Carpet python meal size maximums?

[Jessica Loesch]

I have a question, as I am contemplating picking up a carpet python baby at the expo on Oct 2.

I saw someone mentioning rabbits ... What??? I am curious about what size of foods adult carpets will eat, depending on the locality.

Irain Jaya?
Jungle?
Coastal?


Thanks in advance ...

[Jessica Loesch]

Anyone know?

[OhhWatALoser]

I donno about coastals but IJ and jungles will stay on rats their whole lives

[Jessica Loesch]

Ok, I was hoping so. Thanks - that helps a lot. Hopefully I will find one at the expo

[Amon Ra Reptiles]

Coastals could possibly get to rabbits at peak but probably not absolutely necessary and it's doubtful that jungles or Irian jayas will ever need them. I think you could safely say you will never get over a jumbo rat. Maybe in a rare case but I doubt it.

[Amon Ra Reptiles]

If not I know someone with an adult IJ female hint hint lol

[Jessica Loesch]

Awe, but I want a baby

[mainbutter]

http://ectotherms.accountsupport.com...?g2_itemId=428

I believe there's also a will bird photo floating around of a 9+ foot female jungle.

Nothing wrong with feeding rabbits to snakes who are big enough for 'em, and it's certainly common enough for people with multiple carpets to have a few that eventually get big enough for it to be a good idea.

Don't forget the #1 rule with meat, be it cow, fish, deer for yourself.. or rabbits and rats for your snakes. As a hunter, farmer, and fisherman, this has always held true for my eating preferences:

The oldest animals don't taste as good, can be tough, and might even be unhealthy to eat, especially regularly.

Why feed your snake an aging rat (with potential health problems itself, fattier tissues, and possibly more negative stuff, that might not be as good a meal as a young rat) when you can feed it a similarly sized rabbit that is much younger. Rabbits start pretty small too, though they would be more expensive to use as feeders at that size than rats. Once you start feeding 1lb meals and bigger (which may happen when snakes are in the double digits for weight), it's probably a good idea to ditch rats in favor of rabbits.

I'm going to be raising rabbits for my carpet pythons and blood pythons when the time comes. They're going to be the rabbit equivalent of that uber-delicious 100% grass fed organic beef we get direct from a local farmer.

[Brandon Osborne]

My female IJs eat large rats and could probably take jumbos. I have a 8' Tiger Jungle that takes JUMBO retired breeder male rats with ease. Carpets can take exceptionally large meals. I start hatchlings on hopper mice for their first meals.

Brandon Osborne

[Jessica Loesch]

Good info guys. I don't see myself raising rabbits here in Nebraska, otherwise maybe outside.

I don't have access to them here otherwise. That's the only reason I'm asking, but I can see it being a viable food option IF we had any around us.