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Hi all,
About two years ago I bought my first pythons, a pair of Darwin Carpets, supposedly an unrelated pair, (recently probed by vet as 2 females, doh), I have been unable to find any detailed information in regards to keeping them in captivity.
From the day I got them they were snappy, and refused to eat for months, and initially I regretted buying them.
Now though they are very beautifully patterned and coloured, and if dealt with properly are fantastic pets.
The most important thing I have found with them is they will rarely allow me to remove them from their home by hand. I don't know much about the brain power and learning ability of the snake, but what I have experienced with mine is that when feeding them I use a feeding tool and when I want to handle them I hook them out of their cage. This is a routine I started with them as it was the only way I could handle them. Now they seem to know or have learnt when I want to handle them and when its feed time. Using this method I have not been bitten for 18 months by these snakes and they actually enjoy being handled. Intially removing them from the enclosure your movements need to be slow for the first few minutes and let them come to you up the hook when they are ready and after that they are no problem to handle any way you want.
Excellent feeders when they are ready, grow fast, and are a really enjoyable part of our extensive family.
Seem to thrive with a live plant in their enclosure to increase their humidity.
Not sure where you are from but where I am the humidity is low.
I measured the humidity in their enclosure when I first got them and it was 40% and less, too low for tropical snakes, introducing 1 large plant, watered a couple of times a week with a tray under it, increased the humidity to 75%, they seemed much happier, shed easier and feed better.
Not much else I can say, I am definatley no expert and these are just my experiences, but I can say that as a first snake I would look at a Diamond.
Cheers, Good luck, email if you like, [email protected]
Michael
About two years ago I bought my first pythons, a pair of Darwin Carpets, supposedly an unrelated pair, (recently probed by vet as 2 females, doh), I have been unable to find any detailed information in regards to keeping them in captivity.
From the day I got them they were snappy, and refused to eat for months, and initially I regretted buying them.
Now though they are very beautifully patterned and coloured, and if dealt with properly are fantastic pets.
The most important thing I have found with them is they will rarely allow me to remove them from their home by hand. I don't know much about the brain power and learning ability of the snake, but what I have experienced with mine is that when feeding them I use a feeding tool and when I want to handle them I hook them out of their cage. This is a routine I started with them as it was the only way I could handle them. Now they seem to know or have learnt when I want to handle them and when its feed time. Using this method I have not been bitten for 18 months by these snakes and they actually enjoy being handled. Intially removing them from the enclosure your movements need to be slow for the first few minutes and let them come to you up the hook when they are ready and after that they are no problem to handle any way you want.
Excellent feeders when they are ready, grow fast, and are a really enjoyable part of our extensive family.
Seem to thrive with a live plant in their enclosure to increase their humidity.
Not sure where you are from but where I am the humidity is low.
I measured the humidity in their enclosure when I first got them and it was 40% and less, too low for tropical snakes, introducing 1 large plant, watered a couple of times a week with a tray under it, increased the humidity to 75%, they seemed much happier, shed easier and feed better.
Not much else I can say, I am definatley no expert and these are just my experiences, but I can say that as a first snake I would look at a Diamond.
Cheers, Good luck, email if you like, [email protected]
Michael
