new to gtp's

[jhinton6932]

so im planning on purchasing a gtp at the show this weekend i have an enclosure built. ive read up on the husbandry as much as possible but came here for more info. i've been rasing varanids for some years now as well as other pythons but never gtp's. what all is required and what should i expect. im effecient at keeping humidity up and temps in the moderate range as ive been doing it for years. i think im ready to take one on. anything is helpful-thanks

note: its a tampa show if anyone is going or could connect me with a breeder
note: there are different localities correct? im interested in the aru as i primarily do indo-forrest monitors so im familiar the humidity/temperatures needed

[Lankyrob]

If you are getting a pre-colour change baby then i was advised to keep a small tub INSIDE the adult viv and confine the snake to this small tub, you keep the temps right for the tub (put the thermostat probe inside the tub) and keep the humidity correct in the larger viv. This worked out perfectly for my GTP (if i can find pics of my setup back then i will add soon :))

The main thing is to not handle them, our guy is about 2.5 yrs old now and has been handled maybe 8 or 9 times (guessing). Any damage to their hyper sensitive tail can lead ot death as some GTP's dont convert to feeding on the ground.

This shows the small tub set up
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/Animals/Reptiles/DSC_0011.jpg

this kinda shows the full setup (far left top viv)
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/Animals/Reptiles/Photo0180.jpg

[jhinton6932]

what i did was actually plan on a pre-color change baby and built a 15x15x24, from 1/8 in ply and 2x2's, sealed cracks with gap stop, lined bottom with frp built a framed plexi glass door similar to what i use on my v. melinus enclosure.

whats the take on substrate for these guys. i was thinking coco fiber or coco husks just to help with humidity. but i also see newspapers being used. and for creating a hotspot? is it needed if i keep the enclosure at 80F round the board i know it only has to hit about 88-90 for these guys but what are people doing nowadays to achieve this? sprry for all the questions lol i just like to get info from whats going on in the hobby vs. a care sheet

[h3h]

Rob, is this a picture of your vivs??

- h3

[Lankyrob]

Rob, is this a picture of your vivs??

- h3

Yes it is, back when we had a couple of lizards as well as the snakes.

In terms of substrate i use repti bark with a layer of sphagnum moss laid over it, i find with this i can spray today to 85% humidity and it will still be in the 60%'s in two days time.

In terms of tye temps - i start of with a perch below my heat bulb at 92f, then i find out where he likes to perch by observation over a week or so. I then adjust my thermostat so that his most regular perch is around the 90f mark and adjust vents to give a cold spot of around 78f.

With this setup my guy eats prey three times his girth and sheds/poops regularly with no issues.

With regard to prey size - some say feed prrey upto four times the snakes girth, but latest reports are saying that this can cause cloacal prolapse. Personally i fed my baby four times his girth with no issues, until i rread the concerns that breeders were reporting and now i feed three times girth or slightly smaller.

[jhinton6932]

ok thanks for that tip on prey size. im just finishing up the enclosure today ( i took the weekend off 2 months ago planning on building an enclosure and obtaining a gtp this weekend lol) going to run the humidity and temps make sure everything is correct before i go and actually place it in there. im really looking forward to keeping one of these. i've been doing specifically varanids for the last 7 years or so(still am) im excited to have a python again. ill post some pics of his home later in the day when i finish up with everything

[etc]

Keep the animal at about 85 degrees on the hot spot and about 80 degrees on the cool side. Don't keep them too hot, there's a difference between preferred temperature for the keeper and the optimal temperature for the kept. A little bit of fluctuation is okay, but remember these animals don't come from areas where it gets much over 85 degrees in the wild. Dip into the high 70's at night is fine.

Keep the prey size items proportionate to the body, use prey items that will leave a small lump. Don't overfeed your snake, they're much more delicate than ball pythons.

If you're in Tampa and like the classic Aru look - I know somebody. Shoot me a message if you're interested.

[shaunyboy]

i would reccomend a book called.....

The More Complete Chondro
by Gregg Maxwell

it's the bible for greens trees mate

cheers shaun

[jhinton6932]

http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/r537/jhinton6932/gtp002_zps3cd36e8f.jpg

http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/r537/jhinton6932/gtp001_zpsc5a7cbf1.jpg

let me know i forgot to show the cool side its 80F
not done adding substrate or screwing in perch(s)

[h3h]

That's awesome Rob. On the far left is that furniture or more vivs? I think that is awesome, you have/had an entire wall devoted to your animals in full vivs with what appears to be natural habitats. You look very committed, and I'd love to see an album of your vivs/animals. Do you have a thread already with that in it? If not, - if it's not too much work; I'd love to see more pictures. Awesome GTP as well man.

- h3

[Lankyrob]

To the left is just furniture unfortunately :( Since the pic we had to rehome our lizards, so now the top middle is our GTP and soon the bottom right will be our JCP's.

Here are my corns
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/elaphe-guttata-guttata/85905-profile-perry.html
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/elaphe-guttata-guttata/85904-profile-kevin.html
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/elaphe-guttata-guttata/85906-profile-sunny.html

My royal
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/python-regius/85907-profile-monty.html

My SD Retic
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/giant-python-discussion/85911-profile-doc.html

My GTP
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/morelia-viridis/85909-profile-hogan.html

My JCP
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/morelia-spilota/85908-profile-jim.html

These are my two lizards that unfortunately we had to rehome :(

Ackie
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/varanid/85912-profile-arthur.html

Frilled Lizard
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/general-lizard-forum/85914-profile-tilly.html

[h3h]

Good stuff Rob, I have more to say - but no time to say it. I will be that loser who bumps really old threads to make a comment; but not right this moment. Thanks for linking me, and I look forward to commenting on them later today!!

- h3

[Lankyrob]

No worries, i look forward to hearing what you have to say :)