GTP care: what do you use for perches?

I'm going to be designing an arboreal snake vivarium, and am currently in the process of determining how to provide horizontal perches.

Anyone want to jump in with some suggestions?

natual hardwoods with the bark stipped off is my favorite... or if you use something with a thin bark, like silver maple or ash, that's great too.

How do you mount them?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mainbutter

How do you mount them?

---

couple deck screws in from the outside... :)

really though, what kind of cage? i've just gone to home depot in the past and looked at various hardware.
the coolest i've used is those round rod holders used for closets and stuff. i'll see if i can drag up a pic.

I plan on using those round rod holders when I redo my ATBs cage, I figured it would be easy to pull them out for cleaning that way. Lowes carries some oak dowels too, just gotta make sure they're not treated at all

Dowl rods mold quickly. The rod holders are great! I use them in almost all of my cages. The others are neo cages and just have PVC ran all the way threw. If you want easy removal build something that has support and sits in the cage. Kind of hard to explain but pretty much make an "H" and add another cross bar below the top so the bottom is on the substrate and the top perch isn't so tall the animal won't be cramped. Habitat systems (I think) uses this design. I've seen them and taken them out and they are probably the easiest to remove, but are best suited in tubs or top open cages. If you're going with glass use 100% silicone and measure and mark the outside of the glass with dry erase marker. Let it air dry outside for atleast 24 hours. I have a pic I will post of this method and natural wood. I really liked it, but got away from glass cages.

This method works really well, but use plastic screws.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...akecage020.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...ure11011-1.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...e11014redo.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...cture11006.jpg

I made a "PVC Tree" for my juvenile GTP. S/He's in an Exo-Terra with a lot of room to roam but I didn't want to attach anything to the glass sides of the enclosure. She was outgrowing her dowel rods that I had when she was smaller so I had to come up with another solution. I torched and twisted the "branches" to give it a less this-stuff-came-from-home-depot kind of look. That part wasn't my idea but is recommended by Greg Stephens.

I took photos of the process because I was planning on writing an instructable for it, but never got around to that. If anyone would like the photos I'd be happy to post them.

When he was smaller.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_iB0hv0rLWcw/Sq...0/100_5562.JPG


Now, much older and bigger, here are a couple photos of his "tree".

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_iB0hv0rLWcw/TA...0/IMG_0223.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_iB0hv0rLWcw/TA...0/IMG_0230.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_iB0hv0rLWcw/TA...0/IMG_0229.JPG

I want a GTP soooooo bad. Im trying so hard not to lose focus on my BP's and Corns!

it is important to note that the PVC should be about the same thickness as the body. there have been recent discussion over at MVF that suggest improper perch size can lead to skin folds on neonates. to me, the PVC used for the PVC tree is too large. it is better to error on the side of smaller than larger.

Thanks for your input. The PVC is bigger than his/her body thickness as of now, but at the rate she's growing, it won't be long. I've read Mr. Stephens' book and understand the concern. From what I've read on the MVF thread though, there isn't really any consensus on what causes the folds.

My snake uses the entire cage on a daily basis. Sometimes she's on the 'tree', sometimes, on the bio-vine, (which at this point is smaller than her body, sometimes, on the floor, and sometimes in the cutouts in the top corners of the cage. She eats voraciously and sheds completely, is alert in the evenings and shows no signs of stress. Still, I might build her a tree with smaller diameter branches. It only takes an hour and a few dollars of PVC.

By the by, can you point me to a reference to the assertion that it's better to err on the side of too small rather than too big? I'm not questioning your expertise, but I don't recall specifically reading that anywhere. This is my first GTP and I'm still learning as I go. Thanks!

look at terry philips post close to the bottom of his post.

http://moreliaviridis.yuku.com/reply...3#reply-134723

more on perch size

http://moreliaviridis.yuku.com/reply...9#reply-133209

http://moreliaviridis.yuku.com/reply...8#reply-117928

those are a couple that i found really quick. also look at john romano's findings. he has been using true natural style set ups with multiple perch sizes and has found that the animals are choosing smaller sized perches.

Thanks for that. Looks like I'll be building a new tree. :)

Perch size is more commonly related to tail kinking. Greg is a really cool guy and loves sharing his passion of chondros. One of the breeders is working very hard on finding the cause of skin fold, so maybe within the next year or so we'll have a pretty definite answer. Hopefully at least.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DavidG

Perch size is more commonly related to tail kinking. Greg is a really cool guy and loves sharing his passion of chondros. One of the breeders is working very hard on finding the cause of skin fold, so maybe within the next year or so we'll have a pretty definite answer. Hopefully at least.

---

the distance between perches and between the perch and the ground is what people are saying is causing some of the tail kinking. not the diameter of the perch.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lucas339

the distance between perches and between the perch and the ground is what people are saying is causing some of the tail kinking. not the diameter of the perch.

---

It's commonly attributed to coiling and eating. If the snake does not have to rely on just a small portion of tail to hang from while eating then a bigger perch should be okay. I still firmly believe that as a general rule the perch should be no larger than the snakes biggest part.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DavidG

It's commonly attributed to coiling and eating. If the snake does not have to rely on just a small portion of tail to hang from while eating then a bigger perch should be okay. I still firmly believe that as a general rule the perch should be no larger than the snakes biggest part.

---

and i agree with the perch size. but if you look into it via MVF, more and more people are saying perch distance from the groud can be a cause of tail kinking.

I know Greg is starting to do more vertical cages for his yearlings and adults. Hopefully he will shed more light on this. There is so much to be discovered with these animals. They are absolutely wonderful.