Caramel Jaguar carpet python
Shorty is a 2 year old Caramel Jaguar coastal carpet python. He exhibits the neurological defect that goes along with this color morph. His balance is poor and he struggles to know which way is up or down. This causes him some difficulty when striking food or moving around on his jungle gym. He does quite well when calm however stress makes his symptoms worse. The first photo below shows one of his feeding mishaps. He often misses his strike and on this occasion he became tangled in some of his plants. We occassionally have to help remove him from ridiculous tangles with himself like you see below. We always monitor him closely during feeding time so that we can intervene and help him when he needs it.
(Just for fun this guy get’s his name from an Indiana Jones character! There are many other Snake Haus animals named after characters in those movies. See if you can find them all.)
Neurological deficits caused by a gene in Jaguar Carpet pythons:
Short round is significantly effected by this gene and needs a little more help than usual for daily function. We try to keep life as stress free as possible while at the same time help him learn to be calm and comfortable with handling. Stress makes his symptoms a bit more pronounced. When he is handled we make sure he is well supported and kept safe so that he can’t fall. When eating we make sure to help line up his strike just right and keep him away from any plants of furniture that he might get tangled in.
Despite his challenges Short Round is doing very well and growing like a weed!