Are Carpets and Green Tree Pythons the new ball pythons?

[gman8585]

I have never been to a reptile show. But I saw a article on kingsnake.com saying carpet pythons are getting a lot more popular. Of course the maze of morphs ball pythons have is unbeatable but do carpets and GTP's have the chance for such diverse morphs? Or big money market like ball pythons?

[Crazy4Herps]

I'm no expert when it comes to Morelia, but from what I understand selectivity is based more on locale than morphs. There are a few carpet morphs but the different coloration in gtp's is based solely upon locale.

They definitely are becoming more popular, but I don't think they'll ever beat out ball pythons simply because they have more elaborate husbandry requirements (arboreal caging and high humidity levels) and because they aren't ideal snakes for beginner keepers and therefore there are fewer potential buyers. (Not saying this is a bad thing, imo keeping these snakes among experienced keepers is great, it just means that they don't have the same potential for popularity as ball pythons do.)

[QuiccStrike911]

i realize this is only one of the points you mentioned ^, but i read carpets dont have such high humidity requirements as many caresheets would have you believe??? again no expert just something i came across

[gman8585]

i realize this is only one of the points you mentioned ^, but i read carpets dont have such high humidity requirements as many caresheets would have you believe??? again no expert just something i came across

Yeah a carpet would do fine in 60% humidity and I honestly think green tree python care as far as humidity is often a bit overstressed. Like yes they need humidity. I was just reading about this. That people have had them for years just misting it's cage twice a day sometimes once with no incident.

[Clementine_3]

because they have more elaborate husbandry requirements (arboreal caging and high humidity levels) and because they aren't ideal snakes for beginner keepers

While that may be true of GTP's it is definitely not true of Carpets. They are just as easy to keep as BP's and make great beginner or first snakes. They are slowly becoming more popular but I just don't see them, in the near future, popping up in every pet shop. Not sure why, as they are excellent snakes, but am glad they aren't at the same time. lol.
Not sure you can lump all Morelia under one umbrella for this conversation

[Brandon Osborne]

I have been keeping GTP for 15 years and I only mist during shed cycles and sometimes during breeding season just too "chill" the animals a bit more. They are like Carpets on a stick. Husbandry is not much different at all.

As far as them being the new Ball Python, GTP have seen their day for high-priced animals. The import market has killed the CBB market over the last 3-4 years. Carpets on the other hand are a different story. With all the morphs available now, the combos are going to start popping up in the next year or so. They should gain in popularity.

[Crazy4Herps]

Okay, thanks for correcting my mistake. Like I said, I don't have any experience with Morelia, that's just what I've read.

[OzzyNR]

I consider Carpet Pythons a great first snake. Theyre sometimes nippy when younger but I believe most turn into docile animals as adults. The care for these animals are pretty basic and the size they are sometimes known for are really exaggerated. Most stay around the 5-6 foot range and since they are much more lean-bodied snake, a lot of full grown ball pythons can "take up more space." However, I hope the popularity of morelia spilota stays the same, so the ball python effect doesnt happen to them.

[mainbutter]

they have more elaborate husbandry requirements (arboreal caging and high humidity levels) and because they aren't ideal snakes for beginner keepers and therefore there are fewer potential buyers.

I'm going to have to disagree here. I'd say that carpet pythons are hardier and easier to keep than ball pythons. I've been a proponent that "high humidity" requirements are a myth, and Nick Mutton's/Justin Julander's new book opens with a few myths.. with a high humidity requirement being among them.

Carpet pythons make for excellent first snakes.

Now with GTPs.. I don't keep them and have no opinions formed.

[TrpnBils]

Over half of our animals are green tree pythons and when we showed up to our first expo of the year this year with 25 hatchlings that we produced we stuck out like a sore thumb. As far as I know we are the only people at any of the shows we vended at this year that had GTPs. I don't think they're the next BP by any means partially because there is only one true morph available and it's so new that nobody is selling (even hets were over $10k last I saw). Their husbandry is not hard, but it's harder than for a lot of beginner snakes, and these guys sometimes have an aggressive streak that balls don't have.

One other thing is what's involved in incubating eggs. They are VERY intolerant of mistakes made by the breeder, where if a drop of water gets on them over the course of 7 weeks they almost always rot unless immediate action is taken. Personally, I hope they don't really take off because there are a lot of people out there that like them just because of their appearance...I think we'd get a ton of people without the proper knowledge and experience trying to keep them and I think a lot of them would fail miserably at the snake's expense.