best morelia starter

[snakeking2k13]

hello everyone I've been looking into keeping morelia's for a while know so i was just asking what would be the best starter species i REALLY like jungle jags and diamonds:D so any info and care sheets would be very helpful so thank you for your time reading this and for all the replies.

[Corey209]

My brother has a beautiful red phase coastal carpet and it will never strike. I personally don't know anything about this species but I thought I'd share.

Red Phase Coastal Carpet (http://www.reptileradio.net/reptileradio/showthread.php?33682-Red-Phase-Coastal-Carpet)

[Donnie]

A pure diamond may not be the best 1st carpet as they have slightly different husbandry requirements but if you do enough research before hand then anything can be overcome. Just go with what you like best and you won't be disappointed

[MoreliAddict]

A great Morelia starter IMO would be an Irian Jaya Carpet Python.

They're the smallest of the Carpets, and from what I've experienced, the calmest..

A pure Diamond would definitely not be the easiest Carpet to care for because they need to be put through a cooling cycle every year for winter.

[snakeking2k13]

cheers i thought that the diamond would be out couse of there size

[Terranaut]

Diamonds have temperature requirements that are very unique and change throughout the year. They also must have a period of no food ect. Not a good beginer morelia at all. The rest are all great. Jungles tend to be nippy when young. Just get one you like.

[dbank999]

Took me a while to find this again.. but it is really informative and helpful for picking out the right carpet (or two)

http://www.southernxreptiles.com/Article%20PDFs/road_testing_lr.pdf

Please note "diamond syndrome" and highly consider that it is a possibility if you do choose a diamond carpet.

Good Luck!

[shaunyboy]

hello everyone I've been looking into keeping morelia's for a while know so i was just asking what would be the best starter species i REALLY like jungle jags and diamonds:D so any info and care sheets would be very helpful so thank you for your time reading this and for all the replies.

imo Diamonds need totally different husbandry from all the other Carpet Python sub species mate

all the rest of the carpets are pretty much the same to keep,they are a very hardy species who generally feed great

hot end 88F to 90F

cool end high 70's F to low 80's F

2 hides,some fake plants and some branches and your good to go

i use ceramic set ups with all my carpets,except the diamonds

re Diamonds
only need feeding 6 months of the year,imo they need a 4 month cooling cycle from their 2nd year onwards,night time temps between 50F to 60F,i put a heat mat set at 49F during cooling just incase the temps go too low

throughout the year for their day temps I use 2.0 natural sunlight bulbs,to give them a basking spot for 2 to 10 hours per day,depending on the season,then no more heat for that day (unless its cooling cycle time)

first lesson i learned regards Diamonds was...

a fat Diamond is a dead Diamond

also it is generally thought,that if you keep them too hot,it may lead to Diamond Python Syndrome,no one really knows why Diamonds are capable of getting this disease

re DPS
the snakes bones become brittle,eventually enough bones break,as to stop the Diamond eating...

there is no cure for Diamond Python Syndrome
all the other carpets are a lot easier to keep though

cheers shaun

[snakeking2k13]

cheers for that sounds really dodgy that dps hope they find a cure for it soon.

[GarterPython]

I don't know much about carpets but from my understanding Irian Jaya's are the smallest of the Carpets and are relatively easy. I could be wrong though.

[Terranaut]

I don't know much about carpets but from my understanding Irian Jaya's are the smallest of the Carpets and are relatively easy. I could be wrong though.
Other than Diamonds they all have pretty much the same care. Like I said just pic your size and pattern/colour you like and :)

[snakeking2k13]

ye will do just go to wait until my bp is 100% healthy

[Snakeman8]

irian jayas are alot better for starting carpet keepers, much easier to keep size wise.

[shaunyboy]

2008 Non Specific Locale Diamond Female
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq17/spilota01/Tarzan%20and%20unknown/P1010602.jpg
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq17/spilota01/Tarzan%20and%20unknown/P1010568-1.jpg

2010 Non Specific Locale Diamond Male
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq17/spilota01/Tarzan%20and%20unknown/P1010561.jpg
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq17/spilota01/Tarzan%20and%20unknown/P1010557.jpg

2010 Gosford Locale Diamond Male

http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq17/spilota01/Tarzan%20and%20unknown/P1010545.jpg
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq17/spilota01/Tarzan%20and%20unknown/P1010546.jpg
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq17/spilota01/Tarzan%20and%20unknown/P1010543.jpg
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq17/spilota01/Tarzan%20and%20unknown/P1010544.jpg

being true cold weather pythons,they love our cold Scottish weather

cheers shaun

[shaunyboy]

some more carpets

Black and White Diamond Jungle
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq17/spilota01/new%20pictures/P1000619.jpg

reduced pattern high yellow Irian Jaya
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq17/spilota01/new%20pictures/P1000712.jpg

50% Jungle Jaguar
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq17/spilota01/diamond1/P1000185.jpg

75% Jungle Jaguar (unusual copper colour)
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq17/spilota01/diamond1/P1000229.jpg

2010Gosford Locale male Diamond as a hatchling
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq17/spilota01/diamond1/P1000294.jpg
2010 non locale specific Diamond male as a hatchling
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq17/spilota01/diamond1/P1000315.jpg
2008 Non Locale Specific Diamond Female as a hatchling
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq17/spilota01/newdiamond018.jpg
my female again (sorry can't help myself)
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq17/spilota01/diamond%20tank/diamond%20tank/P1000121-1.jpg

cheers shaun