Are carpet pythons temperamental?

[Hannahrenee]

Does anyone have any experience with carpet pythons? I have heard and read that they can be pretty temperamental and aggressive. But, I got to handle one at repticon today and it was just like holding a ball python.
I think that they are beautiful snakes, but I've heard mixed views on their temperament. Can anyone tell me about their experience with them and whether they are good for handling or not?

[SDA]

Morelia in general are more apt to be flighty than terrestrial species. It's they physical makeup. Carpets thankfully are semi sometimes if they feel like more stretched out and almost terrestrial which makes them easier to handle. A wild caught or farm raised carpet can be more defensive and not as easy to acclimate into captivity so if you want a good carpet get a multi generation captive bred from a proper breeder.

Carpets like all morelia are more of an intermediate to advanced snake so make sure you are ready for that type of snake if you want one.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

They are smarter more inquisitive than BP and unlike BP it is a species that needs to be work with.

You could have a BP and never handle it for any other reason than maintenance and that BP would be fine however a carpet like many other species needs regular interaction if you want that snake to remain docile and handlelable.

They have the reputation of being nippy when young, and yes babies tend to be defensive when they hatched (like any other species really) but usually calm down in no time, some may take a little longer and some may be very laid back it really varies.

It's a great species and when it comes to handling a lot more enjoyable than BP.

[MD_Pythons]

As said before they tend to be nippy and defensive when they're younger but with work and age they can calm down to be pretty tractable. I find them far more interesting captives than bps, they're definitely worth looking into. Just make sure to get one from a proper breeder that keeps track of lineage.

[EL-Ziggy]

I don't find carpets to be very nippy or temperamental at all. I've been bitten a total of twice by 2 of my 4 carpets in the last 3 years. They were both very young and neither tagged me more than once.

[Reinz]

I totally agree with Ziggy. I have 5 adult carpets that are just as tame as my BP, 24/7.

I will say that they are more headstrong than my BP. When they want to go somewhere I don’t want them to go they try their darndest to get there while I’m pulling them away. But regardless, they are at the top of my favorite species of snakes.

[BR8080]

As the others have said, they are very inquisitive and head strong. I rescued Roger a few months ago and he's been awesome, no strikes and relatively easy to handle. Sometimes he hangs out in the skyhide, sometimes stretched out - and just the other night a little of both LOL

Just an amazing snake to watch and interact with.

[KevinK]

Im going to complicate things and add a third, overall different opinion lol.

I think different types of carpets tend to have better attitudes than others. Coastal carpets, although larger than Jungles, seem to be more docile overall than the rest. I wouldnt agree though that Jungles left alone without human inetaction seem to be docile and friendly...and Ill prove this in a mere few minutes. Look up Brian B's Youtube videos from BHB on his Jungle carpets.....they dont recieve very much human interaction and he has several of them with nasty attitudes.In fact, they seem like his "go-to" animals for showing aggresive snakes. Im sure some are friendly but they certainly DO benefit from human interaction.

So Ill side with Deb here, I think they need to be worked with to end up with a friendly attitude....especially high percentage Jungle Carpets which tend to display the most aggression.

An adult carpet with a nasty attitude?....BAD. They have a tendency to "wrist roll" you....meaning they wont show an aggresive posture or indicate a strike.....they'll simply smoke your wrist or forearm by "rolling over". Once you see how they do it and how sneaky they are you'll never forget it. Ironically enough, Anacondas are the other species that will do the same thing from what I have seen in several examples.

Watch the "Anaconda Ball Pit" from a certain movie I cant say without getting hit by the autocensors. The Conda that nails Johnny Knoxville on the forearm is a PERFECT example of a "wrist roll" strike.....odd example but its the best I can think of.

[Prognathodon]

All three of my carpets are good-natured overall, but they’re more active than BPs. Ying, my big Bredli, is pretty fearless, and when she wants to go somewhere, there’s not a lot that’s going to stop her. They all have their own personalities, like any snake. Ying is head-shy, so you have to remember that when handling her. Moresby is not, you can do just about anything with him. Sometimes they don’t want to come out of their enclosures, and being active, athletic snakes, it can be a challenge, especially when Bruce wraps onto his jungle gym.

I don’t think they’re particularly temperamental, but they do have personality.


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[Aedryan Methyus]

I don't have any experience with Carpets at all, but from what I understand they can deliver a pretty nasty bite...