GTP feeding schedule

I just added a 2 years old male GTP to my collection. I was told that he was eating 2 adult mice every week. Is it ok to feed him one small rat every week?

Let's see some pics! I've always wanted to add a GTP but never did as i was told by a lot of people, they can be kind of finicky and can drop dead for no apparent reason.

As to your question, if you just got it, i would probably try and not change it's diet until it is well established and 'happy'. Also i would probably stick to 2 mice rather than a small rat. I dont like putting lumps in my boas and i for sure wouldnt want a big food lump in my arboreal snake. The only snake i have that isnt happy unless stuffed like a Christmas turkey is my retic. He'll eat a guinea pig and in 3 days, poop it out. Never seen a snake like him lol.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

Let's see some pics! I've always wanted to add a GTP but never did as i was told by a lot of people, they can be kind of finicky and can drop dead for no apparent reason.

As to your question, if you just got it, i would probably try and not change it's diet until it is well established and 'happy'. Also i would probably stick to 2 mice rather than a small rat. I dont like putting lumps in my boas and i for sure wouldnt want a big food lump in my arboreal snake. The only snake i have that isnt happy unless stuffed like a Christmas turkey is my retic. He'll eat a guinea pig and in 3 days, poop it out. Never seen a snake like him lol.

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That might be true for babies or young under a year old. But if you get one like mine 2 years old, then they are for sure not finicky and won,t drop dead. They are very beautiful and make great display. I just learned the hard way that its not easy to remove them from their branch, he bit me.
here are pics

http://i64.tinypic.com/fqdu0.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/10o403d.jpg

Pics not working. And i have talked to breeders and others who have older animals that just dropped dead for no apparent reason. Anyways, whatever lol.

Lol yeah, you dont pull them off their perches, you have removable perches and you lift the whole perch with them on it out of the cage and let them climb onto your hand by slowly coaxing them. You can actually do permanent damage to baby spines by trying to pull them off perches and babies really shouldnt be handled much except with removable perches. I got a guy that lives by me that i sold my Pro-Line cage to who has a lot of GTPs and we talked awhile. He's going to start breeding and i might one day pick one up from him but for the ones i like like the nice blue striped Sorongs and Jayapura or a nice bright green Aru, they dont come cheap.

And from what i have been told, if you are going to mess with them, do it in the daytime. At night time they become active and tend to think anything with a heat signature is dinner including your hand lol.

Here pics

http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/...psq2a0kgaw.jpg

http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/...pscfq2zhfz.jpg

Very nice looking guy, congrats!
If he takes small rats, that should be fine to feed. I know some prefer mice.
I agree with Sauzo, it's easier to remove the perch with the snake on it, that's what I do for my ATBs when they are perched.

Good luck with him!

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

And i have talked to breeders and others who have older animals that just dropped dead for no apparent reason. Anyways, whatever lol.

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They can be quite finicky, early on in my herp keeping days I got a baby and a sub-adult, both died. I lived in Las Vegas had so many issues with low humidity, it was horrible to see them not thrive. Anytime you see a GTP hanging out on the floor instead of up in the perches, there's something wrong. I learned the hard way. I feel comfortable I'd be able to successfully keep them now but that bad experience kind of soured me on it.

Whoa! Those eyes...those heat pits! Omg this snake is RAD looking!

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

Very nice looking guy, congrats!
If he takes small rats, that should be fine to feed. I know some prefer mice.
I agree with Sauzo, it's easier to remove the perch with the snake on it, that's what I do for my ATBs when they are perched.

Good luck with him!



They can be quite finicky, early on in my herp keeping days I got a baby and a sub-adult, both died. I lived in Las Vegas had so many issues with low humidity, it was horrible to see them not thrive. Anytime you see a GTP hanging out on the floor instead of up in the perches, there's something wrong. I learned the hard way. I feel comfortable I'd be able to successfully keep them now but that bad experience kind of soured me on it.

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Yeah, that's why I was hesitant on getting one especially since the ones I like are $800+ lol. I did a lot of research on them and talked to people and everyone told me if I was going to drop that kind of cash, be sure to get a CBB. Pay the extra money as you want the deck stacked in your favor the most you can with them especially if you are getting a hatchling to watch the color change or even juveniles.

And they told me the same thing, if your GTP is grounded, then something isn't right and you need to check your husbandry asap.

Lol and that's exactly how I feel. I'm sure I could do ok with one now as I have a lot more experience with other snakes and stuff but they seem rather fragile for me so I will just live vicariously through people with them and stick to my 'tanks' aka boas and retic. And I would sure be kind of soured if I did everything right and my snake dropped dead. Definitely would be gun shy about buying another one.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

And from what i have been told, if you are going to mess with them, do it in the daytime. At night time they become active and tend to think anything with a heat signature is dinner including your hand lol.

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Yup, after dark they strike first and ask questions later

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Originally Posted by DennisM

Yup, after dark they strike first and ask questions later

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I can,t confirm that. Mine is extremley lazy during the day and extremely active during the night. All what he does during the day is chilling, sleeping and relaxing. And this is the time when he does not like to be disturbed or handled in which he is likely to bite if touched. Contrary to that, when he is active at night i can remove him from his cage and perch without a problem. And they are really intelligent, i don,t think he would mistake my hand for food and strike at me because of that. He knows what is food and what is not.