Morelia spilota
Carpet python
A large cage with branches for animals that climb, and floor space for those that do not. Subspecies differ.
Legal status
- EU Annex B
- CITES II
Morelia spilota is CITES Appendix II because Pythonidae spp. is in Appendix II except species placed in Appendix I. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/966 places that family listing in Annex B except species in Annex A. It is recorded here as Annex B on that basis, the same way Python regius is recorded. Confirm the current annex before you rely on it. Not venomous. Not on the EU invasive-alien-species list. Not named in 50 CFR 16.15. Check local rules before you keep, move, or rehome an animal. This record is not a permit and not legal advice.
Official sourceNot legal advice. Rules differ by country, and sometimes by region. Check the law that applies to you.
- Temperature
- 26–32°C
- Basking
- 32–34°C
- UVB
- Ferguson zone 2. About 0.7–1.0
- Humidity
- 50–70%
- Minimum enclosure
- Often 150 × 60 × 60 cm or taller for an arboreal locality. The cage should fit the adult, not the hatchling.
- Adult size
- Often 150–250 cm, depending on the subspecies.
- Lifespan
- Often 20 years.
- Difficulty
- advanced
Diet and feeding
Rodents, sized to the snake. Juveniles every 7–10 days. Adults every 10–21 days.
Substrate
Cypress mulch or paper.
Health
Bites from defensive juveniles, respiratory infection, and obesity.
Handling
Many calm down. A nervous adult still needs two hands and a hook.
Husbandry ranges are general guidance for captive care, not a veterinary prescription or a permit. Confirm the gradient with your own thermometers. UV zones follow Baines et al., Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 4(1), 2016, https://www.jzar.org/jzar/article/view/150. Legal fields use the source link on this species and stay empty when an annex was not verified.