GTP Care

[Derek1]

Went to the show today. My nephew was dead set on a GTP. He was set on a Red Tail as I posted about in that forum. Anyway he pulled the trigger on a GTP. And his wife flipped the F out. So now it's mine. As I had a feeling would happen.

I've read some online care sheets. Seems pretty basic and easy. Bit I would like some care do and don't from you current and experienced keepers.

Not sure if it's a male of female. But it's a great looking snake!

http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/vv223/Derekmeredith/27DD5F1F-7600-4506-B9CB-11E7A0ED1483_zps4glwlbwa.jpg
http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/vv223/Derekmeredith/AB93004A-BFE5-49D8-B7F6-99D21E80D780_zps01hmwtll.jpg
http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/vv223/Derekmeredith/335AEDF6-FE19-47D4-8771-02F98F25974D_zpsuci4ztz6.jpg

[Minkness]

Er...Congrats?

Not sure how to approach this news lol.

Cool snake though!

[Derek1]

I do really like it. My wife hates snakes, but she was with me when we bought it and really likes its. I've been drinking beer and just staring at it most of the night.

[sunkissedpython]

Just watch the humidity and temps super close! Beautiful little guy :) congrats on the addition!

[dave himself]

Congratulations mate :) personally I would put in a few more branches at different levels this will help him thermoregulate and exercise. Plus some more leaves for cover just until you get him settled in and eating. And on a side note try getting any cage maintenance done during daylight hours :)

[David VB]

They're not all that difficult tbh. And gratz, it's a Biak locality. Known to be the most defensive of them, and i can only agree on that :) I got a male and female and during daytime, i can just do anything in their enclosure, but forget about that when the evening or night arrives :p

I spray the enclosure avery 2 or 3 days, making sure it dried before is make it wet again. I heat it with a heat panel, which a can make wet also, so that it evaporates over a short time. Max temp is 30°C, i recommend not going any higher. At night time everything is out and it never drops under 20°C.
The most important thing imho, is the feeding. Do NOT overfeed this species, because they tend to have prolapse much faster than any other (i don't have every species, so maybe some others have it too). It did happen once on my male and i only feed him every 10 to 14 days a mouse that is just a bit thicker than his body.

Apart from the above, enjoy your little fellow :) Once they get to change to green, it's absolutely amazing to watch them.

[David VB]

This is how i kept mine when they were juveniles (first few months in a tub with 2 branches and some fake plants) :
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/v/t1.0-9/1461065_10202826218963424_24448434_n.jpg?oh=ef1bc3 0770ef8ffcbfcf6d0190918efe&oe=5595258B&__gda__=1432849140_d41e89044c42ed658adaf867dd56d10 f

And this is now, when they're adult :
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/1976989_10205125058432974_3237452620197269804_n.jp g?oh=c01c9c70ee210de14a16d88f22d938b1&oe=5566B924&__gda__=1431537435_8ba83c6de991ea46c23dfdd2b99a0fa 0

[David VB]

Here's a short vid of the misses in her tub, when she was little :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNGFCghZskE

And the male, when he was just put inside the current enclosure (looks a bit different now, because of plants dying) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q6C0cHYpFs

Greetz.

[Derek1]

Thanks for the info guys.. I feed him a small fuzzy yesterday and he ate no problem. Can you recommend where I get a quality heat panel?

He's pretty small right now 18" or so. I did not build this enclosure, but there are a few levels of branches in there. Will a standard 10gal tank work for now? I want to change up from what he is in now.

[sharthun]

Thanks for the info guys.. I feed him a small fuzzy yesterday and he ate no problem. Can you recommend where I get a quality heat panel?

He's pretty small right now 18" or so. I did not build this enclosure, but there are a few levels of branches in there. Will a standard 10gal tank work for now? I want to change up from what he is in now.

RBI Radiant Heat Panels (http://www.reptilebasics.com/rbi-radiant-heat-panels)

I have 5 RBI 40 watt rhp's and love them. They come with a power plug that that can be disconnected to pass the wire through a small hole in the enclosure.

[yeloowtang]

hey !! congrats
you can get the best heat panels from pro-products.
a 10 g size is perfect for a while, best example would be the 12x12x18h exo terra cages.
but you would need to cover the screen top with a piece of glass or acrylic to help keep the humidity in there.
temps you want the hot spot to be 85-86
humidity, spray in the morning so it goes up to the 80% and let dry out to 50%
over the day.
the thing is, that with a smaller cage witch is best for these little guys, getting a heat panel will be tricky because the cage is so small..
you could set it up so it covers only part of the top, or it can be done with a strip of 4" heat tape running on the top back of the cage.
both of witch will have to be controled by a good themostat, a VE or herstat conmtroler.
a ranco controller is also a good choice, no options like the other ones but will do the job..
a heat panel for the adult cage, most people go with a 24x18x24 modified exoterra,you would need a 12x12 40W panel. but this all depends on the temps in the room you keep it in..guys at pro product would tell exactly what you need
so by having the controllers probe at the top under the heat source, with a perch up there and some at the lower end of the cage, this should give you a nice temp gradiant.
substrate: it looks as if you have bark down there.. if you want something nice, best would be spag moss, keeps humidity better and way less chances of having you GTP grab it's prey and have it touch the groud to grab a piece of bark by mistake.. ingesting that could be fatal..
the ideal would be paper towels for a while, keeps thing sterile, and easy to clean..
as mentioned above , having more perches, vines and plants in there would be best..
feeding: less is better with them, rule to follow is every 7-10 days for a neo and 10-14 days for sub adult then 14+ for full adults and always give a prey item either slightly smaller then the widest part of it's body or max the same size of the widest grit, never give a huge meal where you can see a lump in it's belly, while nothing bad may ever happen, this is the #1 cause for a prolapse, then if that happens !!! you will need to be extremely carfull for a while as it will be prone to happen again.
feeding it small items and less often is the way to go...
hope this helps, as said earlier, they are considerd advanced snakes for keeping but aren't all that dificult if you invest time and respect the conditions they need.
best of luck
steph

[Derek1]

Great info!

I but the bark in cause that's all I had on hand short notice. Actually he is in about that size enclosure, but it's a plastic fish tank. Wonder if the heat tape will be ok on that or if I have to use glass? I was thinking of using organic potting soil mixed/spag moss. I have a container of springtails and doodle bugs I can put in as tank janitors. I was thinking that would be a pretty "natural" forest floor setup. Think that would be ok?

[David VB]

Great info!

I but the bark in cause that's all I had on hand short notice. Actually he is in about that size enclosure, but it's a plastic fish tank. Wonder if the heat tape will be ok on that or if I have to use glass? I was thinking of using organic potting soil mixed/spag moss. I have a container of springtails and doodle bugs I can put in as tank janitors. I was thinking that would be a pretty "natural" forest floor setup. Think that would be ok?


That's just fine yes ;) I would watch the plastic with that heat tape though. Not sure if it will give problems or not.

[CrotalusFan]

Another vote for Pro Products. I can't really say that I have any experience with another brand but I'm very happy with mine. Bob's a good guy also and will be happy to talk things over with you to get you the best panel for the job. As mentioned though; I think you'd be more looking at one of those in the larger enclosure.

This was a very helpful post for me also so thanks! I've been considering one myself lately. In truth I like the looks of the Emerald better but it sounds like they could require even more patience and time than I have to offer. I was looking at an AP A10 24X24X36; or an A20 48X24X36. Much of what I read says that 36" is overkill for height though and that you're better off with width so I'm in the same boat as you.

[shaunyboy]

buy the book.....

The More Complete Chondro,by Greg Maxwell...


its pretty much the GTP Bible and will give you all the information you will ever need


cheers shaun

[yeloowtang]

I agree, that book is a great one to have , another on that i love is:

the green tree python and emerald tree boa by Andrea kirshner and Ron Kivit.
it's one of the only good books out there that guides you on ETBs also.

as for cage sizes, crotalusfan is right, width is better, the ideal size cage for a full adult would be 24x24x36L. Most people will go with a 24 cube witch is also perfect, if you have the space and $$ go bigger for adults , they will enjoy the room and it's good excersize for them.

I have a huge 8' female ETB in a 24x24x36 cage and she loves it, but in her case and at that size, if i had room for a 36x36x48L she would love that.. here's a bad picture of her in that cage.
http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y539/YELOOWTANG/DSCN2775_zpsbbff9f09.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/YELOOWTANG/media/DSCN2775_zpsbbff9f09.jpg.html)
http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y539/YELOOWTANG/DSCN2776_zps6821e3d4.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/YELOOWTANG/media/DSCN2776_zps6821e3d4.jpg.html)

care wise, both the GTP and ETB are are almost the same.. the main diference is ETBs are more delicate to not so perfect conditions.. humidity shouldn't go under 60% and temps aren't as high..

I wanted to mention that for heat panels, i have both pro-products and RBI , from my research and use of them, i think they both do a great job.
the pro products seems to be of better quality versus the production ones from RBI, but in the end they do the same job..

I'm sure you will do great with your GTP, just be mentally prepared for what comes next!!! :)


keeping just one is next to impossible LOL

[Derek1]

How much for a kilo of that "vine"? :D

[Derek1]

Here are a couple pics from where he/she ate on Sunday. And yes, he/she went backwards. It's a bit larger than he/she should have gotten? It's a large pink/fuzzy. After reading this this thread, I have learned a lot! Thanks for the enclosure pics! Those are great! I will have questions about those. And thanks for the help! I'm sure I will have lot's of dumb questions soon.

The book recs are good too! Thanks! Just being in a rush, and GTP not being in my comfort range is a mad rush. I'm completely sold on him though. It's been a cool few days watching him/her.

http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/vv223/Derekmeredith/511C95D1-8391-4B1E-A196-8DE15225688B_zpsnzsqduui.jpg
http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/vv223/Derekmeredith/1367A874-2D06-4E9D-933C-311284D93653_zpso1yzjvfp.jpg

[Derek1]

Couple more questions:

Are y'all feeding at night?

I need more enclosure help. With a GTP can I go adult size enclosure now or is it similar to my Colubrids and up the size as she grows (stress) blah, blah... If so when should I expect to upgrade to an adult enclosure? Wider is better. I got that. Got the Radiant heater down, substrate, ect..down I think.

I do not like the enclosure he's in and want to upgrade and make everything is just as it needs to be.

If I buy, who is the best enclosure to buy from?

[David VB]

I mostly feed in late evenings when it's getting dark outside. Sometimes even when the lights in the enclosures just went off.

I think they feel more secure in a smaller enclosure when they're little but might work in the adult setup with enough plants and branches so they can choose where they'll hang (preferably where they can hide a bit, so big leaved plants might work).

[shaunyboy]

glad to see he/she has ate for you mate


a lot of my Carpets eat their prey backwards :wacky:


cheers shaun

[yeloowtang]

for the cage, I know you can find many builders in the USA
some of the best cages are the xpvc cages, one maker that comes to mind is boaphile.. i've never used them since shipping here is ridicule$$
but we have builders too, and i even make my own now :)
these cages are perfect for keeping humidity and heat, easy to install a heat panel to the top.
they can come with perches, and they don't make these, so i make them myself, but it install half moon shape xpvc pieces with a hole in them, so i can hang plants and vines.. suction cups don't work on pvc cages. I just glue the brackets with pvc solvent..

you can use commercialy built cages like exo terra but they need to be modified a little..

for the size, generaly, for a neo up to one year, a 12x12x12 or 12x12x18 works great.. they feel secure and gives them time to become strong feeders..
most times when set up in too big of a cage, they won't eat.. but it's always dependent on each individual.. some don't care at all and can be perfect in an adult cage right away .. others stress out..
important thing is as mentioned.. lots of hiding spaces and perches so it can chose where it feels safe.

feeding part, they do feel more secure at night but that doesn't mean they won't eat day time if you wake them up..
I've always fed them at night for the reasons i've mentioned before..

that way, if you handle your snake day time, the snake will not associate feeding time.. not that they can't bite you :) but it puts the chances on your side.. after dark, all bets are off, you stick you hand in there and he will bite you !!!

here's a bad cell phone picture of a double cage i made.

[Derek1]

I'm going to go get a 12x12x18 exo tomorrow. When you say modifications do I just need to put some acrylic on top to help the humidity. And other mods I need to do. I'm going to order some heat tape and a thermostat.

[Derek1]

And I learned my lesson about not putting your hand in the enclosure at night. Went to change his water last night. Didn't workout too well.

[yeloowtang]

:-D LOL we tend to learn fast what not to do hehehehe

yep, the most important modification is to have the top screen covered..
this will prevent humidity from escaping within 30 mins.

you can use a piece of glass, or i've seen people just seal the top off (above the screen part) with boxing tape. but this smeels for a few days..
a good cheap acrylic to use, is founf in the light section in hardware stores, it's the 2x4 sheets used for fluorescent fixtures.. about 5-7$ and easy to cut, the rest could be used later if you go with a 24x18x24 exo adult cage.

i've set up a few arboreal cages with heat tape, even big cages where i use 3 pieces of 12x12 at the top rear corner, works like a charm.. 15$ versus a 100$ panel
don't get me wrong , panels are the way to go but when you have many cages to set up :)
if you get galss or acrylic, i would set the heat tape in the back, a full 12"x4" wide piece top back over the screen and set the acrylic on top of it all.. then seal the edges with electrical tape (looks nice and clean)
hang the controler probe 2" under the heat tape in the cage.
a good trick for this, with a small screw driver or whatever, slightly spread two holes in the screen befroe installing everything and use a small tie wrap to hols/hang the probe.

set the controler to 86 deg, should be a perch neat that height and another one or two lower, use small/thin perches, they tend to love the smaller one.
if you have fake plants in there you will notice they perch on the small vines the have..

other than that, something that keeps humidity at the bottom, spagmoss looks nice, but paper towels do a good job too.

let me know if i miss something, typing this up quickly before leaving from work !!

[Derek1]

Awesome! Thanks for the info and help! I think I have the basics down. I'm going by Hobby Lobby too, to get a bunch of jungle stuff. I'll post some pics once I get it setup. Thanks again guys. Y'all have been a big help.

[Derek1]

Need another bit of help. Surprise right?

I posted this in the Enclosure Forum, but not all check those.

Got the smaller Exo all fixed up, well almost. I don't know how to attach the damn perch's to the damn glass. Here is a pic. It's somewhat tight, but not secure per say. I need it secure.

http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/vv223/Derekmeredith/CCEA09D5-E2BC-4FC8-A660-8CA74C85BF9F_zpssqbssa0z.jpg

[yeloowtang]

sorry !! i missed that post in the enclosure section :)

here's a few ways of doing it.. the first two are good for bigger cages but will work well for a small..
this first one is a bracket i made out of xpvc and then siliconed to the glass, then you simply groove the end of the perch so it slides in .. this prevents it from turning.
http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y539/YELOOWTANG/IMG_20140819_110655_zps0b830876.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/YELOOWTANG/media/IMG_20140819_110655_zps0b830876.jpg.html)
http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y539/YELOOWTANG/IMG_20140819_110647_zps5bb03806.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/YELOOWTANG/media/IMG_20140819_110647_zps5bb03806.jpg.html)

this second way is made with closet pole brackets found at any hardware store. silicone in place, the other end is half open so the perch sits on it. the problem with this set up is that the perches can turn on themselves !!! you need to either drill a hole and get a tie wrap in it or black electrical tape.. tape is not the best but it works, and the reason for the electrical tape is that is for ever reason it comes in contact with the snake !!! it doesn't stick to it much at all, if at all..

http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y539/YELOOWTANG/IMG_20140819_110756_zpsbc98c1aa.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/YELOOWTANG/media/IMG_20140819_110756_zpsbc98c1aa.jpg.html)
http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y539/YELOOWTANG/IMG_20140819_110732_zps464ba111.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/YELOOWTANG/media/IMG_20140819_110732_zps464ba111.jpg.html)

now the third way od doing it , and i think this might be the easiest for you and simplest, it works well and for a small light weight GTP would be perfect.. I don't have a picture of this but will try to explain..
you can get suction cups (big ones) and (small ones) with plastic hooks on them. these actually hold on quite well for a long time..
just drill little holes on the end of your perches and screw in O- shapped latch lock part on each end and hang it there..
if your are worried or see that it comes off when the snake moves or is excited feeding time, secure it with tape or tie wrap.. they are fairly tight once installed but !! sometimes they can get loose..

hope this helps :)

Steph

[Derek1]

I really like your custom bracket. I'm going to use that when I upgrade.

Not sure why I didn't think of closet rod/dowel rod holders. Sometimes drinking and enclosure build don't mix. :D

I got some wood round dowel holders and cut them in half so they look like 1/4moons, kinda. Figured I silicone them in and put some silicone on the base of the holder to hold the branch and keep it from spinning. Good or bad idea?

[Derek1]

Had a successful feeding tonight. Last time I fed him in the middle of the day and had to "wake him up" and took about 10 minutes. Waited 9 days from the last feeding and went just a tad smaller on the fuzzy size. Lights out for about an hour and he really ate well right off the bat. Good feeding response too! Can't wait to get him into his new enclosure.

Really glad this GTP has been dropped in my lap. They are out of my comfort zone, but I am now fascinated.