New Green tree Python, and... Mites.

Green Tree Python, My girlfriend just picked up a young GTP, and Its an interesting little guy, the one who was handling it at the store was able to check the little guys eyes and mouth for mites and even present its teeth without the snake caring much at all. However after bringing it all of the way home, It was scared, poor little guy snagged me.

=D My first bite! ^_^;; didn't hurt much at all, but i can say for sure ive still not stopped trembling, lots of blood, man those teeth are sharp.

Thing is, the little guy has mites, the guy at the store informed me of this, and told me of how it was alot worse 2 weeks ago and he's been hand picking them off of them and using some kind of oil spray too? maybe i heard that wrong. But he did state that it was really an annoying thing to try and get rid of.

So my question is this,

The beast doesnt seem to be to wild. and just scared, but is there anything you guys can tell me what you do to prepare yourself for an expected bite? I just don't like shaking as I approach it.

and most importantly. Mites. Advice?

Provent-a-mite for mites. You'll need newspaper or paper towel substrate until the mites are gone, daily soakings.....which is going to be fun for a GTP....expect bites. Don't spray the PAM directly on any of the animals, it's for the enclosures only.
http://www.pro-products.com/index.ph...d=53&Itemid=59

As far as bites go, if you were worried about getting bit, a GTP was probably a bad decision. They are not exactly hands on snakes, and from what I've heard adult GTP bites are more painful than you can imagine.

I'd be sure to PAM your ball python since the likelihood of them spreading to whatever reptiles you have are almost certain.

Bummer your new GTP has mites. Here is a good thread about how to treat GTPs with Prevent-a-mite. Since they are arboreal there are a few tips like spraying the perch.

http://moreliaviridis.yuku.com/topic.../Proven-A-Mite

How big is it right now? Maybe post some pictures. With green trees you don't want to handle them for the first year or so due to how fragile their spines are. After that they can be very nice snakes to handle but with most things you may have to work with them a bit to get them to trust you. Ours are all very mellow.

Oh, and Signal has a great article about handling tips to avoid bites. Also, do you know what locality it is?

http://www.signalherp.com/whybebitten.pdf

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jsmorphs2

Ours are all very mellow.

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:hijackd: for a sec...

Is there any truth to what I've heard, that if you are going to handle them you should do so at night or they'll take your hand off? Just curious lol.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LGray23

:hijackd: for a sec...

Is there any truth to what I've heard, that if you are going to handle them you should do so at night or they'll take your hand off? Just curious lol.

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Actually you want to avoid night handling because they hunt at night. I don't think I'd go after one at night if some one paid me, lol. Their feeding response is a lot more heightened than a BP. If you handle them during the day just touch them gently or tap their perch with a snake hook to wake them up a bit to avoid a bite from startling them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jsmorphs2

Actually you want to avoid night handling because they hunt at night. I don't think I'd go after one at night if some one paid me, lol. Their feeding response is a lot more heightened than a BP. If you handle them during the day just touch them gently or tap their perch with a snake hook to wake them up a bit to avoid a bite from startling them.

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I must have had it mixed up then, I knew there was a time of day you'd lose a limb :rofl:

I'll post a picture ASAP, but it seems very docile, ive held it 2 times today and both times it seemed fine with me handling it.

It only bites because its scared right now, its a Biak GTP, very gorgeous, When the pet store guy reached in he was a ball python breeder originally and has several large snakes,

I'm not worried about being bitten XD it doesnt even hurt, just nerves getting to me :P

but yeah, a very nice temperment on the snake, considering i was dumb and tried to reach into the small box that they put it in for me to take home, i expected a strike, and it gave a LOT of warning to me, I just kinda crossed my fingers and hoped for the best :3

I'll get those pictures up right now though =D thankyou for advice.

http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/7609/dscf3172.jpg

I am not familiar with GTPs as I only keep ball pythons and a boa....I'm just letting you know that they are not as forgiving with husbandry as ball pythons are. They are known to drop dead for no reason with no warning. I'd switch up that analog thermometer for something much more accurate....He's awefully cute though :)

Again, this is just what I've been told by people I know who keep chondros, not from experience.

that's not the thermometer we're using, I just stuck it against the wall for a size comparison. lol :P i got another acurite already.