what to use for and in jungle carpet python cage?

hey, I'm gonna be getting 1 or 2 jcp's, they will probably be small so what kind of cage would be good for them I was thinking a 30 gallong tall fish tank, is that ok or is that too small? and also I was gonna put inside it a water bowl, 1 or 2 branches (which I'm gonna get a the ny metro reptile expo), a rock (which I'm gonna get at the expo), and some bedding, is this good? and what's a good kind of bedding for a snake? also what's a good temperature and humidity level for them? and I know how to do the temperature with the heat lamp and different watt bulbs, but how do I control humidity? Thanx alot.

For humidity, you buy a gauge for it (the name escapes me right now, even though I'm staring at one)..and if your humidity is too low, then you mist the cage with water lightly, but I would imagine a water bowl in the cage would give enough humidity. I would recommend buying a good book on the species before buying them.

Sorry, the only thing I know about jcp's is what they look like, I've never owned one.

Good luck.

First, it's best to house them separately. Second, if they are hatchlings or even yearlings, the space that you are contemplating is WAY too big. Small snakes can get stressed in too large an enclosure.

For hatchling/yearling carpets of all varieties I use a shoebox sized rubbermaid with a heating pad or heat tape at one end thermostatically controlled to 88°-90° and the cool end at 78°-80°. Use a soldering iron to make airholes (several on each side but not on top). A small branch or dowel for perching, a water bowl (big enough for soaking) on the cool end and a good tight hide and you're in business. Humidity should be more than adequate but raise it if you see problems with shedding. For substrate you can use newspaper or paper towel at first. They have the advantage of not sticking to prey and I suggest that you feed in the enclosure. Most young carpets are started on mice. I would suggest that you get the animals switched to rats ASAP as it can be much harder to do when they are older. Feeding an adult female JCP 3-4 mice (or more) per feeding can get tedious and expensive.

An adult Jungle will need a cage of 3-4 feet in length by 1.5-2 feet in width and in height. Many remain semi-arboreal and will appreciate a perch even as adults.

If you insist on using a glass aquarium do get a plastic or glass top. The screen tops do not hold humidity or heat well at all. If that is all that you can get, cover at least 2/3 of it with a moist towel. And beware, they are escape artists so weight it down.

As usual, I agree with Jim (the guy knows his stuff, lol). If you are planning on getting babies, occasionally they can be tough to get started. In the past, I have had some that I have had to force/assist feed for awhile. Usually, they start fairly readily on fuzzy mice (don't bother with pinks). Your best bet is to get some that are already on f/t - not all that hard, most of my babies from this year started on f/t. I, too, have had the best luck using shoebox (or smaller) size containers for hatchlings. Good luck with them. Depending on what you end up with, the colors will start coming in about 2-3 months.