Help with ID

[Wallbanger]

I recently was able to rescue a carpet python from a family that could no longer care for it. They didn't know much about the snake and thought it was about a year old. I am thinking it was underfed and not handled much as well. I took it to the guy who sold it to them (actually, it was a gift to them) and he told me that he had given it to them about three years ago and that it was a COASTAL carpet python. After probing, it's female and she's a little over three feet long. The guy told me that coastal females may get to be 8 to 9 feet and that they are very slow growers. My question: Is this actually a COASTAL or is it a JUNGLE? She shed today and I took several pics, her color is a little more greenish than the pics can show, and she wasn't all that much into posing for them... but it's the best could do... Also, is she really just a slow grower or is she just short due to underfeeding? Thanks for the help, I just found this web site today and I have been reading it all day!

[Shelby]

Looks like a coastal carpet to me.. it does not have the correct patterning (or color) to be a jungle.

[MPenn]

It looks like a coastal carpet to me but without a whole lot of background info, it can be hard to say. So many crosses out there that it can be hard to tell.

Coastals may be slow growers but that female was just not fed!!!!
At over three years old, she should be closer to 5 or 6 feet.

[Wallbanger]

So will she catch up in length? She was fed one small mouse (very small) maybe twice a month before I think. I have moved it up to two adult mice every week. She seems to be eating pretty well and seems satisfied with the two mouse meal. What else can I do?

[MPenn]

Two mice for her current size is not too bad. I would try to switch her over to rats though. Otherwise after a while, she will be eating 7 or 8 mice at a time!

[daniel1983]

Looks like a coastal to me ...and a nice one too Only 3 feet long and three years old!!! That does not sound right....because from the pictures it does not appear to be underfed......mine were June/August 05 hatchlings and are pushing 4 feet! Eatting nothing bigger than a large rat fuzzy a week until about 4 weeks ago...now they are eating small rat pups.

Coastals are great snakes and my pair have been a pleasure to keep so far. Sounds like you have everything under control. Feed them and house them properly and they will grow

....and female coastals have the potential to reach 10+ feet long (maxing out at 12'-13'), so be prepared to house a wopper if you get ahold of those genetics

[Charlie Smith]

Hey Wallbanger, great rescue! That's a beautiful Coastal in my opinion. I have heard that restricting a snakes diet in the first year could lead it to be shorter in length as an adult. Since that could be the case she might end up growing to the shorter side of what's typical for a coastal. Try to convert to rats like MPenn suggested and looks like small rats would do the trick. Good luck with her! Post progress!!! Charlie S.

[Colin Vestrand]

that is a very nice looking coastal! almost looks to have some tiger line influence from that second picture.
if it's a year old it looks like its right on target for a coastal in my opion. it's starting to gain its bulk and pretty soon it'll really start to get length.

[Wallbanger]

My girlfriend checked with the lady I got the snake from, and it's three years old... I wonder if she will catch up to the lenght she should be?

[RichardA]

I have a male up for sale right now.....1 year old and 3-3.5 feet.....so yeah its underfed or something. My male will rip you a new one though.....LOL

Good luck with it! Nice looking snake!