Enclosure size for male GTP?

Planning on picking up a male GTP from an upcoming reptile show. I was wondering what the minimum cage requirements were for an adult male. I've heard of people keeping adults in 20 gallon tanks and others using 3'x2'x2' enclosures. I have a 30"×12"x17" glass cage that has a hinged door in the front. It also has a glass lid instead of a screen top. I know glass isn't the best option but I'd really like to see this get used. I've seen a lot of people use the 18"x18"x18" cubes but I feel like with my dimensions the snake will have more length to choose a preferred temperature. Anyways, all info is appreciated. Thank you.

To start with, I'm jealous of you. I want a GTP but not feasible at this moment lol. Second are you getting a baby? From what I have read, babies do good in small cages. A lot use little shoe box plastic totes or I think the 12x12x18 Exo terras. I'm sure an 18x18x18 would work, just clutter it up with lots of live or silk plants. Look on YouTube, there is a guy who gives step by step how he converted a big Exo Terra into a good GTP cage. He used lexan pieces gut to fit over the screens and then mounted an RHP through the screen and lexan. Looked pretty good but honestly for all that effort and cash, might be better off just ordering a PVC cage from Animal plastics or PVC Cages for him when he gets older and just use a small Exo terra as something like that should be easier to hold humidity and heat.

The key to the taller cages is you use the height to make the gradient, not the length although I have read people using the something like a 36x18x18. Just boils down to how you want to do the temp gradient and how much foliage and security you offer the snake. I personally was looking into something like a 24x24x36 for a male or a 48x24x36 for a female depending what I got.

As for your cage, glass can work but if the whole top is solid glass, how would you create airflow? You need some kind of airflow. Also how would you use something like a CHE to heat it?

Very little airflow is needed for a gtp. CHEs and RHPs work wonderful for gtps as they don't dry out the environment. Opening the cage daily for maintenance and handling is plenty to provide air exchange. The key is to keep humidity high without the substrate rotting. Cypress mulch or cocoa coir is pretty resistant.

2'x2'x2' cube enclosure is plenty for any adult.

Adult females do well in 3ft wide cages but makes do fine in 2ft cubes. My male is in a 2ft cube from pvccages. It is perfect for him.

A rhp is a great option for a arboreal snake and like stated above the gradient is usual vertical over horizontal.

Also as stated above juveniles do best in small cages. They stress easily so if you're getting a young one do the right thing and start it out in a small cage.

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

Very little airflow is needed for a gtp. CHEs and RHPs work wonderful for gtps as they don't dry out the environment. Opening the cage daily for maintenance and handling is plenty to provide air exchange. The key is to keep humidity high without the substrate rotting. Cypress mulch or cocoa coir is pretty resistant.

2'x2'x2' cube enclosure is plenty for any adult.

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So my 30"x12"x17" will not be able to accommodate a fully grown male?

The 12 in those dimensions bothers me. I don't think that is enough. They really can be active at night and I don't think that cage would be the best choice, IMHO.

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Originally Posted by KMG

The 12 in those dimensions bothers me. I don't think that is enough. They really can be active at night and I don't think that cage would be the best choice, IMHO.

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Ok. Actually I've done a lot of research from the time I originally posted my first question and I think I'm going to get a leachianus gecko instead. I can handle them, they don't need a special basking spot or radiant heat panel, I can use the enclosure I have for a fully grown adult, they can be kept at room temperature, and I can actually handle them. The green tree python will be kind of a back up option for me. Their care requirements are so specific and precise doesn't anyone else find it amazing that they're able to survive in the wild? They're gorgeous animals, but the cons seem to be out-weighing the pros. Thanks for the information!

If you don't think you can provide the correct husbandry for GTPs then it is good to move on to something else.

Something to keep in mind is that herpers are now finding out that GTPs are much hardier than previously anticipated.

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

If you don't think you can provide the correct husbandry for GTPs then it is good to move on to something else.

Something to keep in mind is that herpers are now finding out that GTPs are much hardier than previously anticipated.

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I'd imagine they'd have to be. On some of the care sheets I've been reading it seems as if the conditions are not 100% accurate the gtp is in peril. I absolutely love their colors though. Very beautiful snakes. Thanks for the feedback though! I appreciate it.

Take most of the care sheets online with a grain of salt. Basically anyone can write these things, and even those from reputable sources can be outdated. I have seen many a care sheet from Reptiles Magazine be blatantly incorrect. GTPs are definitely not the hardiest of snakes, but with recent advancements in caging materials and heating devices, their care is much more manageable.

Basically if you can keep the ambient temp correct, and the proper humidity levels, there isn't any reason why they wont thrive.

Just to let you know, a 12" high cage will do great for a hatchling, and up to a couple years of age. Once the baby is older an 18" high cage is more appropriate. People make too big a deal out of the vertical gradient/space for GTPs. It is actually the horizontal space that matters more. Many top GTP keepers have noticed that their snakes do not frequently 'bask' with a heating element on the top of the cage, and instead mount heating devices on the side of the enclosure to allow for a horizontal gradient amongst the perches.