Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi I want to get a carpet python maybe a jungle or bredli. My only issue is the space. I know they are mostly arboreal but will spend some time on the ground but I don't have the space for a cage or more suitable setup for a carpet. I have other snakes like balls, boas, and a blood so most of my reptiles are in racks and tubs. Would housing a jungle carpet in a rack system be ok? I have seen videos on youtube of people housing a carpet in a rack system. I just feel bad if I dont provide a perch or something. I would like to hear suggestions or recommendations. Thank you.

I don't think that a rack type cage would hurt it, but I have only been keeping for about a year. A cage of at least 18" cubed sounds better to me, and is not that hard to place in your home or breeding facility. I spoiled mine a little. They are in a cage that is a little over two feet deep, three and a half feet high, and about three and a half wide. With two perches and heat cable inside. It's really a question of how closely you monitor your snakes health and temperment/happiness. Husbandry does become an issue of work when you have them in a larger enclosure, but my carpets are worth it to me. My carpets do not just sit on their perches. They are in the hide box, on the ground, in the water dish. They move around some and have choices as to where they want to be. I don't know if this helped any or not. I hope that it did though.

Daniel

Thanks for your input. I guess it all depends on how the carpet or any snake behaves. I know that boas like to explore as well and they show this when I let them roam around but they are in tubs as well. I would like to get a GTP as well but I would have to buy a complete different setup. I have room in my racks for a carpet so that is another a reason I dont want to build another setup.

all my little guys are in tubs, and my juvi's are in huge tubs (24x52Lx12T)

All of my big boys and girls get either 4x2x2 or 6x2x2 caging. you will need room for your carpet, it is not a ball python, do not throw it in a rack its a display animal treat it as such, If you do decide to use a rack, make sure its a big tub with lots of perches.

Also, not a single carpet (out of 100 or so) Hides. They love there perches, and all of mine sit on there hides as oppose to in them. They all still have hides, Just never use them.

IMO, a new setup for a carpet would be totally worth it.

As for a beginner carpet I would strongly recommend the Bredli, there very hardy, robust and make great captives. There relatively docile and are eating machines. However, Bredli's can get very large. Also, If you killed your bredli, you would have successfully done something no one I know has ever.

Perhaps an IJ Carpet would better suite your bill?

Patrick Malloy
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Pat
"You keep WHAT in your freezer?" "Mice. And rats. If that bothers you, I can call them 'cows' instead."

1.1 Ill never tell...
1.0 100% het granite ij
0.1 granite ij
1.0 Jag 50% het granite
.2 striped coastals (Baylin)
1.2 Coastal Carpet Pythons
1.3 Jaguar carpet pythons (Australian addiction reptiles)
.2 Tiger Carpet (Dave prada HCQ with Baylin tiger)
1.2 centralian carpets
1.1 Irian Jaya carpets (boa cabana)
1.1 Jungle carpets (Futo)
1.1 Guyana Red tail boa
1.1 Water pythons Liasis fuscus
1.0 Brazilian rainbow boa
.1 Pitbull Wolfe mix

Thanks for the info and advice. I guess I will have to fork up some cash to get a better setup for a carpet. That was my main concern. To me putting a carpet or green tree is like putting a macaw parrot in a setup without looking at it. Bredli are the best looking in my opinion but size is the only issue as far as setup goes.

"Also, not a single carpet (out of 100 or so) Hides"

Odd....all of mine hide in their boxes during the day.

Also, my experience has been that Boas are essentially Carpets that never made it to Oz. Arboreal AND terrestrial.

Just because mine don't hide, rarely hide, doesn't mean they don't have hide boxes.

i would still suggest giving them plenty of options, perches, hides, etc.
-----
Pat
"You keep WHAT in your freezer?" "Mice. And rats. If that bothers you, I can call them 'cows' instead."

1.1 Ill never tell...
1.0 100% het granite ij
0.1 granite ij
1.0 Jag 50% het granite
.2 striped coastals (Baylin)
1.2 Coastal Carpet Pythons
1.3 Jaguar carpet pythons (Australian addiction reptiles)
.2 Tiger Carpet (Dave prada HCQ with Baylin tiger)
1.2 centralian carpets
1.1 Irian Jaya carpets (boa cabana)
1.1 Jungle carpets (Futo)
1.1 Guyana Red tail boa
1.1 Water pythons Liasis fuscus
1.0 Brazilian rainbow boa
.1 Pitbull Wolfe mix

mine dont use the hides very often. i wouldnt go as far as to say never but it is a rarity. ive had a couple and from my experience with them they prefer to perch or sit under cover but not in a complete hide. its usually under their larger basking log that allows for some cover but nothing like a box hide or anything.
as far as what you should do for the carpet i fully agree with anyone who says carpets should not be stuck in racks. if given the space to climb and explore they will use every bit of it. i have a pair of yearlings that have a 4x3x4 right now and they use all of it even at their smaller size. carpets are quite active snakes and love to utilize branches and perches for climbing, basking and exercise. if you really want to make an investment into carpets and get your moneys worth i would definitely say save up and do it right with a nice cage and set up for it.