GTP advice needed

[Will0W783]

I currently have a few pythons and boas, but I LOVE the way the GTP looks. I would love to get one, but I don't enjoy pets that I cannot handle at all. I have heard that GTPs are usually nasty, but if you get them from babies, you can sometimes calm them down. Does anyone know what the chances are that I could get a baby and calm it enough to be regularly handleable? Also, how difficult are they to care for? How about feeding and such? Finally, if anyone knows of any good breeders in the Philadelphia, PA or south New Jersey areas, I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

[Chu'Wuti]

Hi, Willow! I have never had a GTP, so I was hoping someone else with experience would respond to your post. But I hate to leave you hanging for too long! I've heard the same thing about GTPs that you've heard, and I've also heard that they rarely calm down. Basically, they should be considered a snake for display, not for handling.

I sure hope someone with more experience jumps in here with more/better info!

Enjoy the forum!

[Will0W783]

I've talked to a few more people since I last posted, and it seems that those who breed GTPs say they are more docile than ETBs, and the ones that work with ETBs say they are the more docile. I think it comes down to whether it is captive or wild bred, and how it was handled from the get-go. The guy I bought my ETB from says it is perfectly tame, and I can even pet its head...we shall see. I will let you know when I get it.

[Chu'Wuti]

Well, good luck! I look forward to hearing how it handles after it's settled into its new home.

[Aaron_S]

I personally believe that the animal is best left alone. Some of my ball pythons are great joys to work with and a couple others have the instinct when the lid comes off "is it food?Must be food!" and they snap at me. I don't think handling GTP's or ETB's is even recommended at a young age as they are fairly fragile.

[Kmef07]

I was told not to handle them until they are at least a year old. but that was just what i was told by a friend who is in to snakes.

[Smilts]

IMO handling tree snakes very much isnt a great idea they pretty much all stress easily. i dont know to much about GTP's as i keep ATB's, but from talking to other arboreal keepers they sound fairly easy to work with most of the time but they have huge teeth:).

[Kmef07]

ya there is a video circulating around youtube that i saw the other day where a guy is showing off his full grown gtp and all of a sudden it starts to get pissy and being aggressive looking towards him and he shuts off the video and then in the next video he posts he says he is sorry to cut the other one short but that he had to put the snake away because he was afraid it was going to bite him and before he could put it away it struck him right in the shoulder and it was gross looking because of their big teeth. he said he will shoot videos from the tank it is in from now on cuz it hurt really bad.