Carpet Pythons

(Morelia Spilotes Spp)

In general the population of carpet pythons found in captivity are probably a combination of different subspecies from several locations by far the biggest influence in the common carpet if from Coastal Carpets (M.s.mcdowlei). These are a large python with females being larger than males and often attaining 10ft in length.

Other smaller Australian forms such as the Jungle carpet python (M.s.cheynei) are often very pretty having bright Yellow and black colouration.In recent years carpet pythons have been exported from Indonesia too. These are now refered to as Irian Jaya Carpets (M.s.harrisoni) and are most often a more Olivey green background colouration.

MORPHS

There are now 6 main colour/pattern morphs known.

i) Albino - technically a recessive amelanistic trait of the Darwins carpets. These are the most exciting colour morph out there at this time and will be huge over the next few years.

ii) Zebra -a Paul Harris pattern morph of the Jungle Carpet Python

iii) Jaguar –a co-dominant colour varient of the coastal carpet Hatchlings are very different from normal mcdowelli, being almost patternless along the back. The background colour is light tan with lighter brown blotches bordered with a black edging along the sides of the body. As they mature the background colour brightens with no black tipping of the scale.

iv) Granite – a recessive freckled patterning of the Irian Jaya Carpet Python

v) Caramel – a co-dominant varient of the coastal carpet python with greatly deminished black patterning

vi) Axanthic – This recesive coastal carpet trait in theory has no yellow pigmentation leaving a black, grey and white snake. Much speculation has been thrown on the several of the lines as many appear to have brown pigmentation which in theory they shouldn’t have. Maybe these are more hypo-xanthics?

There are also going to be multiple trait animals such as the Jaguar Granites(Precision Reptiles) and Zebra Jaguars (Paul Harris) But many more combinations will become availbale over time. Morphs are also bred by crossing this in to the Bredl’s Python, producing Jaguar Bredl’s etc etc. The possibilities are endless.