Viking Reptilia -- Pete Downing

I purchased an Irian Jaya jaguar carpet python from Pete Downing, of Viking Reptilia, and just could not be happier! I love my little girl, she's beautiful. Exactly what I wanted. After waiting about two years to get her, you'd think my expectations would have gotten too high, but nope! Little Sateda lives up to them.

It took me two years to get Sateda for two reasons:

One, I knew I wanted a specific kind of carpet python, not just some random snake I impulsively bought. Luckily, I heard about Pete and his beautiful jags.

Two, I would have had her last year but I didn't pay close enough attention to the weather and missed the small shipping window. I live in Texas, Pete is based in New York, so you can see how that would be a problem! Last year I waited a bit too long, and while the weather was perfect on my end, it was already too cold in New York. Rather than just take my money and run, Pete recommended waiting, believing it to be too large a risk. I decided I'd rather wait another year than risk causing the death of a hatchling.

I could have picked up a carpet python at a local show, or maybe found a breeder in a more southern state, but I had my heart set on a Viking jag. Considering the price and the lifespan, I wasn't going to just 'settle' for the nearest snake.

So anyway, Sateda is well worth the wait, and the customer service was excellent. Pete and I swapped text messages, talking about the hatchlings, about my reptiles, sending me a few pics of one of the hatchlings plus the father, and trying to coordinate a ship date.

If you're looking for a new carpet python, I highly recommend checking out Viking Reptilia!