New GTP, I'm concered he may be ill.

I recently acquired a GTP from a local friend, he's still pretty young, I would say about 2.5-3 foot long but very skinny and neon orange. I bought him a new enclosure (exoterra) with the proper substrate, perches, vines etc etc. I use a dome light for 12 hours in the day and off 12 hours at night, I sometimes use a infrared bulb depending on temps. I have the monsoon system running every four hours for 10 seconds. Everytime it turns on the tank is already dried.

My question is, he will not perch and I'm not sure why. He is either staying hidden behind the waterfall perching on the electrical chord, or he's burying himself in the moss and staying balled up like a ball python. It looks like he is possibly coming out of a shed, as the tip of his tail is still in shed. He has eaten, one frozen. He is extremely active when I open the tank or come near it. He is very nippy, doesn't seem lethargic or anything.

Why do you think this is? Why isn't he perching? I have the perch pretty low in the tank, and I've seen him crawl higher than what the perch is. Any ideas?

Do you have any pictures? He doesnt have any sort of a spinal injury does he? Young gtp's are very fragile. Many people dont sex or hold them until they are a year old because they are so fragile. Also, what are your temps? Maybe hes trying to get to, or away from heat.

Do u have a temp gun to see what the perch is at?
What are your temps and where in the tank is thermometer located?

I have a rhp for mine and the hotspot under it on the highest perch is about 83-85 but mine rarely uses it. He is usually a few inches over just to the side of the rhp.

Given the place to hide they well. Pics of the setup might help us give you some tips.

This is the best picture I have right now since I'm at work:

http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/...psc4b7449a.jpg


I do not have a temp gun but the temp gauge is right near the highest point on his perch and it reads around 87 during the day, and around 82 at night.

Have you tried putting the perch level? Also, those stick on gauges are very inaccurate.

That is the air temp that's 87 so I'm betting your perch surface temp is higher than that.

I give mine a cage temp of 80 with a hot spot of 83-85. Your setup is to warm.

What watt bulb are you using?

I would add a perch or two and make them more level. Put each one at a different height so it can select the one that is right for it. You are only giving it one option and its probably to hot that's why it won't use it.

That cage is also to big so I would cover the sides with thick paper to help make it feel secure. Watch your temp after you cover it. The paper will raise the temp a bit.

I'm no expert on GTPs as I just got my first one about 7 months ago. BUT, I think your perch is too big around for such a little guy. My adult (5 foot long!) GTP was on a perch that size when I got it and I thought it was too small. I was told by some long-time GTP owners and breeders that they perfer a perch skinnier than you would think. I upgraded my cage to a PVC cage and put multiple size perches in and she has chosen the smallest perch - a little bigger than yours'. My baby is about 3 inches in diameter (empty)!

I've seen GTPs the size of yours on perchs about as big around as a pencil or slightly larger. Can you add more than one perch to give her a choice?

Andy

Andy

Have you moved the perches around placing a larger size in the position of the thin one it perches on? I'm just wondering if it really is selecting the perch or just that perch height for the temp.

Just curious.

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Andy

Have you moved the perches around placing a larger size in the position of the thin one it perches on? I'm just wondering if it really is selecting the perch or just that perch height for the temp.

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Yep. I tried several sizes in the different locations to get it just right.
If you look on the right hand side of the setup, you can see the neonate. The perch is > 2X the diameter of the snake. Maybe each snake is different and because my snake was raised on a much smaller perch, that is what she perfers. I'd just TRY a smaller perch - maybe the diameter of the snake or smaller and see what happens. In Greg Maxwells book, I think I recall him talking about the Neonates on Biak perching on the twigs in the scrub brush - maybe he was refering to smaller neos??

Andy

I had one similar to the size of the op's. It had no problem perching on a larger perch and mine actually chose the larger perch over a thinner vine at the same height. I wonder it it does have something to do with what they were started on.

When I got him he came on a perch much bigger than what I have in there now and he perched on it. The tank isn't very large either, 18 inches wide by 24 tall. Should I still add something to make him feel more secure? Also, how can I lower temps? The day light bulb is a 100W, the night time bulb is a 75 watt.

The issue with adding more perches is that I'm not sure how. This one was a total pain in the ass, I had to buy a plunger, cut it to size, then use mounts to get it in there. I have no clue how to attach perches to a glass sided tank.

Use a rheostat (dimmer) to lower the output of the bulb. But a tstat would be best.

Yes cover the sides for security. A adult only needs a 2*2*2 cage and yours is a far way from that. Most young ones are kept in something around. 1*1*12-15".

As for the perches use rod hanger brackets and closet rods or pvc pipe. Just get a good adhesive.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_16696-47361-...oset+rod+mount

You can also google "pvc snake perch" and select images. You can find alot of pvc perches that are free standing and just sit inside the enclosure.

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Originally Posted by KMG

Use a rheostat (dimmer) to lower the output of the bulb. But a tstat would be best.

Yes cover the sides for security. A adult only needs a 2*2*2 cage and yours is a far way from that. Most young ones are kept in something around. 1*1*12-15".

As for the perches use rod hanger brackets and closet rods or pvc pipe. Just get a good adhesive.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_16696-47361-...oset+rod+mount

You can also google "pvc snake perch" and select images. You can find alot of pvc perches that are free standing and just sit inside the enclosure.

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Sweet, thanks a lot! I don't have any days off until Wednesday, will he be okay until then?

I would think so.

Walmart should have a dimmer if you have one close.

In regards to perch size... my December 2012 is on plastic coat hangers. The breeder mine came from said he uses those until at least a year. And that in his personal experience they tend to prefer a smaller perch. Since your guy hasnt changed color yet, I would assume its under a year. Might try a plastic hanger perch. Here is a pic for size idea. He's in shed and just ate, so nevermind him.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/06/22/uty7e4y8.jpg

I'm late to the party as I have been out of town. To the OP, enclosure husbandry is 110% of chondro care. I am going to try to give you some advice, please feel free to use whta you can to help your little one. My very first and foremost recomendation if you do not already own it is to invest immediately in the book The More Complete Chondro by Greg Maxwell. It is available on Amazon or Kindle. Every chondro owner should have this book as it is the bible to chondro ownership and guides you thru feeding, husbandry, care, veterinary issues, breeding, etc for all stages of a chondros life. Here are some thoughts for your husbandry:

#1 your enclosure is WAY too large for that young snake. We keep our neos in 6qt tubs until they are 12-18 months with coat hanger perches (as doolittle posted above) and then they graduate to a 15qt tub with a coathanger perch and a 1/2" pvc perch. When they are 2-3 years old (well through their morphing stage) they can go into a large tub, or a 24" cube.

#2 ditch the lights. your snake is grounded more than likely because he is too hot and cannot get away from the heat. we never use lights for our snakes, and if you do you must take into account the heat they are putting off. your cages is drying because your lamps are acting as a drying source and drying up the cage. chondros need radiant heat, either a heat panel above them, or back heat for younger snakes in tubs. They do not need lights overhead. all that does is dry them out and increase heat in their enclosure. they need to have a hot side and a cool side. hot side needs to be 86-87.

KMG also gave you some good information as well. Smaller enclosure, smaller perches, and I would get rid of the lights. He's telling you he is stressed. Your enclosure is very nice, for a larger animal. But this is a baby, he needs to feel secure and be able to self regulate. there's no way he can with those hot bright lights all over the cage.

Good luck to you!! Hope this helps some!!