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  1. #1
    Registered User Naginii's Avatar
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    Exo terra size and other questions

    Hey everyone. I am thinking about getting a carpet python as a display snake. I thought about getting an ATB or ETP but the ETP get too large it seems and the ATB might be a bit too strike happy. I should mention, I don't mind having a strike happy snake. I just like the idea that a carpet may eventually move past that stage. I am also very interested in the arboreal snakes which is what led me to finding out about carpets at all.

    I have an exo terra cage, 36x18x18 and was wondering, if I got one of the smaller breeds of carpets that only get to 5 ft or so, how long could the carpet stay in a tank this size? If I understand right, people like to have the length of snake equal the length and width of tank, so I could keep up to around 4 feet long and upgrade the tank then? Is that right?

    How fast would the carpet grow? If I fed an appropriate sized food item say once a week, would it be a few years to adult size like ball pythons?

    Also, do they need an UTH source or is heating from above just fine? I ask because I have my tank is set up to allow for heating from above. Currently it's set up for a BP (that's going in a tub when I build my new rack system) so it has a basking spot of 96 degrees which equates to upper 80s in the hide, and the cool side is upper 70s, low 80s depending on house temp. It gets misted daily to keep the humidity up too.

    Any other advice people can give me about the carpets? I am trying to do all the research I can right now about them. Once I get my new rack system built I want to get my BP moved over and start building a PVC type jungle for the carpet too. That way I can have the tank all established and ready for when I get the snake (which will be a while still. I'm very much in the planning stages here).
    Last edited by Naginii; 01-31-2020 at 08:52 AM.

  2. #2
    Registered User Meghenebk's Avatar
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    Length of time depends on how fast the specific snake grows, and that's widely variable even if you're not powerfeeding.

    If you pick a male Irian Jaya, maybe a max of two years? Just a guesstimate.

    I'm guessing you use a che to heat from overhead with a screen top, hence the misting? Personally, I would just get an rhp and a pvc cage with 24 inches of height and sell the exoterra. Easier to maintain heat and humidity as long as you account for tallish cage height when choosing the size of the rhp. If you want to start off with a neonate, a lockable clear storage bin and heat mat would be fine.
    Last edited by Meghenebk; 01-31-2020 at 09:14 AM.

  3. #3
    BPnet Veteran alittleFREE's Avatar
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    Re: Exo terra size and other questions

    [QUOTE=Naginii;2725685]Hey everyone. I am thinking about getting a carpet python as a display snake. I thought about getting an ATB or ETP but the ETP get too large it seems and the ATB might be a bit too strike happy. I should mention, I don't mind having a strike happy snake. I just like the idea that a carpet may eventually move past that stage. I am also very interested in the arboreal snakes which is what led me to finding out about carpets at all.

    I have an exo terra cage, 36x18x18 and was wondering, if I got one of the smaller breeds of carpets that only get to 5 ft or so, how long could the carpet stay in a tank this size? If I understand right, people like to have the length of snake equal the length and width of tank, so I could keep up to around 4 feet long and upgrade the tank then? Is that right?[quote]

    I wouldn’t start a baby carpet in a cage that big, personally. Baby carpets are VERY tiny - way smaller than baby BP. Not that you can’t have success with them in a larger cage, just that like with most snakes, they feel vulnerable when young. Going with a smaller enclosure for the first year or so will make your life easier. Smaller environment = less potential for stress.

    How fast would the carpet grow? If I fed an appropriate sized food item say once a week, would it be a few years to adult size like ball pythons?
    Carpets are generally slow growers, but obviously, it varies by individual. If you go with a smaller subspecies like Papuan/IJ or Inland, they usually reach adult size of 4-5 feet at around 3-4 years of age. I have a 6 month old IJ that is on mouse fuzzies still and it looks like she swallowed a football every time, and then I have an 8 month old IJ who is on mouse hoppers and will probably be moving up to small adult mice relatively soon. They stay very slender until around age 1-2 and then they start to thicken up. I would say you’ve got at least 2 years where that cage would be fine, but again, I wouldn’t be putting them in their until they had put some size on.

    Hatched June 2019:



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    Also, do they need an UTH source or is heating from above just fine? I ask because I have my tank is set up to allow for heating from above. Currently it's set up for a BP (that's going in a tub when I build my new rack system) so it has a basking spot of 96 degrees which equates to upper 80s in the hide, and the cool side is upper 70s, low 80s depending on house temp. It gets misted daily to keep the humidity up too.
    Overhead heat is fine, but 96 is on the hot side. The hottest I would go is 92. I keep mine 75-87 gradient, give or take a few degrees depending on the time of the day/year.

    Any other advice people can give me about the carpets? I am trying to do all the research I can right now about them. Once I get my new rack system built I want to get my BP moved over and start building a PVC type jungle for the carpet too. That way I can have the tank all established and ready for when I get the snake (which will be a while still. I'm very much in the planning stages here).
    Check out Morelia Python Radio for your listening pleasure of all things related to carpet pythons. Also pick up a copy of the Complete Carpet Python by Nick Mutton & Justin Julander - it will answer all your questions and more.


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  5. #4
    BPnet Veteran wnateg's Avatar
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    ETP? Do you mean a GTP (green tree python) or an ETB (emerald tree boa)? Neither are going to get more than 6ft. And ETBs are very docile, not strike happy. Dont know anything about ATBs though.
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  6. #5
    Registered User Naginii's Avatar
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    I guess I was thinking of GTP. Lol got my emerald boa mixed up with green python. Happens often to me! Interesting I thought one of those got up to like 9 feet long. The other thing that makes me think I would rather a carpet is that I hear they are more active than the GTP, ETB, or ATB. I guess I've read that they tend to move around during the day time from the bottom to the branches, back down to the bottom, etc.

    Thanks so much for the advice guys. I do have some smaller cages, I'm curious if they will work for the babies. I didn't realize they were so small; I figured bigger snake meant bigger babies! I'll have to find a measuring tape to see the exact sizes but I think I have a 12x12x18 tall tank and a 18x18x24 tall tank too. I think the 12x12 only has top access, I'll have to go double check, but the 18x18 has top as well as side access.

    I am aware that a PVC cage would be best but the home depots here just don't sell PVC sheets to make my own. I am thinking about buying a pvc cage for the adult size but since I have these smaller cages that could work for now it seems silly to buy several pvc cages. If I went PVC for the adult, I would definitely go with a RHP for the heat source.

    I chose 96 degrees on the top of the hide as inside the hide, where the snake likes to be, gets to be only 88 +/- inside. It's a wooden hide which is why the temps are so different inside. It could easily be adjusted though for the new snake if it's a problem.

  7. #6
    BPnet Veteran alittleFREE's Avatar
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    Re: Exo terra size and other questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Naginii View Post
    I guess I was thinking of GTP. Lol got my emerald boa mixed up with green python. Happens often to me! Interesting I thought one of those got up to like 9 feet long. The other thing that makes me think I would rather a carpet is that I hear they are more active than the GTP, ETB, or ATB. I guess I've read that they tend to move around during the day time from the bottom to the branches, back down to the bottom, etc.

    Thanks so much for the advice guys. I do have some smaller cages, I'm curious if they will work for the babies. I didn't realize they were so small; I figured bigger snake meant bigger babies! I'll have to find a measuring tape to see the exact sizes but I think I have a 12x12x18 tall tank and a 18x18x24 tall tank too. I think the 12x12 only has top access, I'll have to go double check, but the 18x18 has top as well as side access.

    I am aware that a PVC cage would be best but the home depots here just don't sell PVC sheets to make my own. I am thinking about buying a pvc cage for the adult size but since I have these smaller cages that could work for now it seems silly to buy several pvc cages. If I went PVC for the adult, I would definitely go with a RHP for the heat source.

    I chose 96 degrees on the top of the hide as inside the hide, where the snake likes to be, gets to be only 88 +/- inside. It's a wooden hide which is why the temps are so different inside. It could easily be adjusted though for the new snake if it's a problem.
    You will find that carpets hang out outside of their hides way more than ball pythons. They sit on perches and ledges a large percentage of the time and they will come out to seek the temperatures they need. They aren’t going to freeze themselves by ignoring warmth in favor of a hide like a BP might.




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    0.1 Bearded Dragon ("Reka")
    0.1 California Kingsnake ("Cleo")
    0.1 Cinnamon Spider Het. Albino Ball Python ("Syd")
    1.0 Hypo Bredl’s Python (“Oz”)

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    Naginii (01-31-2020)

  9. #7
    BPnet Veteran wnateg's Avatar
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    Re: Exo terra size and other questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Naginii View Post
    The other thing that makes me think I would rather a carpet is that I hear they are more active than the GTP, ETB, or ATB. I guess I've read that they tend to move around during the day time from the bottom to the branches, back down to the bottom, etc.
    That's true.

    Quote Originally Posted by Naginii View Post
    Thanks so much for the advice guys. I do have some smaller cages, I'm curious if they will work for the babies. I didn't realize they were so small; I figured bigger snake meant bigger babies! I'll have to find a measuring tape to see the exact sizes but I think I have a 12x12x18 tall tank and a 18x18x24 tall tank too. I think the 12x12 only has top access, I'll have to go double check, but the 18x18 has top as well as side access.

    I am aware that a PVC cage would be best but the home depots here just don't sell PVC sheets to make my own. I am thinking about buying a pvc cage for the adult size but since I have these smaller cages that could work for now it seems silly to buy several pvc cages. If I went PVC for the adult, I would definitely go with a RHP for the heat source.

    I chose 96 degrees on the top of the hide as inside the hide, where the snake likes to be, gets to be only 88 +/- inside. It's a wooden hide which is why the temps are so different inside. It could easily be adjusted though for the new snake if it's a problem.
    For babies, I would just use a tub, and get a rack insert like this: https://www.specialtyenclosuredesign...=Tub%20Perches or like this: https://www.specialtyenclosuredesign...version%20Kits
    Start your own dubia roach colony with Roach Rancher!

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    0.1.0 Cat "Anna"
    -----
    1.1.0 Emerald Tree Boa "Amanda & Samantha"
    0.1.0 Merauke Scrub Python "Victoria"
    0.1.0 Titanium Reticulated Python "Alice"
    1.0.0 Eastern Indigo
    -----
    0.0.4 Alligator Snapping Turtle "Deborah"
    0.0.2 Florida Snapping Turtles
    0.0.1 Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman "Caroline"
    0.0.1 100% Het Black Dragon Asian Water Monitor
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    0.0.1 Antilles Pink Toe Tarantula "Katherine"

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