Calling all GTP owners!

[kyle13404]

For my next snake I would like to get a Green Tree Python. They have been my dream snake for a long time. I heard they can be kind of difficult to care for. As of right now I own 2 Ball Pythons and 1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa. Ive been keeping snakes for a few years. Is that enough experience for a GTP? What size enclosure would an adult male and adult female need?

[DennisM]

Yes, I think a few years of successful snake keeping is good. Their requirements are not really that different from BRB. I keep GTPs in the same environment as BPs and carpets. My limited experience, I have only 2 but have had them about 6 years, also shows that their reputation for bad behavior is unwarranted. Both of mine are tamer than any BRB I've ever had. They never strike at me and are easy to handle. I'd say minimum adult cage size is 2x2x2. I like 3 long x 2 x 2. Contrary to popular belief, GTPs do not just hang on a perch and never move. During the daytime, yes. But my observation has been that they are active in the middle of the night. Be aware that when buying hatchlings they are likely to be unsexed. Almost all breeders will refuse to sex them until they are yearlings, at which point the price increases dramatically.

[YZGuy79]

I'm with the OP. I've wanted one forever. I've read up on them and care but I have two problems. I really ideally want a blue one and you obviously can't tell until they're adults and I'd prefer to have one from a baby. But even more so then that, I can't find an actual place to purchase one. Local pet stores can't order them and online places don't seem to have many.

[KMG]

You can see my collection.

My BRB is much easier to deal with than my GTP. My BRB is never fussy and never huffs, puffs, or gives a hiss. He is super easy going.

My GTP is usually a good boy and during the day I can pull him out whenever I please. However if he is in a shed he needs to be left alone. Also as soon as it gets dark anything that goes near his door is a target and anything that goes inside gets bit.

As far as husbandry I do not find either that difficult but both are much more involved than a BP.

My current GTP is my second. The first was a Biak and no matter what was in a bad mood. My current is an Aru and is much more agreeable to handle. He has plenty of blue and if that is something you want you may do as I did and find a sub adult or adult to buy. That way you know their attitude too.

As for a cage a male does well in a two foot cube but many people prefer to give females a bit more room.

This book is a great read to learn more about them.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...ro%2Caps%2C255

[DennisM]

...Also as soon as it gets dark anything that goes near his door is a target and anything that goes inside gets bit.

yup, same here

[YZGuy79]

You can see my collection.

My BRB is much easier to deal with than my GTP. My BRB is never fussy and never huffs, puffs, or gives a hiss. He is super easy going.

My GTP is usually a good boy and during the day I can pull him out whenever I please. However if he is in a shed he needs to be left alone. Also as soon as it gets dark anything that goes near his door is a target and anything that goes inside gets bit.

As far as husbandry I do not find either that difficult but both are much more involved than a BP.

My current GTP is my second. The first was a Biak and no matter what was in a bad mood. My current is an Aru and is much more agreeable to handle. He has plenty of blue and if that is something you want you may do as I did and find a sub adult or adult to buy. That way you know their attitude too.

As for a cage a male does well in a two foot cube but many people prefer to give females a bit more room.

This book is a great read to learn more about them.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...ro%2Caps%2C255

I'll look into it. Thank you.

[Darkbird]

Well I have seven, but haven't had them a full year yet. So I'm still a bit new with them. I've found mine to have pretty variable personality's, though they are not too bad to deal with during the day. I do have a few who are so food aggressive that there is no safe time of day to stick an unprotected hand in the cage. One thing I have been finding, double check your hygrometer every couple months. Every digital I've tried so far has died in a year or less at the high humidity needed for these guys. I'm currently using a couple units that I move from cage to cage to double check things.

[KMG]

Well I have seven, but haven't had them a full year yet. So I'm still a bit new with them. I've found mine to have pretty variable personality's, though they are not too bad to deal with during the day. I do have a few who are so food aggressive that there is no safe time of day to stick an unprotected hand in the cage. One thing I have been finding, double check your hygrometer every couple months. Every digital I've tried so far has died in a year or less at the high humidity needed for these guys. I'm currently using a couple units that I move from cage to cage to double check things.

I have had a system like this from this same company since 2012 and all of it is still working great. I have sensors in both my GTP and BRB that stay higher in humidity. I like this newer version better since it shows all the reading instead of having to scroll through like on mine. I might be upgrading. Also the batteries last forever.

Every Accurite I have bought died in a few months. I don't even recommend them anymore.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FX8...siL&ref=plSrch

[Darkbird]

TheThe Accurite units are OK for stuff up to about 50% or so, as I have some units going more than 2 years, but it seems anything much above that humidity send them to an early grave. Same with the reptile branded digitals, I have a whole pile of those that are basically useless now. I like the look of that one you posted, just might order that when I get back from vacation. Thy even look like they would stand up to being misted, since they are supposed to be for outdoor use. And that would be enough to do all my gtp cages if I ordered the extra sensors.

Edit: Oh geez, they even have a wireless temp sensor for your pool, or in my case the turtle pond.

[enginee837]

I had a few GTP's about 20 years ago. My favorite was a female aru island with glossy green skin and nice blue dorsal stripe. My second favorite was a biak male that was born brick red. His completion looked much more dry as he got older.

I was lucky in college and make friends with a guy that owned a local exotic reptile shop near the college I went to and he paid me to come in and care for, handle and eventually tame exotic snakes so he could sell them as pets. I worked with everything from bar necked scrub pythons to anacondas. The only thing I could not completely tame was an African rock python. He just liked to bite everything that picked him up at least once.

One thing I learned in handling them was that it is not that their (most snakes) disposition was to bite but often times certain breeds depending on where they fit in their food chain in their natural enviroment and what they prey on most often dictates their propensity to bite. Once you figure this out you can figure out ways to modify this behavior.

Using this I was able to get a green anaconda and a pair of amithistine pythons so tame we could take them to schools and let kids touch them. The amithistine pythons were eventually donated to a local zoo the they were stolen from shortly after.

As for husbandry, I kept my gtps in a 24"x24" cube with ceramic heating elements and thermostatic control. For humidity (I live in phoenix) I used ultra sonic humidifiers on timers and large water dishes. This combo seemed to work well and my gtps were my favorite snakes by far. No health issues and they were all easy to handle, so easy I took them to schools too and let kids hold them.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!