Carpet handling

[ShaneSilva]

I should mention I also tap/hook train all my snakes

[EL-Ziggy]

I have 5 carpets. I don't handle my snakes very much but not because I can't. All of my carpets are easy to handle but they are quite active during handling. They're not going to sit in your lap for hours like a BP or boa might. Besides the occasional strike from hatchlings only one of my carpets has ever bitten me and even then it was my fault. Carpets are probably my favorite snakes to keep. They're beautiful display snakes that usually eat and handle well. I think every keeper needs at least one carpet.

[Prognathodon]

My Bredli and JCP were both defensive-nippy as youngsters, but definitely calmed down as they grew. My Bredli is not as trustworthy now as my JCP, but I think that's because she also very head-shy. I keep her away from my face. My JCP, OTOH I will let explore me and squeak in my ear (when excited he makes all sorts of little noises ).

I also have a Honduran milk snake, who was my juvenile delinquent snake - peeing, pooping, masking, biting, and grabbing on and *chewing*, without obvious provocation. Even though the carpets were bigger than Mr. Pissy-Pants in their defensive phases, I was less worried about taking a hit from them - they'd tag and let go, and were pretty predictable on what would scare them.

As Ziggy said, they're not lap-snakes, they are on the move all the time. My Bredli is big enough (suspect she's nearing 7') that you have to pay attention to keep her out of trouble.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DennisM]

dkatz4,
I reread this thread and thought it might seem to you that a carpet is not good for you.

That is not my opinion.

A carpet is good for any snake keeper! They’re not BPs, they’re feisty youngsters, they will not sit in your lap (they have exploring to do). But, they are great snakes and I don’t think handling them 2 to 3 times a week or only as required, makes much of a difference as long as the snake is properly cared for.

I said in an earlier post that I don’t handle mine even close to 2 -3 times a week. But in my early days as a carpet keeper I handled them at that frequency (I had more time and fewer snakes back in the day). I found no difference in the snake’s dispositions either way.

I would encourage anyone to add a carpet to their collection. Of course, once you decide to add a “carpet”, you’ll need to decide which type (including the ever popular “cross” and “who knows”). Don’t sweat it too much, in the end you’ll have a bunch of them anyways.

[Sauzo]

I've always loved the Jungles or even Jungle Jags. If you do add one, my vote is for one of those even though Allie was a terror lol. They look sweet. just make sure you start off with one that 'mellow' even though most babies are nippy lol. I still think the person who had Allie before me somehow traumatized her as I've never had an issue 'breaking' a snake but Allie broke me haha. Bredli and Inland look pretty awesome too and like I mentioned those seem to be on the more mellow end of carpet so I've been told. I'm sure one day, I'll end up getting another carpet as I liked everything about Allie except the biting, bolting and overall over the top defensiveness. So I'll probably go for a Jungle or Jungle Jag....or maybe a Bredli or Inland lol.

[Reinz]

I'm not trying to be negative. I'm giving my experience from the one I had as well as what I've been told by people I talked to about carpets. I told him, if I was to get a carpet, it would be a Bredli or Inland as I was told those are going to be your best luck at getting a snake that is going to tolerate a fair amount of handling. I was told that Jungles are probably the most nippy out of all the carpets.

That's why I also told him to find out the temperament of the carpet he wants as we all know not all snakes are the same personality even if the species is said to be calm or otherwise.

And if you have a negative experience with a certain species, you should speak up when someone asks so as to give the person a full spectrum of what to possibly expect and what you have learned so you can pass it on to him.

Sorry if I let you down but I was giving him my experience with what I had and letting him know what I was told by other guys who have had carpets for long long time. Like I said, he can learn from my mistakes plus learn from people who have had good experiences with carpets. I never said anything anything negative about them except that I feel they are more of a display animal than something like a boa which you can throw over your shoulders and go outside and do yard work with and for the most part, they are going to be fine with it. And even my label of 'display animal' isn't a negative.

And finally at the end I did say I would like to get another carpet but I would probably make it a Bredli or Inland as like I said, I was told those are known more for being mellow although I'm sure the babies will be nippy but like I was told, most outgrow it within a year but again some don't. That is how I felt Allie was. Either she wouldn't outgrow it or possibly the person that had her before me might have done something to her to scar her psychologically.

Oh and also, it took 4 months to get Allie to where she would only bite me 50% of the time from about 2' away. The minute you opened the cage, she was in defensive mode in a tight 'S' ready to strike. She never really got out of that habit even after 4 months and she was well over a year old so unless she was a late bloomer, she should have been out of the hatchling/yearling nippy mode. Don't get me wrong, I really did like her, she was awesome looking but after 4 months of not knowing if you were going to get bit or not every time you opened the cage to even change water, it got old. I mean I'm assuming all your carpets including your jungle were fairly mellow when you got them or at most, they would just draw back in defense if you moved a little too fast in front of them?

Anyways, I'm not taking it personal. Everyone is entitled to post their view. That is the whole reason for these boards and discussions.

Thanks for your courteous response.

[John1982]

Just like with any critter, you're going to encounter individual personalities. Mostly, I don't find carpets difficult to calm down, they just have a bit of a hair trigger as youngsters. I don't fancy myself a pincushion, so I simply use a mini hook when doing general maintenance for their first year. The majority of these animals, seldom having me lay hands on them after initial sexing, won't draw any blood after their yearling mark. You can certainly handle them younger and get there sooner but most become easily handled with little to no effort. They tend to learn that I'm not a threat and, since most of my animals are for display or sale anyway, I don't push the issue and let them come around naturally. You'll find some devils in the bunch and you'll also find some absolute sweethearts - the same can be said for any genus/species.

[BWB]

I have a young Jungle Carpet and though she is a bit skittish (jumpy when I touch her) I take her out a lot. No issues, no bites and she will come out on her own if I leave the cover open. She loves to hang out on the laptop and, probably, is my favourite snake (my ball does not come out much, just chills in her hide, my hog island lays around a lot but loves to be out hanging on our dining room chairs and my BRB just tries to go constantly when out but very rarely moves out of his hide when inside). The JCP is a great display snake as she likes to hang out on the dowel that I have put in her cage (eats from there as well), never goes in her hide and when feeding time gets near she moves around quite abit.

[dkatz4]

thank you all so much for your thoughtful responses. I'm still very much playing the field in terms of genus/species, the thing is, my wife is very much not into snakes, so i sort of have to approach this snake as if it could be my last, or at least my last for a good number of years. My default is another boa (a big female this time) but i am infatuated with the idea of a burm (definitely a male, trying to stay on the manageable side of gigantic), and just because you carpet guys rave so much about them i figure i had to consider them as well. As you can tell i'm looking for some size, so a female costal has been my go-to, but i just love the high yellows of a jungle. Well anyway, i just wanted to thank you and also maybe sort of warn you that i will probably be posting a similar thread on the giant python page (Shane, we talked about burm stuff a bit on an earlier thread of mine)

[Sauzo]

A caramel burm would be awesome. I'd love to have one but that's just too much snake to handle alone. Not to mention, up here there really isn't maybe breeders for them.