Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm just looking for suggestions and recommendations as to the best cage for an adult male JCP. Specifics with regard to Brand, Style, Size, and Add-ons (heating , lighting, thermostat, etc.) would be extremely helpful.
Thanks in advance...

I don't know what is considered the best enclosure.... I have an adult male JCP. He is 6-7 foot. I house him in a 80 gallon aquarium with a big UTH, basking light with 100 wt bulb for day heat and a 75 wt red light for supplemental night heat.

With the screen lid I covered 1/2-3/4 of it with seran wrap and tin foil to help keep heat and humidity in. My temps stay in the 80's-90 degree warm side and 70's cooler side.

He also has 2 big branches that form an X for him to climb on with a couple fake plants I hung from the screen lid. hide on both ends and a big water bowl. That is it. He is doing great. Eats f/t jumbo rats. I don't worry about humidity except when he goes into shedding.Then I'll mist the tank down some. Oh, I use newspaper on warm side and some reptile bark on cooler side. (I ran out of reptile bark so that is why it's half and half.) He don't care anyways. When I feed him I put the rat on the paper side so he don't get bark in his mouth. That happened to him once when he was smaller and I had to struggle with him to get it out. He couldn't close his mouth.

This is just how I house mine. I like the idea of an enclosure with sliding front doors but they cost dear. Just shop around.

There are a number of ways to house Jungles. I house mine in 4x2x2 plastic cages with sliding front doors. Aquaria of a size that would be appropriate for a carpet python would probably be unreasonably expensive. You probably want something along the lines of a vision, animal plastic, or barr cage. Freedom breeder or Habitat Systems would probably be the best but you will pay a premium price for a premium cage. All in all you will probably spend about $250 or so on an appropriate cage. There are some 4x2 cages out there for around 200, but they are usually only 12 inches tall. Now, many breeders out there use 12 inch tall cages with carpets, and a carpet will not die in a 12 inch cage, but to me if you are going to keep an (atleast partially) arboreal snake then you owe it to the animal to give them climbing options. Contrary to what is commonly published, my adult jungles are off the ground more than they are on the ground. And some of these are 12-14 pound animals. I think a lot has to do with providing quality perching options.
You can heat a number of ways. Under the cage with heat tape / pad, or on the inside top of the cage with a Radiant heat panel would be my two suggestions. Either will need a thermostat. Avoid using light bulbs or unregulated heat sources as they can seriously burn a carpet. Hope this helps! Good luck.
Ben

AP, Barrs, or Boaphile.

ryanm