Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i've been keeping snakes for 15 years, but they've always been colubrids i'm wanting a change so i've decided to get one of these two beautiful creatures: Brazilian Rainbow Boa or Jungle Carpet Python.

Anybody keep either of these or have any personal experience with either?

I’ve got size, care and husbandry down but have never spoken to anybody who’s even handled one. Seattle's only real reptile show in October so I figured now would be a great time to pick up a new addition.

Thanks!

I have both of those varieties of snakes. The Jungle Carpets are one of my favorites. Not all were created equal though. They are not that attractive as babies. As they get older they get awesome. Look for one from nice parents. As hatchlings they are nippy but you can use that to your advantage by tease feeding them. Get them on rats early on. From then on they make spectacular displays and take well to handling. Although they tend to wrap aroung objects they can reach. Easy to raise. I have a pair that are 11 years old and they are gorgeous.
The Rainbows main thing is humidity. I had 4 adults die one by one from a bad batch of cypress mulch. That plus the fight to keep up humidity was why I gave them up. But I acquired another pair 2 years ago and they are doing fine. I am using wet newspaper. With a small heat pad humidity is easy to keep up. The cage looks kinda ugly though with the wet newspaper. The rainbows like to hide and will stay out of sight often if possible. Other than that they are quite easy. Colors are best in the evening. My preference is the pythons because humidity is not an issue and I think they are more beautiful and make a better exhibit. But I still like Rainbows real well.

Dan

I personally would go with the carpet pythons. They're attractive animals, make a great display species as they're prone to just hanging out on a limb in the open, and acclimate well to handling. Not to mention their care is pretty straight forward and simple. I currently own two carpets - a jungle X coastal cross male and a pure coastal female. However I just recently sold or traded my three others - a pure jungle male, a jungle X diamond cross female, and a pure Irian Jaya male. All three were great snakes, docile and easy to work with, not to mention beautiful. All of the carpets I've encountered are also pretty forgiving of husbandry errors. If it gets a little too cool or too warm, too humid or not humid enough, they able to tolerate that for short time periods until it's corrected.

Brazilian rainbows are considerably more sensitive to husbandry fluctuations from what I've read and are not forgiving with errors. You could easily lose your animal from not providing the correct care 24/7, 365 days a year. That isn't to say they don't make great pets, as I know a number of people who love their Brazilian rainbows, but they just aren't an option I would pick. As an aside, you might want to consider the Colombian rainbows. While they aren't as striking in color as the Brazilian cousins, they are never-the-less beautiful snakes with high irridescence. They are also a lot more forgiving of husbandry errors than their Brazilian counterparts. Here's a pic of my adult male Colombian rainbow (who's roughly 16 years old)....

As you can see, by adulthood they are a smooth chocolate brown with faint patterning and the irridescence is incredible in natural light (the picture with flash doesn't really do him justice). However as neonates and juveniles they show a very distinct brown on brown pattern that's quite lovely. I understand the Venezualian (sp?) rainbow is similar in requirements and temperament as the Colombians and also forgiving of some husbandry errors, though I have no experience with them.

Best of luck whatever your decision...they're all great!

Raven

Hello. I have a jungle carpet python. She is a great pet. I also have 2 corns, a milk but wanted a snake that was bigger but not BIG like the boas. My JCP is about 6 foot long now but slender. I house her in an 80 gallon tank with branches, reptile bark, hide boxes and water bowl. Her temps are in the 85-90 degree range hot side and about 80 cooler side. I have a 100wt basking light and a red light for night time. Also a UTH. I don't worry about humidity as you would with the rainbows. I just mist her down and her tank at shedding times and she always has a great shed.
JCP's like to climb and mine loves her branches.

I bought her at 3 foot from a reptile/fish store. The previous owner was a school teacher so she was handled alot. She is real docile with handling. I can even disturb her from her hide boxes and pick her up.
I've read the babies can be nippy. Since I got mine when she was bigger I wouldn't know about handling a baby. I've seen babies at shows. They are cute.

"Safari" is eating large f/t rats now. Some carpets will not take to rats so trying to feed a 6-8 foot snake several mice can be a chore and expensive.

(and anybody else who reply’s afterwards!)
I think, after reading your opinions, I’m going to go with the JCP. Although both snakes are stunning, I know my own limitations when it comes to care and think the JCP’s may have the edge in that department.

Any opinions on enclosures?
I’ve always used glass tanks, but have noticed more attention on front loading, plastic cages.

Go with a front door enclosure. For years, I kept snakes in glass tanks... and now I wonder why the heck I didn't change to front loading cages sooner. They retain heat and humidity better. They make cleaning and feeding easier. The front doors are easy to secure with a display case lock (available at most hardware places). They also make the snake feel more secure... not exposed all the way around as they are in glass, and they don't have big "predator" hands descending on them from above.

While I still have one pair of corns in a glass tank, it is laid on it's side with the screen 'top' to the front. The back and one side are against a wall leaving only the front and one side open - the top is covered with a cloth with two Critter Keeper cages on top. Everything else I own is in cages that load from the front and are closed in on all sides but the front. I have a mix of cages - a number of Vision cages, some homemade melamine cages, a few plastic tubs, and the two plastic Critter Keeper cages. I've found the snakes to typically be calmer in the cages that are more enclosed. Even when using tanks, I tended to cover all but one side so the snakes don't feel as exposed. The plastic cages & tubs as well as the melamine cages are the easiest to heat and maintain humidity in - making our lives as keepers easier and the lives of our critters more comfortable.

Raven