Handling Green Tree Pythons

[O.S.]

It was always my understanding that green tree pythons were not meant to be handled and are very agressive. Thats what swayed my decision and sent me to the BPs. Does it depend on individual snake, like your osrt of have to expose him and get him comfortable around you or what?

[bonheki]

Not all chondros are ageressive or mean.... Hatchling chondros should not be handled daily nor weekly they should on be bothered for cleaning and feeding, juviniles should be handled maybe once every other week and not roughtly and should only be bothered for cleaning and feeding, when they reach 18 months their back become more developed and are easyer to handel beacuse their backs arent as fragile..... Many people say they are mean and agressive because they get bit and dont like it... They deffinetly arent handleing snakes more display..... One of my adults is nice as can be hisses but doesnt bite at all..... My juvinile will bite sometimes but hasent bit me in a while.... Both are agressive feeders and dont mess around feeding time my juvinile has never missed a meal and my adult missed a a meal for a week but has been eating scince....
Anything particular you want to know?
If your looking to buy a chondro I suggest you buy Greg Maxwells book its very good its called the more complete chondro....
Also if you are looking to buy your best bet is to buy a yearling
Hope this helped...

[O.S.]

Indeed it did. unfortunately, im very new to this and have realized that a green tree python and an emerald tree boa are different....i really like the look of the snout on the green tree boa, and the colors when they are a juvenile...the bright yellow or crimson red is amazing. do they both have the same characteristics as far as temperament goes? is one easier to care for then the other, etc. i will definitely look at that book though, thanks.

[Buck_99]

My understanding from people who keep both Emerald Tree Boas and Green Tree Pythons is that the ETB's are nippier. I do not have personal experience with ETB's, however, so I don't feel comfortable saying categorically that one species is easier to handle than the other.

My own experience is with GTP's. I have four. Three are easy to handle. One requires more patience because she is more nervous. She is of the Biak locality type, which has this reputation. Still, I believe most adult CBB Biaks that have been properly socialized can still be handled. My other GTP's are docile creatures and I let my young daughters handle them. I handle my GTP's once or twice per week.

I agree with everything bonheki had to say. Maxwell's book suggests that most GTP's tame down as they reach maturity, and he believes CBB specimens tend to be more docile than WC or farmed individuals. Regardless, none are as easy to handle as ball pythons, because you can't just reach into a GTP enclosure and pull it off its perch. You have to remove the perch from the enclosure and gently coax them off. Obviously that's not as easy as reaching into a tub and grabbing a ball python. In my experience, though, once they're off the perch, there's no substantial difference between the two species as far as handling goes. This is true even of my Biak. Keep in mind that the perch represents security for them. Once they're on you instead of on the perch, YOU are the perch, and you represent security. Ironically, after a 5 to 10-minute coaxing of a GTP off its perch, I often find it equally difficult getting it to let go and go back to its enclosure and perch!

I don't know if I've said it on this forum but I'll say it again anyway: if a docile temperament is important to you, simply purchase a yearling or adult that you've had a chance to see and handle in person. Watch how the breeder does it. That way you know how to do it and you've alreay seen first hand that the snake you're going to buy can be handled. If you buy WC or from a farm, or if you buy a hatchling that hasn't outgrown its early nippiness, you're taking your chances.

As to coloration, the GTP's are like the ETB's in that they are vibrant red or yellows when young, then go through a stunning color change. There seems to be a greater variety of adult colorations with GTP's (blues, yellows, whites, and even melanism) than with ETB's (the latter are almost always green with white dorsal stripe and triangles), but maybe it's because there aren't as many breeders out there trying to tease out the morphs, or perhaps I'm looking at all the wrong sites.

My preference is definitely for GTP's. To me, ETB's look like they're snickering at something. They remind me of hyenas. And I know for a fact that GTP's can be handled. Everyone has different tastes, though. I'd ask some ETB owners for their thoughts because my opinion here is lopsided.

[bonheki]

Well I dont have any experience with etbs but I would like to get a amazon tree boa sometime in my life.... As far as chondros like buck99 said Biaks type chondros are usually more nippy,and considered the agressive/mean local ( Not all Biaks are bad ).... Usually Biak type chondros are more avalible in most pet stores then other chondros... Now not all pet/reptile stores carry only Biak type chondros some will have a veriety of chondros ( like ben sigels where I got my first chondro ) anything alse you want to know?