RecoverySnakes
Carpet python care guide
Morelia spilota
An active Australasian python that genuinely uses branches. Jungle, coastal and jag lines vary in adult size — build for the subspecies you keep.
Semi-arboreal — floor space plus climbing
Carpet python enclosure size
Semi-arboreal — floor space plus climbing. An adult carpet python should live in at least 72" L × 24" W × 24" H; we build toward 96" L × 24" W × 36" H (8 × 2 × 3 ft, roughly 16 sq ft of floor and about a 359-gallon glass equivalent).
Coastal carpets need the larger end; jungles are comfortable in 6x2x2.
- Hatchling / baby
- 24" L × 18" W × 18" H recommended · min 18" L × 12" W × 12" H
- Juvenile
- 48" L × 24" W × 24" H recommended · min 36" L × 18" W × 18" H
- Adult
- 96" L × 24" W × 36" H recommended · min 72" L × 24" W × 24" H
Temperature and heating
Overhead halogen or radiant panel on a thermostat, with a warm branch under the heat.
- Basking / warm surface
- 88–92°F surface
- Warm side (ambient)
- 84–86°F
- Cool side (ambient)
- 75–78°F
- Night
- 70–75°F
Lighting and UVB
UVB: T5 UVB 5–6% (UVI 2–3). Run lights on a 12 hours photoperiod, on a timer, and replace UVB bulbs on the manufacturer's schedule even while they still emit visible light.
Humidity
Target 50–60%. Moderate — a large water bowl and partly covered ventilation, raised during sheds.
Substrate and depth
Cypress mulch or aspen. Depth: 2–3 in.
Enclosure tips and furnishing
- Strong horizontal branches at basking height
- Hide at both ends
- Large water bowl
- Cork tubes
Build list
- 6–8 ft front-opening enclosure with climbing height — Carpets are one of the most active pythons in the hobby.
- Radiant heat panel + T5 UVB — Warms a perch instead of just the floor.
- Digital thermostat — Every heat source must run through a thermostat — unregulated heat burns animals.
- Two digital probe thermometers + hygrometer — Read the warm side, cool side and humidity directly — stick-on dials are inaccurate.
- Cypress mulch — Holds mid-range humidity without souring.
Carpet python FAQ
How big should an adult Carpet python enclosure be?
At least 72" L × 24" W × 24" H, and we recommend building to 96" L × 24" W × 36" H — about 8 × 2 × 3 ft, or a 359-gallon glass equivalent. Semi-arboreal — floor space plus climbing.
What temperatures does a Carpet python need?
Basking or warm surface 88–92°F surface, warm side 84–86°F, cool side 75–78°F, night 70–75°F. Overhead halogen or radiant panel on a thermostat, with a warm branch under the heat.
Does a Carpet python need UVB?
T5 UVB 5–6% (UVI 2–3). Photoperiod: 12 hours.
What humidity does a Carpet python need?
50–60%. Moderate — a large water bowl and partly covered ventilation, raised during sheds.
What substrate is best for a Carpet python?
Cypress mulch or aspen, at a depth of 2–3 in.
How big does a Carpet python enclosure need to be for a hatchling?
Hatchling / baby: 24" L × 18" W × 18" H recommended, minimum 18" L × 12" W × 12" H. Scale up to the adult footprint as the animal grows.
Sources
Put this guide to work
Apply these targets to your own carpet python record, then log feedings, sheds and weights against them.