Irian Jaya Carpet Python and Ball Python comparison

[franks]

They are extremely easy to handle btw (responding to your other question.) They are much lighter, and stronger than ball pythons, and really kind of handle themselves. A ball python needs to be held in a way, my IJ just climbs all over me. She can wrap around me once and have 3' just dangling around smelling the ground, couch etc. I take her out and walk around when I watch TV, do dishes, or read. She uses me as a jungle gym really. I have corn snakes, a boa, multiple ball pythons, and out of those groups, she is the easiest to handle by far. Always moving, but not "flighty" like a kingsnake or corn would be. I rarely have to "treadmill" her with my hands.

[bubs]

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

The average adult size for them is 4-6 feet with females usually growing towards the 5-6 ft range.

I think it's just me worrying about it hitting that 6 ft mark. I know males are usually smaller but it's always the "exception" part that freaks me out a bit aha. Your snakes are absolutely stunning by the way.

Originally Posted by franks

Not much bigger than five. a 6' pure IJ would be huge! most are between 4 and 5 feet.

Oh she's beautiful. You're right, when I see that picture I don't think she seems too big. It will be my first snake though so I'd get a male, I'm just nervous of getting into something too big if it happens to grow that large!

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by bubs

I think it's just me worrying about it hitting that 6 ft mark. I know males are usually smaller but it's always the "exception" part that freaks me out a bit aha. Your snakes are absolutely stunning by the way.



Oh she's beautiful. You're right, when I see that picture I don't think she seems too big. It will be my first snake though so I'd get a male, I'm just nervous of getting into something too big if it happens to grow that large!

Nothing to worry about. Even if it got to 6 ft it wouldn't be overwhelming. This is one of the great things about carpets.

[Terranaut]

Almost 6' male jcp (bigger than ij)
Just get one. You won't regret it.

[bubs]

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

Nothing to worry about. Even if it got to 6 ft it wouldn't be overwhelming. This is one of the great things about carpets.

Thanks a lot. I'll look into it and see if I can find one local. He might not stay under 5 ft but i'll cross my fingers!

[gonesnakee]

reading this thread I thought I had best post to correct the incorrect size info posted repeatedly above.
IJs can & will grow upto 8 ft folks & can have a girth as large as a pop/beer can easily.
This whole myth that they stay tiny small is nothing but straight up BS.
Yes they are the smallest of the Carpets but a properly fed IJ will hit 6-8ft easily depending on the specimen.
Speaking from experience having kept many & bred them as well they are not a skinny 5ft snake, if they are they are either a subadult or have not been fed much.
I blame the "puppymill" "breeders" for passing this BS around the most as they of course bred the crap out of them young & small never giving them the chance to obtain their true size, but hey when using a small rack instead of a proper enclosure one likes to stunt their animals I guess ???
Anyhow you are looking at an animal that will get 5-8ft & a good girth to it, considerably longer & just as thick or thicker than any BP, Mark

edit - for the record any carpet should NEVER see a mouse as prey, they should be started on rats from their first meal on, why start a snake off on prey that is an inappropriate size for it's whole life is beyond me ??? Start them off on pinky rats & you will not have any issuexs switching them later.
Also ANY Aussie Snake kicks arse on a BP, why go the trendy wanker route when you can get a REAL snake! LOL Cheers

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by gonesnakee

reading this thread I thought I had best post to correct the incorrect size info posted repeatedly above.
IJs can & will grow upto 8 ft folks & can have a girth as large as a pop/beer can easily.
This whole myth that they stay tiny small is nothing but straight up BS.
Yes they are the smallest of the Carpets but a properly fed IJ will hit 6-8ft easily depending on the specimen.
Speaking from experience having kept many & bred them as well they are not a skinny 5ft snake, if they are they are either a subadult or have not been fed much.
I blame the "puppymill" "breeders" for passing this BS around the most as they of course bred the crap out of them young & small never giving them the chance to obtain their true size, but hey when using a small rack instead of a proper enclosure one likes to stunt their animals I guess ???
Anyhow you are looking at an animal that will get 5-8ft & a good girth to it, considerably longer & just as thick or thicker than any BP, Mark

edit - for the record any carpet should NEVER see a mouse as prey, they should be started on rats from their first meal on, why start a snake off on prey that is an inappropriate size for it's whole life is beyond me ??? Start them off on pinky rats & you will not have any issuexs switching them later.
Also ANY Aussie Snake kicks arse on a BP, why go the trendy wanker route when you can get a REAL snake! LOL Cheers

I thought specimens larger than 6 ft were the exception. What do you have to say about Nick Mutton and Justin Julander's book The Complete Carpet Python where it states that Irian Jayas will achieve smaller sizes than the other carpets?(5-6 ft). They do mention that there is a dichotomy in terms of body size between specimens found in various parts of their habitat.

[Donnie]

Originally Posted by gonesnakee

reading this thread I thought I had best post to correct the incorrect size info posted repeatedly above.
IJs can & will grow upto 8 ft folks & can have a girth as large as a pop/beer can easily.
This whole myth that they stay tiny small is nothing but straight up BS.
Yes they are the smallest of the Carpets but a properly fed IJ will hit 6-8ft easily depending on the specimen.
Speaking from experience having kept many & bred them as well they are not a skinny 5ft snake, if they are they are either a subadult or have not been fed much.
I blame the "puppymill" "breeders" for passing this BS around the most as they of course bred the crap out of them young & small never giving them the chance to obtain their true size, but hey when using a small rack instead of a proper enclosure one likes to stunt their animals I guess ???
Anyhow you are looking at an animal that will get 5-8ft & a good girth to it, considerably longer & just as thick or thicker than any BP, Mark

edit - for the record any carpet should NEVER see a mouse as prey, they should be started on rats from their first meal on, why start a snake off on prey that is an inappropriate size for it's whole life is beyond me ??? Start them off on pinky rats & you will not have any issuexs switching them later.
Also ANY Aussie Snake kicks arse on a BP, why go the trendy wanker route when you can get a REAL snake! LOL Cheers

so eloquently put

[gonesnakee]

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

I thought specimens larger than 6 ft were the exception. What do you have to say about Nick Mutton and Justin Julander's book The Complete Carpet Python where it states that Irian Jayas will achieve smaller sizes than the other carpets?(5-6 ft). They do mention that there is a dichotomy in terms of body size between specimens found in various parts of their habitat.

I would suspect everything in the wild would take much longer to reach larger sizes Vs a captive snake that is offered prey 25-50 times a year in captivity & would definitely think areas were prey is smaller or less frequently found that they would definitely be larger or smaller based on that yep.
I'm talking from personal first hand experience with captive bred & kept specimens over the last 13 years not something I have read in a book that is looking moreso at wild specimens, Mark
P.S. of course as per any animals there are bigger & smaller ones based on individual genetics that are sometimes locality based as well, but folks tend to think they do not reach the size of other Carpets when they most definitely will Cheers!

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by gonesnakee

I would suspect everything in the wild would take much longer to reach larger sizes Vs a captive snake that is offered prey 25-50 times a year in captivity & would definitely think areas were prey is smaller or less frequently found that they would definitely be larger or smaller based on that yep.
I'm talking from personal first hand experience with captive bred & kept specimens over the last 13 years not something I have read in a book that is looking moreso at wild specimens, Mark
P.S. of course as per any animals there are bigger & smaller ones based on individual genetics that are sometimes locality based as well, but folks tend to think they do not reach the size of other Carpets when they most definitely will Cheers!

Interesting.

I have a pic of my IJ on post #4. Could you just by looking at her, guess whether or not she is a pure IJ or another locality?

It was sold to me as an IJ from LLLreptile but looking at many other pictures I am having second thoughts. From the pictures I have seen my snake seems to look very similar to darwin/northwestern carpet pythons.

[gonesnakee]

Now days its hard to tell with some, ever since the Jaguar hit the scene folks have been crossing pretty much every single subspecies to make different Jags, thus muddying up the gene pool more so than it ever has been. Mark

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by gonesnakee

reading this thread I thought I had best post to correct the incorrect size info posted repeatedly above.
IJs can & will grow upto 8 ft folks & can have a girth as large as a pop/beer can easily.
This whole myth that they stay tiny small is nothing but straight up BS.
Yes they are the smallest of the Carpets but a properly fed IJ will hit 6-8ft easily depending on the specimen.
Speaking from experience having kept many & bred them as well they are not a skinny 5ft snake, if they are they are either a subadult or have not been fed much.
I blame the "puppymill" "breeders" for passing this BS around the most as they of course bred the crap out of them young & small never giving them the chance to obtain their true size, but hey when using a small rack instead of a proper enclosure one likes to stunt their animals I guess ???
Anyhow you are looking at an animal that will get 5-8ft & a good girth to it, considerably longer & just as thick or thicker than any BP, Mark

edit - for the record any carpet should NEVER see a mouse as prey, they should be started on rats from their first meal on, why start a snake off on prey that is an inappropriate size for it's whole life is beyond me ??? Start them off on pinky rats & you will not have any issuexs switching them later.
Also ANY Aussie Snake kicks arse on a BP, why go the trendy wanker route when you can get a REAL snake! LOL Cheers

^^^^^
pretty much covers it

imo Carpets are way more interesting and better looking than bp's

cheers shaun

P.S.good to see you back on here Mark

[franks]

Originally Posted by gonesnakee

reading this thread I thought I had best post to correct the incorrect size info posted repeatedly above.
IJs can & will grow upto 8 ft folks & can have a girth as large as a pop/beer can easily.
This whole myth that they stay tiny small is nothing but straight up BS.
Yes they are the smallest of the Carpets but a properly fed IJ will hit 6-8ft easily depending on the specimen.
Speaking from experience having kept many & bred them as well they are not a skinny 5ft snake, if they are they are either a subadult or have not been fed much.
I blame the "puppymill" "breeders" for passing this BS around the most as they of course bred the crap out of them young & small never giving them the chance to obtain their true size, but hey when using a small rack instead of a proper enclosure one likes to stunt their animals I guess ???
Anyhow you are looking at an animal that will get 5-8ft & a good girth to it, considerably longer & just as thick or thicker than any BP, Mark

I am not an expert on Carpet Pythons, so I cannot disagree with your statement. I am curious as to why your claim regarding size contradicts statements from some of the leading guys in the field like Nick Mutton, Anthony Capponetta etc. On Nick Mutton's webiste he says that with these snakes "adults rarely exceeding 6' in length." I know Irian Jays can well exceed 6' and sometimes even push 8' especially ones mixed with coastal blood like I mentioned earlier. If you are advocating that this is the norm and not the exception, it would be cool if you could post some data to support this. I am not trying to be argumentative, but I do want to learn, and I definitely want to know if I am spreading information that is not true. Your post contradicts pretty much everything I have read, and the limited first-hand experience I do have with Irian Jayas, and I would like more information.

[gonesnakee]

Keep in mind that some folks will breed the crap right out of them young & small thus never giving them a remote chance of reaching their full potential, thus why they fit in their racks so nicely as well.
Some of these "breeders" do not hesitate to breed females that are only maybe 2 YO & 1500g & yearling males thus never having a remote chance to fully mature.
On that I personally would not breed any female Python at less than 3 YO & preferably 4 YO & definitely not at 1500g closer to triple that.
Mind you I am not a morph breeder with a facility so pumping them out as fast as possible thus stunting all the stock over time is not something that happens here either but it most definitely happens elsewhere & is promoted as well unfortunately.
On that I have had multiple pure IJs both males & females & pretty much every one has hit at least 6ft & has a girth of that of close to a pop can or equal to it & have observed multiple others over the years as well from different bloodlines too.
They all however were given the chance to properly mature before being entered into breeding programs though.
Keep in mind that with the continual lowering of breeding standards due to morph animals folks like to push their own agendas when presenting "facts" & what can be done & what should be done are NOT one in the same.
What has been happening with BPs & the ever plummeting standards is also happening with Carpets thus distorting their true size potentials to make folks think its OK to breed the crap out of them young & small because they are fully mature... NOT!
Cheers Mark

[marvelfreak]

Mark great to see you back on here. Hope we'll be see a lot more of you on here.