lap. They are very curious and active. Sometimes Tequila is so active she is a pain to handle .But that is mine . I have nothing else to compare them too. :)

[Terranaut]

sheila's a lovely looking big girl,she's pretty big for a jungle,she's a good ooking jungle mate

any breeding plans for her ?

cheers shaun

Yeah shes a healthy 10+ lbs
Next year I want to breed her with Mick.
I am hoping for a few with slightly less pattern than Shiela but with Micks amazing contrast.
Thanks for the compliment.

[Michaeladevine1]

Well since every one is showing off their carpets here's a couple more to help convince you that a JCP is the right choice...

A pair of JCPs at home
Male
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/Red-Ink-Buldogs/Greyham/625412ec.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/Red-Ink-Buldogs/Greyham/0c791b8e.jpg

Female
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/Red-Ink-Buldogs/Female%20JCP/791f90b7.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/Red-Ink-Buldogs/Female%20JCP/f300c198.jpg

GO the carpet mate you won't be disappointed.

SO BEAUTIFUL! Im so jealous! and thanks guys! i think i will go for it!! :)

[Necrias]

Do it. You won't regret it. I thought carpets were pretty cool but didn't think them to be anything special... until I handled one at a show. Instantly fell in love. I got bit about 20 times the first day i had my baby Bredli, but the worst wound hatchlings can do is a tiny pin prick of blood, and most times their tags won't even break the skin. Trust me, getting tagged by a hungry burm is much worse lol. In 2-3 months she calmed down considerably, she went from striking wildly and peeing on me to only striking when startled very quickly. Just one piece of advice: Don't let a hatchling/juvie climb around a place with a bunch of wires (like my computer desk), you will definitely shed a bit of blood getting them out, once they are wrapped around something they don't like to be moved :D

[Norm66]

I can vouch for them becoming less bitey as time passes. My Jerome was hell on wheels when I first got him but a couple months later he's pretty calm. In the early days he would get such a death grip on my hand with his tail that I couldn't get him off for fear of injuring him. One time my index and middle fingers actually started turning purple from his grip. ;)

He hasn't even been handled much yet because he was on a hunger strike the first 2 1/2months I had him and he's only been eating for 5 weeks now so it's been for tub cleaning only. I did start hook training him with a tiny 16" long or so, "cage hook" but I only use it for the initial contact to let him know it's not feeding time.

[Michaeladevine1]

carpet python hatchlings can be bitey,its mostly defensive biting though

once they get a bit of size about them and realise your not a threat,they usually settle/calm down

of my own collection,its been the jungles that were the most defensive/bitey as hatchlings

i even had an adult that just did not calm down and remained bitey

carpets usually mistake fast hand movements as food or a threat,so they will strike you

once they realise your not food,they let go

i've found,they also go into feeding mode the minute they smell the prey defrosting (and i defrost in a seperate room).they usually stay in feeding mode a good 24 hours after feeding

i tend to leave mine alone for 3 days to digest their meal,so i have no trouble being mistaken for food

when they're in feeding mode,they tend to strike you with a feeding response,during a feeding response,they tend to constrict and try and eat the part of you they're latched onto

.imo,its because they can smell rats,and feel the heat in their mouth from you and they will also taste your blood.imo,this confuses them and they think your food

they are amazing snakes to keep,always up to something,or hanging off a branch,great feeding response,hard fast strikers,also very hardy and fascinating to keep

i don't know much about ball pythons,but the ones i've personally handled,have been very tollerant,timid,placid animals.a lot different to carpets pythons.move fast,or approach a carpet fast from above and a carpet will strike first ask questionsl later

you learn fairly quickly how to read them,and always make sure its awake/aware of you before you pick it up.i've found they get startled fairly easily

i'm sure you'll love keeping carpets,and you DO get a lot of placid hatchlings,also imo if you find a placid sub adult,or placid adult,then they tend to stay placid their whole lives

when talking to the seller,ask for as much lineage/bloodline informamation he can give you.imo,its always best to get as much history as possible,genetic wise with carpets

cheers shaun

Thanks so much! that really helped ALOT! :)

[Michaeladevine1]

They sound AWESOME. any tips on the enclosure? and the temps?

[youngster]

Give em plenty of height. Mine's only on the ground like 20% of the time

[Michaeladevine1]

Give em plenty of height. Mine's only on the ground like 20% of the time

ALOT different then BP! My boa and BP just lay on the ground like big lugs! what is the temps for yours?

[jaleely]

The first snake we got was a baby girl bp. She was a clumsy eater, a cute curious little lump. The second snake we got, was a 10 year old adult bp, whom we just wanted to give a home to. He had been a little bit abused, so he just hid all the time at first. A few months after our first snake, i went and got a baby carpet python (jungle/carpet mix..hey guys is this called a special name, btw? there seems to be a lot of mixes out there)

She was almost creepy to us, in comparison to the balls! She was so AWARE...she watched everything we did, with these really intense eyes. She was alert, and coiled, and boy did she bite (didn't break the skin) and she pooped alllllll over me a few times when i first tried to hold her. I loved her right away though.
Talk about personality!

It's taken her a while to get used to us, and to not poop, and then to not bite *lol*
I don't handle her as much as i probably should, just because i don't want to upset her. She's a very fiesty, yet careful eater. She hates to see the food try to get away from her (haha..we only feed f/t so i am always talking to her while i drag it away. Soon she can't resist and she strikes)
But she takes forEVER to eat. Good lord. She has to sniff all around it, find the head...think about it for a while, THEN eat *lol*

It was a trip watching her eat in comparison to the clumsy, silly, goofy baby ball python!

She loves the hot side of her tank, as well. The balls, hoggies, boas, will all travel around and sit on the hot side, or the cold, but she just stays right there on the hot side. I've tried various things to raise the ambient temperature in there, but overall she loves to be warm no matter what.

Anyway, that's my little story. : )

[Michaeladevine1]

The first snake we got was a baby girl bp. She was a clumsy eater, a cute curious little lump. The second snake we got, was a 10 year old adult bp, whom we just wanted to give a home to. He had been a little bit abused, so he just hid all the time at first. A few months after our first snake, i went and got a baby carpet python (jungle/carpet mix..hey guys is this called a special name, btw? there seems to be a lot of mixes out there)

She was almost creepy to us, in comparison to the balls! She was so AWARE...she watched everything we did, with these really intense eyes. She was alert, and coiled, and boy did she bite (didn't break the skin) and she pooped alllllll over me a few times when i first tried to hold her. I loved her right away though.
Talk about personality!

It's taken her a while to get used to us, and to not poop, and then to not bite *lol*
I don't handle her as much as i probably should, just because i don't want to upset her. She's a very fiesty, yet careful eater. She hates to see the food try to get away from her (haha..we only feed f/t so i am always talking to her while i drag it away. Soon she can't resist and she strikes)
But she takes forEVER to eat. Good lord. She has to sniff all around it, find the head...think about it for a while, THEN eat *lol*

It was a trip watching her eat in comparison to the clumsy, silly, goofy baby ball python!

She loves the hot side of her tank, as well. The balls, hoggies, boas, will all travel around and sit on the hot side, or the cold, but she just stays right there on the hot side. I've tried various things to raise the ambient temperature in there, but overall she loves to be warm no matter what.

Anyway, that's my little story. : )

That was cute! haha :) thanks!

[youngster]

Mine actually has a huge temp gradient, it's about 72-90 degrees fahrenheit.

Keep in mind once they get older they will be on the ground more, so if you're getting an adult you don't need as much height but some is still good.

[Caylan]

I've had a lot of success hand raising babies from the day they hatch and they never turn out nippy. Done this for 3 clutches now, a pure coastal jag clutch, a bredli jaguar clutch and a diamond jungle jaguar clutch. When handled from day one the hatchlings weren't afraid of me when I opened the cage. They readily took food from my fingers or tongs, and didn't bite when picked up or handled. There are a couple exceptions obviously, but in about 50 babies now I'e had about 5 biters. That said my first carpet pythons I bought from a breeder, ina package deal. They all hatched at different times and were all very bitey when I got them. I was told not to handle them and they would calm down on their own when they get bigger. Well I got 2 outta 3.... the main snake I was buying from the package, the jaguar female, was and still is a little punk. I just don't get it. But again, exceptions to every rule. What I'm getting at is that not all hatchlings are nippy when raised not to be. I own 4 great examples right now. One looks like she is going to bite all the time, but I can just reach in pick her up and she doesn't even move. Once she's in my hand comfortably, she loses the stare of death and goes about normal carpet python routine lol.
In summary, seems pretty much all carpets calm down at least as adults, if not sooner. With my bitey ones however I did just let them bite me and picked them up while they were doing it, as it just made things easier. I think that helped them figure it out sooner then later, as they were tame after about 6 months being at my place. Save for Punk though still(she's getting better though... just constricts now with out biting haha!) Get a carpet python, seriously. They rock. Caylan.S.

[jaleely]

"stare of death" LOL

Oh yeah, that's what i got the most from my little girl!

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n640/jaleely/snakes/IMG1484.jpg

She did eventually grow into that head! She was pretty small and skinny though.

Here's her now!

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n640/jaleely/snakes/Photo4138.jpg

She's a little sweetie now.

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n640/jaleely/snakes/Photo4004.jpg

I actually think you can really see the difference in attitude! lol such personality!

[red ink]

I've had a lot of success hand raising babies from the day they hatch and they never turn out nippy. Done this for 3 clutches now, a pure coastal jag clutch, a bredli jaguar clutch and a diamond jungle jaguar clutch. When handled from day one the hatchlings weren't afraid of me when I opened the cage. They readily took food from my fingers or tongs, and didn't bite when picked up or handled. There are a couple exceptions obviously, but in about 50 babies now I'e had about 5 biters. That said my first carpet pythons I bought from a breeder, ina package deal. They all hatched at different times and were all very bitey when I got them. I was told not to handle them and they would calm down on their own when they get bigger. Well I got 2 outta 3.... the main snake I was buying from the package, the jaguar female, was and still is a little punk. I just don't get it. But again, exceptions to every rule. What I'm getting at is that not all hatchlings are nippy when raised not to be. I own 4 great examples right now. One looks like she is going to bite all the time, but I can just reach in pick her up and she doesn't even move. Once she's in my hand comfortably, she loses the stare of death and goes about normal carpet python routine lol.
In summary, seems pretty much all carpets calm down at least as adults, if not sooner. With my bitey ones however I did just let them bite me and picked them up while they were doing it, as it just made things easier. I think that helped them figure it out sooner then later, as they were tame after about 6 months being at my place. Save for Punk though still(she's getting better though... just constricts now with out biting haha!) Get a carpet python, seriously. They rock. Caylan.S.

I wonder if the temperment as hatchlings has anything to do with the fact those examples are hybrids and intergrades... I have never known a "pure" carpet hatchling not wanting to take somebodies face off at one point or another. Lucky enough they do all come down with age (well 90%).

[jaleely]

I forgot to tell the other part of the story i wanted to. I had just fed her a mouse, and I made the mistake of reaching for her too soon...she struck, bit...gently....i made an indignant noise, and then slowly started to reach for her with my other hand. She quickly whipped her eyes around, saw my other hand...then bit HARDER. *lol* I laughed, made some more indignant comments, and reached closer....and she bit...HARDER *lol* i was truly surprised at how powerfully she could bite! It was totally a feeding response, and totally my fault, but she DID get the picture that it was my hand after a while, and let go. *lol* Still cracks me though. Didn't hurt that bad, and it is a total fond memory! Who says that? A snake lover, that's who! lol

Anyway, I have rarely heard of any carpet baby that wasn't a least a little nervous when young.

[Michaeladevine1]

I forgot to tell the other part of the story i wanted to. I had just fed her a mouse, and I made the mistake of reaching for her too soon...she struck, bit...gently....i made an indignant noise, and then slowly started to reach for her with my other hand. She quickly whipped her eyes around, saw my other hand...then bit HARDER. *lol* I laughed, made some more indignant comments, and reached closer....and she bit...HARDER *lol* i was truly surprised at how powerfully she could bite! It was totally a feeding response, and totally my fault, but she DID get the picture that it was my hand after a while, and let go. *lol* Still cracks me though. Didn't hurt that bad, and it is a total fond memory! Who says that? A snake lover, that's who! lol

Anyway, I have rarely heard of any carpet baby that wasn't a least a little nervous when young.

She is beautiful! and holy crap, thats alot of biting for one feeding session! haha

[exwizard]

I wonder if the temperment as hatchlings has anything to do with the fact those examples are hybrids and intergrades... I have never known a "pure" carpet hatchling not wanting to take somebodies face off at one point or another. Lucky enough they do all come down with age (well 90%).

Back when I got my first pair of Macklots. part of that deal Brian made with John Metcalf was the acquisition of a really tiny baby Jungle. This baby was as tame as can be and as far as I knew, this one was pure. Idk. We got lucky I guess.

Its been my experience that baby Macklots are more likely to be bitey than Carpets. Not saying it cant happen. Im just relating my experience with both species of snakes.