Carpet pythons (Morelia spilota) are quickly becoming a popular snake in the hobby with many subspecies and morphs to choose from. Here we will discuss the three most popular subspecies that are commonly kept in the US – coastal carpet pythons (Morelia spilota mcdowelli), jungle carpet pythons (Morelia spilota cheynei), and Irian Jaya or West Papuan carpet pythons (Morelia spilota harrisoni). Coastal carpet pythons and jungle carpet pythons are Australian in origin where they can still be commonly found in the wild. Coastals come from the areas of eastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales while jungles can be found in northeastern Queensland. Irian Jayas come from the Merauke region of Papua New Guinea and also along the northern coast of Australia.

Temperament: All subspecies of carpet pythons are similar in temperament. Most are nippy as babies, growing out of this behavior by the time they reach a year old with regular handling from a calm and patient keeper. Some keepers may feel the need to use a hook when removing carpet pythons from their enclosures. Hook training is not a bad idea considering their adult size especially that of coastal carpet pythons.

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