Are Green Tree Pythons Hard To Keep? 

With the proper caging and environmental conditions, they are one of the easier species to maintain. It is important to keep Green Tree Pythons within a certain temperature range. They also require much higher humidity level than many other species. It is a good idea to mist the animals at least once every other day to provide another source of drinking water. See Care & Maintenance. (From this point on Green Tree Pythons will be referred to as Chondros)

Are Chondros Mean?

I believe the myth of the bad temperament of these animals started in some of the earlier books written that included this species. At that time everything was written about wild-caught animals. On the whole, the majority of this species tolerate handling and many appear to enjoy it. Of course, there are some exceptions. Of the hundreds I have worked with over the last 6 years, I have been bitten only two times, both times were the result of using feeding tongs that were too short. All of the animals I keep, I can easily handle. When they are in hunting mode, however, they need to be handled by being hooked first and then brought out of the cage. So as not to be confused with a feeding situation. Temperament seems to be somewhat genetic. I have no desire to keep an animal that is difficult to handle. In short, yes, they can be handled. It’s certainly a good idea to keep them away from your face just as you would a common house cat. Just exercise reasonable precautions and be alert.

How Big Do They Get?

There can be great variation in adult sizes. Adults can be anywhere from 700 to 2700 grams and be from 4 - 6 1/2 feet long. They can be kept smaller by feeding them less (like any species) but their genetic make-up generally determines the adult size. If it is a bloodline in which the females peak out at 1000 grams of weight, one is not likely to force them to 2000. I prefer much larger bloodlines for the reason that, if I’m going to wait 3-4 years to raise an animal I would much rather get 30 babies than 10. Feeding more often will not necessarily result in an increased growth rate. My experience shows that chondros achieve about the same size at 18 months of age. However, the larger bloodlines continue growing at a faster rate between 2 - 4 years of age, whereas the smaller ones remain on a normal growth rate until they become adults (about 3.5 years of age).

What Does Their Diet Consist Of?

There are many different ideas as to what chondros eat in the wild. Since we as hobbyists are keeping them in cages, it is important to note they thrive on readily available mice and rats.

Am I Ready To Care For A Chondro?

It doesn’t take a lot of experience to prepare to care for one. It makes little sense to go out and purchase an Amazon Tree Boa being they are a cheaper arboreal with which to gain experience. It is, however, important to have some hands on experience with snakes and an understanding of temperature regulation, along with the proper equipment (heating supplies, thermostats etc.). Also, one needs to be comfortable dealing with rodents. Since Chondros are more specialized and don’t tolerate the neglect as many other species do, a good question to ask before you get your first chondro is this: “When the time comes to provide your animals with water, do you take out the water bowl and disinfect it prior to putting it back, or do you just fill it back up? If you just fill it back up, maybe you are not ready to care for them.

What Size Enclosure Should I Keep My Chondro In?

See Care and Maintenance section that covers the caging used from birth to 2 year olds. Most older literature suggests cage designs for adults should be much higher than wide. I’ve read suggestions of cages 6 feet high. The assumption is that since they are arboreal they like to climb up and down trees all day. Custom caging can be made this way but most of the area of the cage will go unused. It would also be very hard to maintain the correct humidity in a cage of such volume. There is also a risk to the animal should it fall from that height, which they do from time to time. This happens more when PVC is used for perching than natural wood but when the perch height is about 12 inches from the floor this is of little concern. I heard of a recent instance where a chondro fell from its perch and landed on the water bowl, which resulted in a slight kink in the tail of the animal. For an adult chondro a cage of 2x2x2 is more than adequate for the animal.

Why not imports?

My personal experiences with imports resulted in such quick deaths that I did not have time to come up with any useful data. I spend a great deal of time talking to others and trying to help when problems arise. The common problem with reptiles is that by the time the animals show symptoms it can be to late. With captive-bred-and-born animals on rare occasions a respiratory infection (R.I.) can occur, but fortunately it can be treated successfully most of the time. With imports R.I’s often continue to pop up again and again. There are so many problems associated with imports including internal and external parasites and the list is lengthy. Fortunately I don’t have to deal with them, so I really know little about these problems. I have concluded that imports are not worth the higher health risks. In most cases they don’t live a year and it’s not at all uncommon for them to die for no apparent reason after being in captivity of 2.5 years. The real issue at hand is that even if they do survive, they very rarely produce offspring.

What Causes Nose Swelling?

If you’ve already lost your first import to a respiratory infection and later bought a captive animal, this can be quite a shock. It happened to me once. Instead of the eyes becoming opaque, like so many other species going into shed, a chondro’s nose will swell. Males generally show a greater incidence of swelling. This is normal and expected. Chondros wait longer than other species to shed. Toward the end of the shed cycle one can observe areas on the body where the skin has already broken loose. This combined with the fact that they are thin skinned accounts for their tendency to be more prone to dry sheds than other animals. This can be minimized by more frequent spraying during the animals shed cycle, along with more attention given to your current caging and husbandry techniques.

Why Are Chondros Expensive?

My response to this question is usually, “compared to what?” In many cases one can purchase a captive bred and born chondro for less than what many of the designer geckos currently cost. When you remove the number of imports and farm raised chondros out of the equation there are actually very few Chondros produced in this country each year compared to other species. Chondros in fact are priced artificially low because of the number of imports and farm raised animals. If your only source of Green tree pythons was from breeders in this country the cost of these animals would probably be higher. Supply and demand plays a large role in cost, as does breeding success, hatch rates, and problems in getting them to start eating. The difficulty in starting a clutch of these animals can only be understood if one has done it. It is not an experience that can be explained. To a dedicated chondro keeper, however, it is worth every second of it. Your thrill of your first clutch of chondros cannot easily be put into words.

Why Is There A Slit In My Chondro’s Belly?

This is the umbilical scar like all pythons and boas have as babies. It will disappear over time and at 6 months or so will not even be evident.

What Is The Best Substrate To Use?

In my experience newspaper is without a doubt the best to use. It’s easy to clean and it doesn’t allow for the mold growth. Mulch and other similar substrates allow for more moisture and also may have a more aesthetic appeal. The main problem with this is when the animal is eating there is a risk of some of this material being lodged in the mouth and causing mouth rot or worse. A piece lodged in the windpipe could result in death. There is also a risk of mites. Moreover, there is no control over what the mulch has been exposed to (insecticides, etc). During the shedding process they tend to crawl around their cage and over the material and it is possible for a piece to become lodged in their mouth. I favor a sterile environment, controlling everything that these animals come in contact with. This is quite easy to do. Consequently, one doesn’t have to deal with antibiotics, parasites or any kind of medication.

Feeding Mice versus Rats?

Generally after a year of age I make the transition from adult breeder size mice to rat pups of equal size, the simple reason that growth takes off at that point. Once an animal begins eating rats I have found that the growth rate changes.

Feeding fresh killed versus frozen thawed?

First off let me state that feeding live should only be done as a last resort because of the risk to the animal and also because we can provide a more humane kill of the food item than the snake can. I know it’s not the way nature intended, but no matter what we do we can never even come close to a natural environment in any way, and there is no reason to. I’m sure feeding fresh killed rodents has its benefits, but I don’t know what those are. I cannot raise rats at my facility and have no desire to do so. I only feed frozen thawed animals and have been doing so for 6 years. With that said, I probably have some of the largest Chondros anywhere. I could not possibly ask more when it comes to clutch sizes and viability, pairing’s consistency, male breeding performance and overall health. It is as important to select a quality rodent breeder, as it is to select a chondro breeder. It makes no sense to go out and buy the best in chondros and then go to your local pet store and purchase a rodent. The risks by doing so would take up a whole page (It would start with internal parasites, external parasites, exposure to insecticides, what were they being fed, etc.)

How big are the teeth?

Chondros, for their size, do have larger teeth than many other species, but nothing when compared to the Emerald Tree Boa. The size of their teeth has been attributed to a number of things, one being that they are primarily bird eaters and need the larger teeth to puncture the feathers to reach tissue and hold onto the prey. Its since been proven that birds make up a small majority of their diet so the more likely explanation is that obviously they don’t get the same opportunities as terrestrial species (or the time) so when an opportunity of food comes along it better capitalize on it so it can survive.

How long can they go without a meal?

A healthy hatchling has about 2 months from birth until there is a real reason for concern. An animal 6 months of age or around 50-70 grams has around 4-6 months of a safety margin. Adults (captives bred and born) can go off feed for 6-12 months without a problem. My adult males generally go off feed here for 4-6 months during the breeding season, which is actually quite nice considering they cost a $1.75 to feed every meal.

Why are they moving their tails around?

This activity is referred to as caudal luring. This is normally done when the animals are hungry. Almost all of my animals start moving their tail when they see me in hopes of food. It’s believed that in the wild they use this as a way of luring food. Keep in mind it takes around 2-3 days for the animal to begin to digest and realize it doesn’t need to eat. This behavior will continue after feeding for a few days. Caudal luring will also sometimes be done when the animal is scared, if it’s being restrained, feels frightened or just hasn’t settled in. If you’re looked at as a possible predator the animal knows that its better your focusing on it tail then it’s head. (When you see this are you ever watching their head?) Just be certain that this behavior is because the animal wants to eat and not because its frightened.

Why is my Chondro Hanging its tail?

In my experience older adult females generally show this behavior. After several meals the weight of the stool on the tail is easier to allow to hang than to maintain the normal perch position, it’s not that they are trying to allow gravity to help them pass it. The best thing to do should this become of concern is to soak the animal for a half an hour. The main reason just to be certain that the animal drinks. Then the following day take the animal out again and clean out the whole cage. There is always a great deal of activity after an animal is placed back in a fresh cage. Or you can simply just stick it out on a chair with newspaper underneath. It’s important to make sure the animal is properly hydrated before doing this. It’s a good idea to have them drink the day before.

How often should I feed my Chondro?

Babies should generally be fed every 5-7 days, paying attention to their defecation rates. It’s important to hold back on feeding until after a bowel movement. After a year of age they should be fed every 7-10 days, again watching their bowel movements. It’s fine at this point to go two meals before holding off on food. Adults can be fed every 7 days to three weeks depending on the bloodline. Adults can be fed 3 meals before waiting for a bowel movement. These are just simply guidelines to help until you learn your animal’s digestion and defecation rates, you’ll learn quickly what’s appropriate for your animal.

Can I house my Chondros together?

Babies should not be housed together. I know of a few cases where one ate the other. These were instances where the animals where after the same food item and the larger ate the smaller along with the food item. I’ve heard of cannibalistic tendencies in babies but am uncertain if one simply went after the other deciding it was food or it was another feeding blunder. Adult males can never be housed together as a fight to the death is very likely. I’ve experimented with housing sub adult females together, and the problem with this is that when it came time to feed the slightest movement of the other would elicit a feeding response and they would wind up wrapping each other before I even got the cage lid open. (Just walking in the room with a tray of fresh thawed rats gets everyone at full attention). After the second incident I figured it was just better to keep them separate. Record keeping is also very hard to keep up with when housing animals together. In my experience the only time animals should be kept together is during breeding.

Do all snakes carry mites?

I’ve heard a number of people state that they believe all snakes carry mites and that it’s just something we have to deal with. This is in no way true. With simple precautions they can be completely avoided. Any new animal brought into a collection should be quarantined for at least 2 months, whereas I prefer 6 months (not just because of mites but for anything they could possibly be carrying) I’ve heard of a few instances where all someone did was attend a reptile show or help someone who’s collection had mites and then come home and bring them to theirs. I’m not sure if they brought the mites themselves home or the eggs. After attending any event or place where mites might be I simply wrap my clothes up in a plastic bag and hop in the shower. I haven’t dealt with mites in 18 years so I really can’t offer any advice as to how to get rid of them. It’s my understanding that Prevent-a-Mite spray is very effective when the directions are followed precisely. It’s believed that mites can be carriers of disease and I’ve even heard instances of death from severe infestations.

How do I deal with Rectal Prolapse?

When I first started building my collection of Chondros my biggest concern was the belief that chondros are a species that just continually prolapse. In fact this is not true. It does happen but with a frequency that makes it of little concern. It turns out this is not a problem I’ve had to deal with. If caught early enough, it can easily be fixed. A piece of stool caught in the rectal tissue can look like a full-blown prolapse. First be certain that it is not a piece of stool that became lodged. After a bowel movement, if a small piece of stool becomes lodged in the end of the bowel (that is outside the body where there is no muscle to facilitate its passage), this can easily be massaged out and what is left is tissue (almost paper thin) that immediately retracts.

  In the case of a baby prolapsing, the first thing to do is place it in about a quarter inch of water with a ball of paper towels inside to create a little island for the animal to lie on. Allow about 15 min. for the animal to drink, should it need to, and then add sugar to the water. After the animal settles on the paper towel “Island”, pour sugar directly on the rectal tissue and paper towel. The tissue should retract on its own overnight. If it doesn’t then it must be pushed back in manually. Rinse the tissue of the sugar prior to insertion. Keep in mind the tissue you’re working with is like a sock inside out. The tissue further out is what goes inside the deepest. Break off the end of a Q-tip (the paper kind not the plastic), smooth out the end by spinning it in some Neosporin on a table top, and gently push the bowel back inside by placing the Q-tip in the rectum. You may need to insert the Q-tip up to an inch to get the tissue back inside. If the animal immediately pushes the tissue back out again, a very small piece of electrical tape will be needed to hold it in place. After the tissue is back in, place the tape over the vent. (It is a better idea to place the tape right above the vent; this will keep the tissue intact but still allow fluid to pass). This should not be left on for more than 12 hours; otherwise the animal will not be able to pass fluids. (Generally within 12 hours the swelling subsides and remains intact) Then remove the tape using a Q-tip with vegetable or mineral oil.

  In the event of an adult prolapsing, the tissue will have to be reinserted and may need a purse string suture to hold it in place. It’s best to have this done by a qualified veterinarian. It’s a good idea to hold off on food for a few weeks until feeding resumes, but be sure to give smaller food items. I believe there are a number of causes of this problem. Most of the prolapses with which I have assisted were from imported animals. Parasite loads were likely to have been the dominant factor. I believe dehydration and stress can contribute to the problem. An animal that is stressed does not drink normally. Also be sure your animals have not gone into the “Zone”, a state in which they simply don’t move. Pull them out and make them move around a bit. Offer them some fresh water and/or put them back close to the water, or soak them to be sure they are drinking. *Please note this is for use in an emergency, a qualified veterinarian should always be consulted when possible.

Understanding Ovulation.

This will be put in a more detailed section later, but recently it has been my most frequently asked question. When your female first develops some blue coloration and quits eating, this is about the time when the follicles begin to develop. During this time there will be some light swelling and restlessness, many times while still perching normally. Roughly 3-6 weeks later, when these follicles mature, they are then ovulated. If so, you will note that the animals swells up and stretches out on the perch in my experience. They never remain in the normal perch position during ovulation. They just can’t as the mid-section is to swollen. There is very little movement during this time. If all goes well, it lasts approximately 24 hours. It starts out slowly with a nice peak in size, and then goes back down. During this time because of the extreme swelling the scales actually stretch to the point where they are in rows (picture 1, picture 2, picture 3, picture 4 ). It’s at this time that you know to expect something since there is no means to reabsorb the follicles. This signals the expectation of eggs, roughly 40 days later. The 40 days is a guideline that I simply used while initially trying to make the point that they do in fact visibly ovulate, and you can calculate when to expect eggs. In my experience, I’ve gotten eggs between 39-43 days, in most instances being 40. Now it is important to note that there are generally two instances of this swelling. This can occur anytime immediately after the first swelling up to a week later. Hence, the second event is useless to determine the day the eggs are due. In cases where the swelling occurs over a period of days, or there is no clear swelling, the result is slugs or half a clutch of slugs in my experience. From the feedback I’ve received on this subject, it would appear that eggs laid outside the range of 39-43 days are normal in coloration, but were not fertile. Also egg laying reported at 33-38 days with viable eggs suggests the initial swelling was missed. After you have seen this a few times, you can use this event to determine if you have a healthy clutch of eggs on the way.