First Carpet Python

it's a Coastal im pretty sure of it, if not correct me i haven't had much experience with carpet pythons. Got it from a friend for free today, its a juvenile about 26 inches long. He/She is at a friends house being quarantined and treated for a minor mite infest. Hopefully it eats tomorrow it looks like it hasn't had a meal in a good 5 weeks.

Whats a good prey item a pinky? or fuzzy? its not much bigger around than my index finger.

Heres a picture sorry for the quality will have better pictures up asap.

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x..._5774959_n.jpg

Go with a fuzzy. If it has mites though it most likely won't eat. Probably why it hasn't eatten in 5 weeks. I don't feed while getting rid of mites.

You can try though. Carpets are good eatter so something might happen. Don't freak out though if it does want it. Jus concentrate on getting rid of the mites.

Oh, and it does just look like a coastal.

Also congrats on the new snake. Carpets are my fav's. They are great curious snakes.

Nice!!! And for free even better. Aggressive eaters even with mites, looks a little thin. Betadine baths Enjoy!

Nice lookin carpet, you'll be hooked! I've got 4 now and love them

Yeah I did a betadine bath first thing. Got a fuzzy today he ate it butt first within 60 seconds he swallowed it , he was hungry.

has a bit of a URI so i upped the heat and removed all moisture.

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...6/DSCN4518.jpg

Very nice! :) I'd definitely say it could take a large fuzzy, maybe even a small hopper... my young JCP is around the same size, and gobbles down that prey without a problem. You'll be surprised at what they can fit through their skinny necks! Congrats, and good luck with the mite & RI issues.

Hes looking loads better no more mites in his tub and on him, YES! he actually has a shine to him now. The URI is looking a lot better since i upped the heat, haven't heard any whistling out of his nostrils in a 2 days now. And i am also pleased to say he has eaten two fuzzies since i got him.

Oh and i have a question? How fast do these guys grow on a regular feeding schedule of every 5 or 7 days.

Sounds like you are on the right track with your carpet python. Keep doing what you are doing. No mites and he's eating. Keep feeding. Keep us posted, great job. :gj:

Wow! well apparently this carpet had been very very sick before i got him he nearly died 5 times with the previous owners. Thank goodness i took him in so he will have a long happy life. I mean when i went to pick the snake up the tank he was in, was outside no bedding just giant clumps of feces and old shed and an empty water dish.

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...6/DSCN4538.jpg

Generally I just see people say RI for respiratory infection. What does the U stand for when you type it? Or does URI mean something else the a respiratory infection?

What symptoms does it have to make you think it has an RI? And how did it almost die 5 times?

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Originally Posted by van_garret2000

Generally I just see people say RI for respiratory infection. What does the U stand for when you type it? Or does URI mean something else the a respiratory infection?

What symptoms does it have to make you think it has an RI? And how did it almost die 5 times?

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Upper Respiratory Infection, and i don't know exactly how he almost died i just know thats what i was told, i didn't know the owners personally. It was a friend of a friend type deal and believe me the owners did not take care of this snake at all. They have an aggressive Red Tail Boa that im trying to get from him because its infested with mites its crawling around in its own feces and there's like 3 previous sheds in there too, so i know he doesn't clean at all, or handle his animals. I should just call my areas animal cops and let them know how horribly these animals are treated, if he doesn't give up his RTB. He says he paid $200 for it so he wants money for it, i said this snake isnt worth anything if its not nice or in good health. It's like saying you have the rarest baseball card in the world but its scratched, ripped and bent, and they still want $800 for it.

Almost died 5 times and your friend of a friends still owns a RTB? Hope you get your hand on it. Sounds like this RTB really needs help too. If not call animal control. I feel for the RTB. I hate when animals suffer. Glad your python is doing better, keep up the great job. Looks so much better, like the new pict, really cute. :P

What symptoms is it showing to make you think it has an RI?

Nice Carpet Python, sorry to hear he is sick though. Hope he gets better, he is a gorgeous python!

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Originally Posted by van_garret2000

What symptoms is it showing to make you think it has an RI?

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Wheezing and i opened his mouth with a tongue depressor and he had a little bit of a mucus pocket. Its not a major infection, its already a lot better.:gj:
But he still has a few mites so a couple days of Betadine baths for him again.

Nice Coastal. Best of luck; this brings me back to memories of nursing my once sickly pythons and how much they've improved now. :)

juvie carpets are ridiculously resilient... he will be fine, given normal proper care.

Oh he's definitely resilient, he's doing loads better he ate another fuzzie today and i haven't seen but 3 mite since i brought him home and Ive been cleaning his tub everyday and giving him a 5-10 min betadine bath every other day.

Update Pictures
Well she has grown about 6 inches, her girth has doubled, she's feeding every 5 days on small mice and 3 day old rat pups. When i got her she was 75g now she's about 130g.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2102240_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5347224_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._6137774_n.jpg

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Originally Posted by Austin236

Oh and i have a question? How fast do these guys grow on a regular feeding schedule of every 5 or 7 days.

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First of all I wouldn't call 5-7 days "regular" for carpet ptyhons. I much prefer a less-frequent feeding schedule, and depending on the age and subspecies of carpet python, it can range from every 7-10 days or even just every two weeks.

On a 7-10 day schedule, my coastal carpet python male hit 7' and 5lbs at two years old. They put on more mass during their second year of life than the first.

If you aren't already, make sure you get that guy switched over to rats. A mouser carpet python can be a huge huge huge pain, especially since it's quite easy for it to break the 10lb mark.

Yours does look coastal-ish, but I would avoid labeling it as such for breeding purposes. You can't tell for sure on looks alone, and since Australia no longer allows exportation of animals, false labeling of breeders and their offspring can be the downfall o having pure lines of the various subspecies.

Carpets are by far my favorite snakes out there, I hope you enjoy yours :D

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Originally Posted by mainbutter

First of all I wouldn't call 5-7 days "regular" for carpet ptyhons. I much prefer a less-frequent feeding schedule, and depending on the age and subspecies of carpet python, it can range from every 7-10 days or even just every two weeks.

On a 7-10 day schedule, my coastal carpet python male hit 7' and 5lbs at two years old. They put on more mass during their second year of life than the first.

If you aren't already, make sure you get that guy switched over to rats. A mouser carpet python can be a huge huge huge pain, especially since it's quite easy for it to break the 10lb mark.

Yours does look coastal-ish, but I would avoid labeling it as such for breeding purposes. You can't tell for sure on looks alone, and since Australia no longer allows exportation of animals, false labeling of breeders and their offspring can be the downfall o having pure lines of the various subspecies.

Carpets are by far my favorite snakes out there, I hope you enjoy yours :D

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Yeah im not 100% on if its a coastal because I rescued this snake from a horrible owner. So I went by what my researching found and what my local reptile guy Ben Seigel thought, he said it almost has an Irian Jaya thing going on its color so who knows, im just labeling coastal because more than likely it has coastal in it. This girl is not picky I mix it up every week between f/k 3 day old rat pinkies and small mice. So far she hasn't been picky.:D

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Originally Posted by Austin236

Yeah im not 100% on if its a coastal because I rescued this snake from a horrible owner. So I went by what my researching found and what my local reptile guy Ben Seigel thought, he said it almost has an Irian Jaya thing going on its color so who knows, im just labeling coastal because more than likely it has coastal in it. This girl is not picky I mix it up every week between f/k 3 day old rat pinkies and small mice. So far she hasn't been picky.:D

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Carpets are great eatters and can sometimes go both ways between mice or rats, but they can also get hooked on one or the other eventually as well. Why run the risk of it wanting just mice if it will accept rats? If it is a coastal it is going to get big. A full grown coastal would only need one appropriate sized rat but if it will only eat mice your looking at needing to fed it 10 or 12 mice at a time. That's why you don't want it eatting mice.

And if it does have IJ in it you really don't want to feed it mice as IJ are known for getting stuck on just mice.