my new GTP! pics! thoughts?

here's my new pick up, just got
him today. my 2nd snake, first gtp. ive always found these guys to be amazing animals. found her in a shop ive never been to, it was the only gtp they had but i think shes gorgeous. i think i got a pretty good price too.

didnt bite me at all while handling her in the shop or when i got her home and into her new cage, which was a pleasant surprise

can anyone help me id what kind of gtp it might be? i dont know a ton about the different localities of gtp but im really excited to see how she turns out. im loving the red right now though. lemme know whatchu think

http://img.tapatalk.com/a6898ab5-f287-7dd2.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/a6898ab5-f29a-99d2.jpg

also excuse the crappy phone pics ill try to get some better shots tomorrow

Congratulations! I think it's crazy how they start off dark red and then change to that bright green...

Very nice GTP. I believe it is a Biak, but I am far from knowledgable about these beauties.

http://i.imgur.com/MrMb0.jpg

You can't tell what "type" of GTP it is unless you are there to catch it at that location. Everything else is just a best guess. Even those that work with them for a long time won't put a locale on them without paper work. If you got it at a pet store, its probably a farm bred animal which would be a mixed locale.

I also would caution you on handling at this age. The spines are fragile and you could damge it and not know until its an adult.

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Originally Posted by Lucas339

You can't tell what "type" of GTP it is unless you are there to catch it at that location. Everything else is just a best guess. Even those that work with them for a long time won't put a locale on them without paper work. If you got it at a pet store, its probably a farm bred animal which would be a mixed locale.

I also would caution you on handling at this age. The spines are fragile and you could damge it and not know until its an adult.

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x2! But its a very pretty baby! Congrats on the pickup! :gj:

Very pretty gtp.

Are these vary hard to keep care of i want one

Where did you buy this GTP? The sellers should know its locale ... if they don't, I wouldn't have bought it to be honest, but that's just me. If it was around $250, it is probably a biak, but if it was more, you have many other choices.

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Originally Posted by kyser/wrx

Are these vary hard to keep care of i want one

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Yeah, they're notoriously difficult, and are considered an "advanced" species in terms of husbandry. They need an arboreal tank with perches, and super-high humidity, or they'll get respiratory illnesses. They can be tame, but the have HUGE teeth, and you can't unwrap them from the branches without risking hurting them, so most people treat them as display animals and don't handle them. You need a good misting system to keep the humidity up and provide water droplets for them to drink, but then you have to be ready spend all your free time combating mold.

Here are some caresheets:

http://www.bjarboreals.com/care_sheet_chondros.htm

http://www.reptilechannel.com/care-s...ee-python.aspx

http://www.herpetology.com/murdoch.html

ps. It's a lovely red. I really really want one too, but I live in Arizona, so it just seems extra risky to get one...

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Originally Posted by Lucas339

You can't tell what "type" of GTP it is unless you are there to catch it at that location. Everything else is just a best guess. Even those that work with them for a long time won't put a locale on them without paper work. If you got it at a pet store, its probably a farm bred animal which would be a mixed locale.

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I would somewhat disagree about not being able to tell what "type" it is. It is very typical of Biak. All locales have telling characteristics that make them different from one another. Arus have blunt tails and are always yellow. Biaks have elongated snouts and reds have heart shaped diamonds. Sorongs have black and blue tails....etc. I also agree it is not as easy with mixed locales and various lineages. We place a locale "type" label on certain animals because of their appearance. Most of the animals that come from BM in Indonesia are from locale type pairings.

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Originally Posted by loonunit

Yeah, they're notoriously difficult, and are considered an "advanced" species in terms of husbandry. They need an arboreal tank with perches, and super-high humidity, or they'll get respiratory illnesses. They can be tame, but the have HUGE teeth, and you can't unwrap them from the branches without risking hurting them, so most people treat them as display animals and don't handle them. You need a good misting system to keep the humidity up and provide water droplets for them to drink, but then you have to be ready spend all your free time combating mold.

Here are some caresheets:

http://www.bjarboreals.com/care_sheet_chondros.htm

http://www.reptilechannel.com/care-s...ee-python.aspx

http://www.herpetology.com/murdoch.html

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Jackie, I hate to sound like a jerk, but that is absolutely false. Chondros are one of the easiest snakes to keep contrary to belief. The difficulty lies in getting babies to hatch and feed. Once they are feeding on their own they are bulletproof. The humidity requirements are not what many think. The only time I mist my animals is during breeding season or shed cycles. High humidity can often be as bad as low humidity...as in bacteria and mold growth. With moderate humidity, which can be provided by a med-large water bowl, you usually don't have mold or humidity issues. Although they will drink water from misting, they will also drink from a water bowl at the bottom of the cage. If you can keep carpet pythons you can keep chondros. Check out my time lapse video from last night. Chondros are very easy to keep. I've been keeping them since 1995 and breeding them since 2000.

thanks everyone. i paid $350 from jungle bobs in long island for her (it's unsexed, hoping its a girl) and shes been very tame so far, hasnt struck at me and took a mouse fuzzy from my hand no problem. im loving this snake so far :)

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Originally Posted by Brandon Osborne

Jackie, I hate to sound like a jerk, but that is absolutely false. Chondros are one of the easiest snakes to keep contrary to belief.

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Noted, Brandon. Still gonna ask around some more before jumping into keeping jungle snakes in the middle of a desert...

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Originally Posted by loonunit

Noted, Brandon. Still gonna ask around some more before jumping into keeping jungle snakes in the middle of a desert...

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And I don't blame you one bit. Check out www.moreliaviridis.com. Greg Shroeder lives in Tuscon I think. He has been keeping chondros for many years. I'm sure he could offer you some great advice. But take my word, they are one of the most rewarding snakes to work with.

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Originally Posted by Brandon Osborne

Jackie, I hate to sound like a jerk, but that is absolutely false. Chondros are one of the easiest snakes to keep contrary to belief. The difficulty lies in getting babies to hatch and feed. Once they are feeding on their own they are bulletproof. The humidity requirements are not what many think. The only time I mist my animals is during breeding season or shed cycles. High humidity can often be as bad as low humidity...as in bacteria and mold growth. With moderate humidity, which can be provided by a med-large water bowl, you usually don't have mold or humidity issues. Although they will drink water from misting, they will also drink from a water bowl at the bottom of the cage. If you can keep carpet pythons you can keep chondros. Check out my time lapse video from last night. Chondros are very easy to keep. I've been keeping them since 1995 and breeding them since 2000.

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I totally agree! I was really intimidated too before I decided to get my first GTP but my snake's breeder has been immensely helpful and informative and I'm finding it no trouble at all! Having the right cage is important and makes meeting these snakes' needs a piece of cake. I like PVC cages myself, although there are many other worthy options. But I've found the PVC cages seem to work well in my home and geographical location.

These snakes do have certain requirements, but these aren't really any harder to meet than any other snakes'. You just have to know what they are and take the proper steps to meet them.

As far as humidity, you don't want it too high - that's a breeding ground for bacteria and too high humidity can cause RIs too that are harder to get rid of. GTPs also thrive with "drying out periods" between mistings. I do pretty much what Brandon does - mist each morning during sheds and otherwise only occasionally (maybe once a week?). I'll see Hunter licking the water droplets when I mist, but I also see him drink from his bowl. He's remarkably adaptable. :gj:

I agree I love my he is now about 4 3/4 to 5 ft now and sweet. Just can not get off Live food. He is great. What I know which not as much as most of you, I have seen that color stay and not go to green ( but i might be wrong).

The KOFIAU ISLAND LOCALITY stays Yellow

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Originally Posted by MSG-KB

I agree I love my he is now about 4 3/4 to 5 ft now and sweet. Just can not get off Live food. He is great. What I know which not as much as most of you, I have seen that color stay and not go to green ( but i might be wrong).

The KOFIAU ISLAND LOCALITY stays Yellow

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Only a small percentage of the "Canaries" stay yellow. My animals turned at around 4'. Some have been lucky and still have nice bright yellow adults, but they are rare. My adults would also shift from green to a dusty yellowish-green from day to day, back and forth. I wish I still had them.

As for feeding, I've never had an adult chondro refuse frozen thawed rodents once they were established in their habitat. I've had fresh imports come in and feed on frozen thawed from the first feeding. A lot of it has to do with presentation. If you present it to them in a way that is "natural", it will usually trigger hunting mode.....especially important when getting hatchlings to feed consistently.

I am no expert on GTPs, but from what I've learned, I'd be willing to bet that's a Biak X Jaya cross.. There is definitely Biak there, due to current pricing I'd have to say it's a crossbreed of localities.. I would check with salesperson, to see if they know, if not then just know its a beautiful GTP!!! :snake:

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Originally Posted by Lucas339

You can't tell what "type" of GTP it is unless you are there to catch it at that location. Everything else is just a best guess. Even those that work with them for a long time won't put a locale on them without paper work. If you got it at a pet store, its probably a farm bred animal which would be a mixed locale.

I also would caution you on handling at this age. The spines are fragile and you could damge it and not know until its an adult.

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This.

You have a beautiful gtp! I've been trying to decide on what my next snake will be, another ball python or gtp....decisions decisions!

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Originally Posted by Brandon Osborne

Only a small percentage of the "Canaries" stay yellow. My animals turned at around 4'. Some have been lucky and still have nice bright yellow adults, but they are rare. My adults would also shift from green to a dusty yellowish-green from day to day, back and forth. I wish I still had them.

As for feeding, I've never had an adult chondro refuse frozen thawed rodents once they were established in their habitat. I've had fresh imports come in and feed on frozen thawed from the first feeding. A lot of it has to do with presentation. If you present it to them in a way that is "natural", it will usually trigger hunting mode.....especially important when getting hatchlings to feed consistently.

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Brandon,

Since I got him at his current 4 1/2 ft and age unknown and was eating live, Can you give me a good tip on how to change his feeding this late in the game. I would love to go to F/T and and a brief on what you mean on this I have watch and seen the babys being feed but not a full Adult and do have the GTP Bible book but still not understanding, any help please. "If you present it to them in a way that is "natural", it will usually trigger hunting mode".

Thank You in Advance

Terrance

just a quick update, my baby gtp is doing awesome. starting to chage already, she's got green coming through quite a bit. she's very tame, i take her out a couple times. week and shes never tried to bite. amazing snake overall. even got her switche to f/t mice, she ate one dangling from tongs a couple weeks ago and last week i dropped it on the ground and she picked it right up and ate it. ill post some more pics when i get home

http://i.imgur.com/e0lSP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/7ME8d.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/r1RsZ.jpg

How old is she about? I have one that is just under a year old and have been told by the breeder to not handle him at all until he is over a year due to their spines being very soft and fragile. But otherwise very gorgeous GTP. Mine has not began to change yet, hope he stays yellow as long as possible.

yup shes a little more green and dark now.. changing earlier than i thought they normally do. not sure how old but i think between 6-9 months . i try to be pretty gentle with her even tho its prob not a great idea to handle her a lot. i want her to be tame though and used to being handled before she gets bigger

I have no direct experience with them, but I have always wondered exactly how the spinal damage from handling thing happens. You see it cautioned against a LOT, but nobody really specifies how it happens. I would *think* that if you're gentle and don't try to untangle them from their perch or your hands that it'd be pretty hard to hurt them. Is it from when people try to force them to come off a perch (or anything else they've got their tail wrapped around) and they resist? I'm not looking to get one anytime soon, but the GF thinks they're really pretty, and I agree, so it's possible we may end up with one eventually, and I'd like to know what the real deal with that issue is before getting directly involved.

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Originally Posted by olstyn

I have no direct experience with them, but I have always wondered exactly how the spinal damage from handling thing happens. You see it cautioned against a LOT, but nobody really specifies how it happens.

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Majority of spinal damage is from attempting to sex a juvi when the spinal column is still very weak; either by hemipenal popping and possibly snapping the spine due to excess pressure, or from restraining too tightly while attempting to probe.
As stated, spinal injury can also occur when uncoiling from a perch and placing too much pressure on the spine damaging the bone.
The best way to think of chondro spines is like a soft drinks straw, sturdy enough until excess pressure is applied and then it buckles. If released it will snap back into place but the kink will stay in place.

(edit) and also people don't realise just how prehensile the tails are, they could have 95% of the snake off perch and it still could be firmly anchored. If pulled at all at this time the bones in the tails will just snap.

Sent from my phone, to the Internet, to your screen.

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Originally Posted by ball-nut

Majority of spinal damage is from attempting to sex a juvi when the spinal column is still very weak; either by hemipenal popping and possibly snapping the spine due to excess pressure, or from restraining too tightly while attempting to probe.
As stated, spinal injury can also occur when uncoiling from a perch and placing too much pressure on the spine damaging the bone.
The best way to think of chondro spines is like a soft drinks straw, sturdy enough until excess pressure is applied and then it buckles. If released it will snap back into place but the kink will stay in place.

(edit) and also people don't realise just how prehensile the tails are, they could have 95% of the snake off perch and it still could be firmly anchored. If pulled at all at this time the bones in the tails will just snap.

Sent from my phone, to the Internet, to your screen.

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That makes perfect sense, given how tiny they start out. Sounds like I had basically the right impression to begin with - be gentle and don't force anything, and it'll most likely be ok. Probably best to just remove the perch with the snake on it, and if the snake chooses to interact with you or transition from the perch to your hands, great, but never try to pull it off the perch manually.