Credits for the cover photo go to Miranda Fittock. This is a wild Coastal Carpet Python, photographed in far southern Queensland. More of Miranda’s photos are visible here.
Bredl’s Python (Morelia bredli)
Native to the arid regions of Australia’s Northern Territory, these moderately large Carpet Pythons are renowned for their rich reddish-brown coloration and docile temperament. They are relatively common in the United States, and a few morphs are established, including Genetic Stripe and Hypomelanistic animals - there are also Stonewashed animals, which have more of a speckled/spotted pattern as opposed to the usual banding. Wild-type and Striped Bredl’s Pythons can be purchased for $200 to $300 as of this writing, while multi-gene combos can go for four-figure sums.
A pair of Hypo and "normal" Stonewashed Bredl’s Pythons produced by Nick Mutton of Inland Reptile.
Southwestern Carpet Python (Morelia imbricata)
These moderately large Carpet Pythons have been classified as their own species since 2006, and they are the rarest species in captivity by far. I do not know of any of these snakes outside of Australia, and even there they are still rarely kept. I have yet to see any morphs of this species pop up.
A Southwestern Carpet Python kept by Tyler Mackay of TJM Reptiles (based in Perth).
Jungle Carpet Python (Morelia spilota cheynei)
Arguably the most common of the Carpet Pythons in the United States, Jungles have earned a spot in the hearts of many a keeper. They’re a docile, medium-sized, tropical species, with beautiful black and yellow coloration that’s been massively enhanced through selective line breeding. Morphs such as Axanthic, Ivory, Striped, and Zebra have been established, all ensuring that Jungle Carpet Pythons will be a staple in US herpetoculture for years to come. Low-color USCBB babies can usually be purchased for $200 to $300, while line-bred examples and morphs will increase in value naturally from there.
A Highlighter-line Jungle Carpet Python on eggs at Centralian Exotics, owned by Lucas Lee.
Papuan Carpet Python (Morelia spilota harrisoni)
The most recently-described species of Carpet Python, the Papuan is found in the rainforests of southern New Guinea, on both the Indonesian and Papuan sides. This subspecies’ status is up for debate, but two authors far more credible than the original have since published the name, and it exists in the vernacular of many keepers. This is one of the smaller Carpets, and a few morphs have been established, including Axanthic and Granite animals. While USCBB wild-type Papuans can be purchased readily for around $300 at the time of this writing, the morphs are still relatively uncommon and demand prices closer to four figures.
An adult male Papuan Carpet Python kept by Nick Mutton of Inland Reptile.
Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli)
While pure Coastals may not be the most popular Carpet Pythons in the US, many a Carpet can trace at least some of its genetics back to this subspecies, thanks largely to the Axanthic, Hypo, Jaguar, and Tiger morphs that have been outcrossed to other subspecies. The largest of the Carpets, pure Coastals are still available, but caution must be exercised when purchasing pure subspecific animals. “Low-end” Coastals can be had for $200 or less at times, while extreme examples and combos of morphs can fetch four-figure prices.
A young Caramel Tiger Jaguar Coastal Carpet Python produced by Pete Michael Cross of Mid-Atlantic Reptile.
Inland Carpet Python (Morelia spilota metcalfei)
Probably the rarest of the pure Carpet Pythons in the United States, Inlands are a medium-sized subspecies known for displaying silver and black coloration. They are seldom available, but do pop up as USCBB specimens from time to time, and have been imported from Europe as well. There are a few morphs in these Carpets, but I don’t know of any living stateside. As of this writing, babies range from around $500 for muted examples to well over $1,000 for animals displaying extreme contrast.
An adult male Inland Carpet Python kept by Ryan Young of Molecular Reptile.
Diamond Python (Morelia spilota spilota)
Undeniably the most impressive of the Carpets, the Diamond Python is a beautiful rarity in US herpetoculture. This medium-sized python is found in New South Wales and Victoria, and experiences much lower temperatures than most species in the wild. Because of this, it takes a higher level of dedication to breed Diamonds than other Carpet Pythons, and they are far rarer in the United States than most other subspecies. Exactly how it works isn’t clear, but there is a reduced pattern trait sometimes referred to as “Stardust” that takes the appeal of Diamond Pythons to the next level. Pure Diamonds don’t often show up for less than $2,000, and Stardust variants disappear almost as quickly as they’re listed for prices at or over double that.
A variety of Diamond Pythons, including a Reduced Pattern female (top center), all kept by Martin Rosemond.
Darwin Carpet Python (Morelia spilota variegata)
Found along the northern coastal regions of Australia, this small subspecies of Carpet Python is responsible for all of the Albino Carpets found in the United States. Wild-type Darwins are probably less common than Albinos at this point, although both are readily available. There is also a Tiger morph, similar to Coastal and Papuan Carpet Pythons. Albino babies generally sell for around $400 as of this writing, with wild-type animals going for around half that, and Albino Tigers commanding slightly more.
An adult Albino Darwin Carpet Python from Warren Klein of Bushveld Reptiles.
A Word on "Designer" Carpet Pythons
Crosses between different Carpet Python subspecies are becoming more and more common, and are generally done to either enhance a certain aspect of a wild-type look or to combine morphs found across the different subspecies. Crossing Carpet Pythons has also boosted their popularity quite a bit, and subspecific hybrids aren't going anywhere any time soon. Still, it is important to purchase animals from a trustworthy source, whether you are looking for pure or crossed animals. As far as the actual crosses go, they are generally between a Coastal Carpet Python for the Axanthic, Caramel, Jaguar, and/or Tiger gene(s) and either an Albino Darwin, Zebra Jungle, or Axanthic and/or Granite Papuan. Crosses of crosses are also being done with higher and higher frequencies, and five-gene combos have been produced. Bredl's and Inland Carpet Pythons aren't generally crossed in the United States, while crosses between Diamond Pythons and Coastal/Jungle Carpets are arguably more common than pure Diamonds. As these snakes grow in popularity, more and more crosses have been done, and there's a look and combo out there for just about everybody.
A Gamma Zebra Diamond Jungle Jaguar Carpet Python produced by Martin Rosemond and owned by Mike Morran. This animal is the result of several generations of selective breeding, and contains bloodlines from Diamond, Coastal, and Jungle Carpet Pythons.
