Green tree python

TinkerbellsMom · 07-24-12, 09:59 PM

Hi everyone!

I think green tree pythons are sooo pretty. I am looking into them more and I think in about a year I will get one. I was wanting to get some input from gtp owners.

How is their temperament?
Do you like owning them or has it been difficult?
Also, how big do they get full grown?
How much handling time do you give them?

I'd love to see pics of your gtp's too!

etc · 07-24-12, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TinkerbellsMom

Hi everyone!

I think green tree pythons are sooo pretty. I am looking into them more and I think in about a year I will get one. I was wanting to get some input from gtp owners.

How is their temperament?
Do you like owning them or has it been difficult?
Also, how big do they get full grown?
How much handling time do you give them?

I'd love to see pics of your gtp's too!

I just got my first one a couple of months ago and it is very cool... It's actually ideal that you have a one year time frame to plan and learn more about them. Lurk the forums, talk to the breeders, and read books but do keep in mind there are varying opinions out there with equal success.

1. I would wager that their temperaments vary (locality vs locality, CB vs WC) IME a lot of hissing (bluffs) during the day but handleable, but if you bother them at night they will strike at you.

2. As long as a set of conditions and parameters are met they are very low maintenance. I keep mine in a quarantine tub at the moment, which helps with retaining the humidity in. 2 perches, a water bowl (size of a cereal bowl), a heat pad on the side hooked up to a thermostat and a temperature+humidity meter on the cool end. My temperature fluctuates between 80-86 depending on the time of the day with humidity between 70-80% with a slight peaking when they are in sheds. He is very looking healthy with a good appetite, having perfect sheds and regular BM in this environment.

3. This depends on so much factors like their genetics, feeding history and maybe even locale as a factor of genetics. I know this much, they don't necessarily look their size when perched.

4. Mine responds well to gentle and fair handling during the day. I wouldn't trust it almost completely like you could with other snakes. I no longer handle him anymore unless I'm removing him to clean to perch because I just think they may be happier to be left alone. I have absolutely no problem admiring the heck out of it visually.

Lankyrob · 07-25-12, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TinkerbellsMom

Hi everyone!

I think green tree pythons are sooo pretty. I am looking into them more and I think in about a year I will get one. I was wanting to get some input from gtp owners.

How is their temperament?
Do you like owning them or has it been difficult?
Also, how big do they get full grown?
How much handling time do you give them?

I'd love to see pics of your gtp's too!

I got mine as a baby, for the first 18months we kept him in a faunarium stood on its end with two perches in it. Until it had changed colour we NEVER handled it and in the last year it has probably been handled 7times at the most.

He is totally docile, never struck or hissed.

We love him and would probably get more in the future, money permitting, but we are totally happy to never touch him and just let him be a beautiful display animal.

In the shop

In its faunarium - we put the faunarium inside his adult viv, as it was easier to heat the whole enclosure than try to heat the little tank.

In his first adult viv after colour change

Some handling pics

Nom Nom Nom

Gungirl · 07-25-12, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TinkerbellsMom

Hi everyone!

I think green tree pythons are sooo pretty. I am looking into them more and I think in about a year I will get one. I was wanting to get some input from gtp owners.

How is their temperament?

I have a Biak and he is a Jerk but I love him. He will bite at anything and everything if given the chance.

Do you like owning them or has it been difficult?

I kept him in a tub for the first 1 1/2 yrs to ensure I had his humidity and heat right where it needed to be. It was not hard at all just took a few minutes to set up and double check. Now he is in a home made wooden viv all set up.

Also, how big do they get full grown?

My guy is 2 1/2 yrs old and just over 5ft or so I think.

How much handling time do you give them?

I have only handled him twice. Once to get him out of his transportation box and into his tub and once to get him out of the tub and into his viv. He is a look at do not touch snake.

I'd love to see pics of your gtp's too!

Here you go... I really need to get new pics of him. This is Blitz...

etc · 07-25-12, 06:43 AM

Nice chondros lanky and gun,

here is mine

Rogue628 · 07-25-12, 06:55 AM

Not trying to jack the OP's thread, but I'm confused. Some people seem to handle their GTP's with no problems while others say they're a 'look but don't touch' animal. I understand you're not supposed to handle them at all until they're older, but I don't know why. And as far as handling, is it a hit or miss issue with finding one that will be complacent enough to handle eventually? Or is it just a handle at your own risk and hope it tames down?

Lankyrob · 07-25-12, 07:14 AM

There are two issues here - a young GTP can easily damage its tail during handling, once damaged SOME GTP's cant adapt to feeding without hanging from a perch and starve.

The second issue from what i have heard/read is that they are either extremely docile (like mine) or complete assholes like Kats. I havent really heard of any being in the middle of the scale and more seem to be bitey than not

They certainly, in my opinion, should never be bought as a snake to handle and play with, their husbandry is quite specific and they are better off in their viv as a display animal than one to be brought out to show people.

MoreliAddict · 07-25-12, 08:05 AM

Do your GTPs eat well??

Gungirl · 07-25-12, 08:07 AM

Mine eats very well... I feed him every 14 days a f/t medium rat. I think he has only skipped 1 meal and that was last winter during a power outage. I had trouble keeping his viv warm enough due to my generator failing one night.

etc · 07-25-12, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoreliAddict

Do your GTPs eat well??

Mine hasn't skipped a beat so far. I feel that GTPs are fair investments so it's worth every bit of your time and money finding a breeder and asking specific questions (like feeding records) about the animal.

Lankyrob · 07-25-12, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoreliAddict

Do your GTPs eat well??

Never missed a meal even in shed. I started off feeding prey 4times its girth and then after research downdraded to 3times its girth every 14 then 21 days.

TinkerbellsMom · 07-25-12, 10:25 AM

Wow all of your snakes are absolutely beautiful! I don't think most would mind just admiring the beautiful snake. Also, I had no idea they went through a color change, that is so neat.

etc · 07-28-12, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue628

Not trying to jack the OP's thread, but I'm confused. Some people seem to handle their GTP's with no problems while others say they're a 'look but don't touch' animal. I understand you're not supposed to handle them at all until they're older, but I don't know why. And as far as handling, is it a hit or miss issue with finding one that will be complacent enough to handle eventually? Or is it just a handle at your own risk and hope it tames down?

Being able to handle my animals is a pretty important factor for me, but I quickly learned that they're not animals that benefits from handling. They're somewhat of living jewels, they're much more delicate than the other snakes that you can just play around with. Lankyrob made good points there.

It was a cleaning day so I took him out. He threw a nice mock strike at my face when I made a sudden movement, but otherwise he is usually completely fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TinkerbellsMom

Wow all of your snakes are absolutely beautiful! I don't think most would mind just admiring the beautiful snake. Also, I had no idea they went through a color change, that is so neat.

I highly recommend The More Complete Chondros for a read. It's a very informative book for when starting out, but remember there's much more information out there.