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How old is my carpet python?

G

gertrude

New member
Hi,

I was just wondering if there are ways you can roughly tell the age of a carpet python?

'Jelly' is a costal carpet python and my partner purchased her 12 years ago from a reptile fair. She was already fully grown. I have posted pics of her below.

The reason we now want to know her rough age is because she had a 'funny turn' the other day. I got her out and she was all floppy and wasn't gripping onto anything. After about 20 mins or so she started to liven up a little. We checked for mites etc and she was all clear. The only other thing I can put it down to is that she could have been sleepy?? Never the less she had me worried.

So anyway, we know that she has got to be at least 15 years but she could be as old as 30. I know the average life span is 20-30 years.

Any ideas???

Jelly.jpg

jelly2.jpg

jelly3.jpg

anJelly.jpg
 
Well, I really have no idea about pythons.. And I was going to be a smart one about this. Lol, and say older than 12. :)

But a few of my snakes have been real still when I first get them out, I've typically noticed it more in the winter when they are not on their warm side. So maybe she was cold?
 
tstephe3 said:
But a few of my snakes have been real still when I first get them out, I've typically noticed it more in the winter when they are not on their warm side. So maybe she was cold?
Click to expand...

Yeah that could have been the case although she was coiled up under her heat source.

I'm going to have another look at her tonight. I hope it was just a one off and that she was either cold or asleep.

It just got me curious as to how old she could be?
 
Yea, I really wouldn't know. As I don't know if there are signs of a snake just getting old etc. My oldests is like 3 years old. Lol
 
Once they're adults, I don't think there really is a way to tell their age. If you got it as an adult, and you've had her for 12 years, I'm gonna take a stab in the dark and say she's between 15 and 17 years old.
 
RobbiesCornField said:
Once they're adults, I don't think there really is a way to tell their age. If you got it as an adult, and you've had her for 12 years, I'm gonna take a stab in the dark and say she's between 15 and 17 years old.
Click to expand...

possibly. but at that old i doubt it was captive bred. so it could have been a slow growing wild animal. making her possibly older. but i say id go with 15-17 and it would be right in the ballpark range there. dont know how fast these animals grow in the wild. snakewispera might be able to help on that subject.
 
pwargcm said:
possibly. but at that old i doubt it was captive bred. so it could have been a slow growing wild animal. making her possibly older. but i say id go with 15-17 and it would be right in the ballpark range there. dont know how fast these animals grow in the wild. snakewispera might be able to help on that subject.
Click to expand...
It won't be WC.... It's CB.. And being female it would be about 5yrs old to become adult so I would guess at 17+......
And what a beauty she is......
 
pwargcm said:
i knew a more informative source would be around soon. this is something i would go by that i know you have tons of morelia experience.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't go that far, I just know more about them than corns..... Which is nothing...... LOL
I know it's CB as you can't get coastals from the wild...... And I know it take females longer to grow than males.... And Carpets are slow growing so 17 is a guesstimation.....
 
Thats very interesting as the guy we brought her from said she was wc. However he also said that she is a jungle carpet python.

We ruled this out as she doesn't look like any jungle I have seen plus she is 11 feet long which is a lot bigger than your average jungle.

I didn't know that you couldn't get coastals from the wild.

Do you think that she is definitely a costal? I came to that conclusion because of her size and colouring.
 
It's a coastal and a beautiful one at that.... I like the coastals they are so gentle, and the colouring is striking... I have three...
And 11 ft for a coastal is good..... They are always quoted as being one of the biggest, but rarly get to that size....
And there is a slim to no chance of it being WC.... The export of any Australian animal was made illegal years ago, before your snake was even an egg.... Though that being said, it's not impossible for it to have been smuggled out.....
Morelia hunter is a famous smuggler, if you know how to find him he can get them through the islands off the top of Aus, and then into Africa for despatch anywhere you want....
Maybe it was worth it 17+ yrs ago with a Coastal, but I doubt it....
 
Wow thats really interesting and I never knew.

I have read that costals live to about 20-30 years so I hope she is with us for at least a few years to come. She has always been my partner's pride and joy and she was the reason I 'got into' snakes in the first place. She always has and always will fascinate me.

Thank you for you knowledge.
 
I saw her picture in the WIR and had to comment on this thread. What a beauty Jelly is! Its so nice that you've had her for so long as well...I hope to keep my some of my snakes for their entire lives :)
 
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