Research

[Simon]

Hi there!
Well I have been looking at GTPs and ETB for a long long time (over 3 years now) and I really want to get more information on them.

I do plan on getting a pair but right now I just don't have the money or space to get them yet. So a little research would benefit me greatly....

So here are some questions for both the GTP and the ETB:
1) what's the height requirement for these beauties?
2) which kind is easier to handle and care for?
3) I know there are different locals for these but what's the difference?
4) what book would you recommand me on reading up on?
5) how much do they cost (I've seen price range from $450-$800 each...)
6) what is the humidity level for them? (I know that they require a high humidity...which is what my house don't have cause most of my collection are corns.....

any information would be great!

Thanks so much!

[ohh_kristina]

I have been studying them also. Here are some answeres to SOME of your questions.

3. Go to www.chondroweb.com and read the local debate by Greg Maxwell. That may answer your questions about this.
4. Greg Maxwell's new book "The Complete Chondro" is a GREAT book for people looking to get into chondros. I haven't found any books on ETBs yet, but I will check back to this thread and see if anyone else knows any good ones, so that I can check them out.
5. The cost that I've seen generally ranges between $700-$1200 for quality chondros from pretty well known breeders.
6. I have talked to a few breeders of both GTPs and ETBs and they told me that (in both cases), spraying for 15-20 minutes each morning/early afternoon keeps the humidity just right. It allows for a drying out period (which is needed) at night, and keeps the humidity at the correct levels during the day.

For chondros, check out www.chondroforum.com. They're are a lot of top quality breeders on that site that will help you with any questions you may have.
For ETBs, www.corallus.com has some good information

[Julian Garcia]

So here are some questions for both the GTP and the ETB:
1) what's the height requirement for these beauties?
They don't need a tall enclosure. Go long rather than tall or a 2 foot square will work.

2) which kind is easier to handle and care for?
Having kept both i would say Chondros hands down. Either way you dont wanna handle these guys much.

3) I know there are different locals for these but what's the difference?
More often then not when you see a local slapped on a chondro its more or less a sales pitch. My best advice is to pay NO ATTENTION to locals, find a baby forom 2 parents you like and make sure its CBB

4) what book would you recommand me on reading up on?
go to www.chondroweb.com and in the interim order Greg Maxwells book

5) how much do they cost (I've seen price range from $450-$800 each...)
500-4k is the sliding scale with some going a bit below and above for babys. Sub and adults 1k-20k is what you should look to pay.

6) what is the humidity level for them? (I know that they require a high humidity...which is what my house don't have cause most of my collection are corns.....
Well its a good thing you are not humidifing you room now isnt it ;). I spray once in the morning... takes about 30 seconds a enclosure.

[Clownfishie]

1) Don't know about ETBs, but for GTPs for an adult you'll want an enclosure around 24" high -- you can either do a cube, or have something a little longer like 36 x 24 x 24 ...

2) Never kept ETBs, so I'll just tell you what I've heard, and that is that in general, chondros are easier to handle. But both of these snakes are display animals, and shouldn't be handled all that often...

3) Ignore locales, unless you plan on breeding for a specific locality... then you'll have to track down a breeder who has actual documented animals from that locale. What you want to do is find a breeder with some nice CBB babies, and pick one from parents that you like the look of...

4) Order Greg Maxwell's new book (Scotty Allen has some for sale up here), and go to www.chondroweb.com -- it's a great forum full of chondroheads who will be able to help you out with your questions etc...

5) I don't know where you saw a baby for $450, but you definitely don't want that one. It's almost guaranteed to be WC... CBB babies in Canada go for $700-1500. On the upper end of that scale you'll find ones that are being selectively bred for high yellow or such... There isn't too much of that going on in Canada yet, down in the states there's some really stellar chondros being bred. If I had the money, I'd totally bring up a pair or 2... If you go to chondroweb.com, you'll meet a bunch of the big breeders down there, and get to drool all over their animals ;)

6) I find that spraying for 30 seconds - 1 minute each day is pretty good... they don't need constant humidity, it's actually good for them to have a bit of a drying out period.


Hope that helps a bit Simon :)
Jen

[Simon]

Thank you so much for all the information!!!!
I'll join the sites and learn more before I get them~
It'll properly take me a year or two before I really do decide to get them...hopefully they are not that much work....hahah