I want a new snake...help

[mainbutter]

I based much of my initial carpet python care on AC's carpet python care sheet, mostly because it was the most accessible care sheet and well written/presented. Over time I've modified my setups through personal observation and style, and based on talking to other keepers.

With ball pythons you'll find tons of people who have identical setups.. identical racks from the same manufacturer, identical tubs, identical thermostats, identical substrate, identical temperatures, and even identical hides and water dishes. This has lead itself to having dozens of identical care sheets on the web.

For carpet pythons, it seems that every single person keeps theirs just a bit differently, and so care sheets are surprisingly varied. I think this lends itself to the idea that carpet pythons are tolerant of a wide range of environment criteria, and copying a care sheet may not be needed or even a good idea. I use the experience of other keepers and my own experience as a guide for decision making.

My first carpet python I raised up as a yearling in a 20G long, using a UTH and heat lamp with a 40 watt CHE for heating. Once this snake just started looking like he needed some more room, I upgraded him to his adult 4x2x2. This worked out great, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend these cage sizes as the only two you need for a single snake.

In general, my adult enclosures are 4x2x2 Animal Plastics cages with flexwatt heat providing a hot spot. I don't let hot spots get any higher than 90 in summer, and try to shoot for 10 degrees or so between basking temperatures and ambient air temperatures. I let my adult temperatures dip into mid to low 80s for basking and low 70s for ambient air temperatures in winter, even a little cooler for a couple weeks just after the solstice. Cooling jungles/IJs/coastals differs from keeper to keeper, but I decided to let my temperatures drop this past winter and see how it went.

My most recent pair, two 2010s I picked up this past fall, are being raised a bit differently. I set them up in 2'x18''x2' exo-terra planted vivariums. I've always wanted to use planted display vivs to raise up arboreal or semi-arboreal snakes, and it's working out great. With 150 watt CHEs hanging above the screen tops, I provide ambient air temps and basking spots that change with height. I love seeing these guys making use of perches and different cage areas to thermoregulate.

I provide climbing furniture to all my carpets. The young'ns also get perches. I give hides to the ones that use 'em, I find they're not needed for adults but would consider making a hide/nest box combo for a breeding female. I find my 2010s in the vivariums make use of corners, overhanging driftwood branches, shaded areas next to large-leafed plants, and even a pseudo-burrow to hide in just as much as the actual "hides".

In short, these snakes will be as active and INTERactive with their enviroment as you let them, through how you choose to set them up.

Feeding is a great topic for debate. I fed my first carpet python like most of my other pythons I've kept.. every 5-7 days while young and gradually moving towards every 7 days and eventually a little longer. Right now he's on a 14 day feeding schedule (or sometimes a few days longer), and also gets all the "small size" or larger rats that my other snakes refuse. There may be a bit of a consensus that slender, smaller males are better breeders, but I don't plan on breeding him and he's more of a pet.

My young 2010s are being grown up a bit more conservatively than my coastal. I made this decision in particular because they have quite a bit of diamond blood in them, and as such I'm splitting the difference a bit between jungle/coastal type care and diamond care, with spacing out feedings a bit more.

An important note about feeding: I've read enough horror stories of carpet pythons who are started on mice becoming "mousers", and never converting to rats. I just don't like the idea of feeding 10-20 mice to a single adult snake every week or two. I've never fed anything except rats to my carpet pythons, and i started my hatchlings on a single pinky per feeding. I had to order rat pinks online because I could not find a local source.

I've been rambling for quite a bit and will just stop here and let you ask more questions if needed