These care sheets have been prepared to provide you with a general overview of the basics of caring for Green Tree Pythons. Although I do not consider them difficult to keep, chondros do have specialized needs that must be understood and met in order for them to thrive in your home. While no one person has all the answers, the techniques and methods described in these care sheets have evolved over a period of many years and have proven to be effective in keeping, rearing, and breeding chondros.
For complete information about the captive husbandry and breeding of Morelia viridis, order my comprehensive book, The MORE Complete Chondro. Autographed copies may be ordered directly from me, and you will have a detailed resource to guide you through all the keeping and breeding issues you are likely to encounter.
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Shedding and Defecation Cycles
Drug Regimen for Treating Respiratory Infection
So, you are thinking about acquiring your first chondro. You probably are filled with anticipation and excitement at the prospect of owning one or more of these beautiful animals, but at the same time you have many questions and concerns. You may have been told things about the difficulty in setting up and caring for these animals, or you may have the impression that they require elaborate misting systems and cages etc. These Care Sheets (and the Chondro Myths section) have been written to help you, and guide you through the process of getting to know the basics about GTP care. This can be, and should be, a fun and enjoyable learning experience. Hopefully you will be able to familiarize yourself with the information presented here before you bring home that first animal, but keepers of all levels of experience will hopefully gain some valuable insight from this information. Let's discuss how to go about finding and buying a quality animal.
Selecting a Breeder
This section is titled this way specifically, and for a good reason. You are not shopping for the right animal nearly as much as you are looking for the right breeder! If you are new to chondros, the previous statement is perhaps the most important thing you will read in this entire section. A committed breeder will be dedicated to your success and satisfaction, and chances are that even with the purchase of a healthy captive bred animal you will need some help and advice...know who you are buying from! The above statements are true whether you ever consider buying a chondro from me or not. This is not a sales ploy... it is the truth!
Eliminate from your thinking the possibility of buying your animal from a general reptile dealer, swap meet vendor, broker (a person who did not hatch the animals but is simply selling them for someone else), and most on-line classified ads. All of these are high risk sources for chondros, and often sell parasitized imported animals. Frequently these animals are marketed as "captive bred" or "farm raised" and usually have some locality name stuck on them. Do yourself a huge favor and avoid buying from such sources. Make up your mind that you will only consider true domestic captive bred animals from a reputable breeder. It is the same difference as buying a hunting dog from a fine breeder, or from a pet store via a puppy mill.
Instead, focus on getting to know some good, quality oriented breeders who concentrate their efforts on chondros. Ask a lot of questions, and by all means visit the facility of the breeder if possible. This will allow you to not only get to know the person and his or her business philosophy, but also to see how the animals are set up and cared for. This can help you a lot with deciding how to approach your own caging and husbandry. Avoid those who won't allow you to see the breeding stock, their facilities, or are impatient and don't want to answer questions. Most successful breeders have no trouble selling their stock, so be cautious around people who seem pushy to make a sale. Never buy sexed chondros under a year in age...due to the fragility of the spine and tail, neonates must not be sexed. Don't listen to anybody who tells you otherwise. For more on this, see the sexing policy remarks on the Terms page.
How do you find such people? It is not as difficult as it may sound. You can get to know many of the reputable U.S. breeders by participating on the ChondroForum and by checking out the list of breeders on ChondroWeb.com. Write to prospective breeders and ask questions. Be prepared to be patient...many breeders have seasonal clutches and don't maintain an inventory, and the few breeders who produce year round usually have a waiting list. But the animals in both cases are worth the wait.
Preparing for your first Chondro
There is a lot to do while searching for a breeder and waiting for your animal once you have selected a person to do business with. Of primary importance is the establishment of your cage and the proper environment for your new friend. The Caging and Environment section below covers the basics. See my book, The Complete Chondro, for in-depth treatment of this important topic.
Select an out-of-the-way, thermally stable location for the cage or tub. Keep in mind that chondros are a humid environment animal, and make or buy cages that won't degrade from contact with moisture. Don't skimp on caging...it makes no sense to spend the money on a good animal and then cut corners with your cages and equipment. In addition to the cage and it's components, you will need a good thermostat, a decent thermometer,an appropriate size snake hook, forceps or tongs for feeding, and a spray bottle for misting.
Spend time reading and learning all that you can before getting that first animal. These Care Sheet topics are important to know about, and the ChondroForum Archives are a gold mine of information. Visit other keepers and see how they do things. When the day comes for the new arrival, your cage and your grasp of basic husbandry will be in place.
A few important principles for the first day
1. Do not handle new chondros, especially babies. If you must handle your reptiles, buy a corn snake. It is a good practice to avoid handling any juvenile chondro under one year in age, and to give new chondros of any age several weeks of acclimation before attempting handling.
2. Provide a thermal gradient between 82 and 88 degrees F.
3. Begin misting your cage and animal from the first day. Proper hydration is important to avoid stress and to assist in a smooth acclimation period.
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Nothing is more important to your success as a Green Tree Python keeper than (1) knowing how to select or build a cage that will allow the proper environment to be established and maintained, and (2) then knowing how to provide that environment. Methods used can range from simple to high-tech, but the fundamentals must be understood regardless of which means are employed to provide them.
There are many types of cages available for reptiles these days, made from several different materials. Each design and material has advantages and disadvantages. It is important to understand that there is no perfect cage design! However, some materials and designs are definitely better than others. I've been designing snake cages since I was a teen, I've owned and operated a successful cage company, and I'm a skilled fine furniture maker, so I know what I'm talking about here.
Plastic cages are ideal for a semi-humid environment, and are lightweight. But, they don’t always hold heat well, can crack or melt, may be impossible to stack, and can be very expensive. Most, in my opinion, are not very attractive. Neodesha Plastics, Vision Cages, Habitat Systems, and Barrs all make decent plastic cages. I have experience with using all four brands, and if you want to go with a ready-to-use commercial cage, I recommend the PVC plastic cages sold by Habitat Systems. They can be purchased fully equipped, and are easy to clean, hold heat and humidity well, have good visibility, and are decent looking. In my opinion, they are superior to other plastic commercial cages available.
Glass aquarium tanks will not suffer from contact with moisture, and give excellent visibility, and they are cheap. But, you will need to build a cover, heat and humidity loss out the top is high every time you open them, breakage is common, and stacking is again a problem. In my opinion, aquariums are best at what they were designed for...fish.
Melamine cages are affordable, attractive, easily cleaned, hold heat well, and can be easily stacked. However, they are heavy to move, and excessive moisture will damage the cage components. Even if you exercise reasonable care with moisture, eventually melamine will degrade. My original chondro cages are made from melamine and still in daily use after almost ten years, but they are in need of replacing.
Wood cages have the same general characteristics as melamine, although somewhat lighter and slightly more resistant to moisture damage. But, they must be painted or sealed to allow easy cleanup, and even then they will absorb odors. Unless you have the tools and skills to apply a professional laminate such as Formica, wood is not the best choice for a humid environment.
Screened cages, such as those sold for chameleons, should be avoided...they are much to open to maintain a proper humid environment.
Plastic tubs, available commercially in many sizes, are ideal when enclosed in a cabinet designed to hold them. They maintain high humidity easily and will never be damaged from the moisture. They are an economical way to house many animals, but they do provide limited visibility, and require you to make a top or cabinet to use them. This is the easiest way to house a single neonate or yearling...plans for making such a tub setup can be found here.
Small plastic tubs housing hatchlings
My own personal preference for housing adult chondros is to build custom cages that incorporate all the important design features chondros need, and look the way I want them to. I prefer plastic tubs kept in heated cabinets for housing hatchlings and yearlings. After building and using cages of many different designs for chondros, I've settled on what I feel makes the best all-around design for this species. These cages include solid sides and tops to hold heat, removable sliding glass front doors for controlled access and good visibility, rear ventilation, a dark colored water proof interior, removable real branches, and an attractive wood front face frame. Some of these cages are pictured below.
I have compiled a complete materials list and detailed plans for making these cages, and published them free of charge.
Cage Size
I prefer larger cages than are often recommended for arboreals. Because these animals are nocturnal and lead sedentary lives by day, there is a tendency to use small cages for them. Small cages provide little environmental stimulation and little or no thermal gradient. Saving money and space are poor reasons to decide on a small cage size. I recommend adult cages that are at least 36" long and 24" high and deep.
Cages can be too large, and excessive air space can be difficult to heat and humidify. The tall cages often recommended for arboreals are not the most practical, and anything over 30" high is excessive.
Fine GTPs Adult cage
Fine GTPs Main Room
Cage Setup and Environment
The general information below will provide you with the basics you will need to set up and maintain the proper environment for keeping healthy Green Tree Pythons. Complete, detailed information can be found in my book, The Complete Chondro.
Heat
Captive chondros do best with a thermal gradient established in the cage. A horizontal gradient is much preferred over a vertical one. Most chondros will perch in the highest part of the cage and will often ignore a vertical gradient. The gradient should be between 78F and 89F with an average temperature of 85 degrees or so. Most captives seek out temperatures around 84-85F under normal conditions, but may bask under warmer temps after eating and at other times. Avoid temperatures under 75F and over 90F.
The best and easiest way to provide heat for display type cages is with an overhead radiant heat panel. I use and recommend those sold by Pro Products. These panels work very well, and most importantly they will not burn your animals.
Lighting
While chondros do not need any special lighting, such as a Vita-lite or other brands that provide full spectrum light, they do respond well to some type of florescent light that provides a 12-hour photoperiod as a part of each 24 hour cycle. If you are using a fluorescent cage light, you may as well use a full spectrum bulb, because they will show your animal's true colors and beauty. A simple lamp timer is an easy way to regulate the daily photoperiod. Tree pythons are highly nocturnal, and many will not feed except at night. It is natural for them to enjoy a long dark period as a part of each 24 hour cycle.
This is an important topic when discussing chondro husbandry, and is one that causes unnecessary confusion. The level of humidity in a given environment will be based on a number of factors such as how much moisture is added to the cage daily, temperature, ventilation, how well the cage substrate holds and releases moisture, etc. You will need to experiment with your own set up and existing factors, adjusting these until you have the correct balance. Use observation as the best guide, which is better than attempting to maintain a specific percentage of relative humidity. Also, remember that just having a wet cage interior is not the same as providing humidity, which is the amount of moisture in the air. For example, an excessively ventilated cage can have standing water on the floor and still not be humid.
Many people have an exaggerated idea of how much humidity these snakes require. They may suffer health problems if kept too wet, including skin infections. The only time to err on the wet side is during the animal’s shed cycle. Chondros are very thin skinned and sheds will dry on them very easily if the relative humidity is too low during the shedding period. The goal should be a gradual drying out period at night and early morning, followed by an increase in humidity in the afternoon and early evening. Condensation on the glass 24 hours a day, or the growth of mildew or mold, indicates excessive humidity. On the other hand, if the cage is dry three hours after spraying, there is not enough humidity. A hand-held mister or pressure sprayer works just fine for daily misting. I have used automatic misting systems and do not care for them. Another important point to remember is that chondros may drink off of themselves after misting, so keep the water and the sprayer clean!
To sum up...provide moderate to heavy humidity, along with an overnight drying out period. Regulate cage humidity by increasing or decreasing the amount of misting and dampness in the cage substrate, along with adjusting the ventilation. And remember, other than at shedding time, humidity is not critical. Getting it right is important to the long term health of your animals, but having it too high or too low for brief periods won't hurt anything.
Substrate
The purpose of the cage substrate is to provide an easy to clean material that will hold and release moisture. Newspaper works well and is easy to replace. Red cypress mulch is an ideal substrate material...it smells and looks very nice and holds moisture well, plus it is inexpensive. I do not like green indoor-outdoor carpeting as it can hold a lot of filth, and stays wet underneath providing a place for bacteria to grow. Do not use standing water as a substrate. I don't know how that idea got started, but it is potentially unsanitary, and difficult to keep clean. Avoid any materials that grow mold quickly when damp. I use newspaper in my small plastic tubs, and cypress mulch in large tubs and adult cages.
Perches
Chondros spend most of their time perched on some type of branch. You will need to provide them with some type of secure perch that is about the same body diameter as the animal you are housing. I use real wood perches in most of my cages, cut from Sugar Maple trees. These look great, are safe and non-toxic, clean up easily by scrubbing with a stiff brush and some hot water, are free, and don't grow mold like wood dowel rod does. Wash cut branches thoroughly, and make sure there are no parasites in or on them. Branches cut from live trees rarely have parasites inside. Other perch materials that work well are plastic rods and PVC pipes of the correct diameter. Avoid using hardwood dowels from the hardware store, because these mildew and discolor quickly. Make sure to mount your perches securely so they won't rotate or fall when the animals use them. I use hooks and screw-in eyes from the hardware store to hang my perches, and I use branches that are forked so I have a three-point contact when hanging them...this prevents them from rotating.
Plants
Live plants look nice if kept moderate in size, and can contribute to a good atmosphere in the cage. Pothos works very well and looks great. The trouble with live Pothos and other plants is that they need a lot of light to grow, and won't thrive under the limited florescent light recommended for chondro cages. They also require pruning, watering, and fertilization. A great alternative to live plants are good quality silk plants, obtainable from craft supply stores. Regardless of what you use, make sure to wash it first. Live plants must be assumed to have insecticide on them and in the soil, so be sure to replace the soil and wash the leaves well.
Drinking Water
Water bowl size is not critical, and a large one will help increase humidity. Too large of a water bowl will make cleaning it and changing the water a chore, which you will then tend to put off. Keeping the bowl clean and the water fresh is more important than bowl size. I am not in favor of the practice of placing water bowls on top of heating pads to increase humidity. Heated water grows bacteria more quickly, and I don't like drinking warm water so I don't think my chondros would either. As was mentioned in the humidity section, chondros will often drink droplets of water off of themselves after misting. Because of this, make sure the water you spray on them and the cage interior is safe and clean, as well as keeping the sprayer clean. Don't use petroleum based lubricants on pump sprayers, as this goes into the water. Use olive oil.
Some individuals tend to complicate GTP husbandry by suggesting elaborate or impractical methods for providing the animals' needs, and hydration is one of these issues. There is no need for foggers, humidity contraptions, elevated water bowls, or other such devices. Healthy chondros, kept in a proper environment, do not have a predisposition to dehydration. True expertise with these animals is reflected in simple and easy care information that is time-proven to be effective.
Cage Setup
To sum up, set up your cage with a horizontal thermal gradient between 82-88 degrees. Use a high quality proportional thermostat to regulate an overhead heat panel, hanging the thermostat probe under the heater at perch height. Use a good thermometer to establish cage temps - don't guess. Provide clean drinking water in a medium sized bowl, and spray daily to develop a high humidity period that dries slowly. Use a timer to establish a twelve hour photoperiod. Provide sturdy perches that are roughly the same diameter as your chondro.
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Green Tree Pythons do well on a diet of mice or rats that have been fed a nutritious lab chow. Most chondros, especially non-gravid females and well-started juveniles, have hearty appetites. Getting these specimens to feed is not a problem. In fact, care must be exercised in approaching the animal with a food item after dark, as the feeding reflex can be can be quite strong, resulting in a strike at the slightest movement. In addition, tree pythons have heat-sensitive pits in their lips that can cause them to target your hand if it is warmer than the prey item. This is usually the case when feeding frozen and thawed rodents. All of this makes using a pair of long 18" tongs or forceps a necessity when feeding your animals. Using anything shorter while feeding adults will result in bites to your hand! Never expose a part of your hand or face to a chondro when opening the cage, especially at night.
Unlike most colubrid snakes, Green tree pythons should not be power fed to induce rapid growth. Keep meal sizes reasonable. A meal that makes a noticeable swelling, but not a huge lump, is about right. Baby chondros should eat every 5- 7 days, and every 7-10 days from 12 months and older. Large adults, especially females during non-breeding periods, may only need food every 12-14 days. Prowling for food, growth rates, and defecation cycles, can help determine frequency of feeding.
Always feed dead prey items to those animals that will accept them. This will be true of most chondros. A very useful trick that will often produce an enthusiastic response from an otherwise disinterested animal is to hold the head of the dead thawed rodent against a 100 watt light bulb for about 15-30 seconds and then immediately place it in tongs in front of the snake’s face. The heat pits located in the lips of the chondro will detect the heat and will often trigger a good response in slow feeders. The same is true for feeding neonates, except better results will be had by heating a mouse pinky or fuzzy in very hot tap water prior to offering it to the chondro. Almost all of the animals in my collection feed on frozen-thawed rodents. Chondros get all the nutrition they need from being fed healthy lab rodents, and they do not need variety or supplemental food items such as chicks.
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Different chondros have different defecation rates, depending on growth, age, gender, and other factors. Older females frequently defecate less often than males, and young animals of both genders defecate more often than mature specimens. Some adults will "tail hang" prior to defecation. Although this often causes alarm among inexperienced keepers, it rarely is a problem.
There is a "rule" that has become somewhat popular, that says chondros should not be fed their next meal until they defecate from the last one. This policy will result in many specimens being under fed. However, if a particular animal has an obvious stool it needs to pass, wait until it does so before feeding the next meal. Environmental stimulation will often prompt regular defecation. Chondros will usually defecate when shedding as well. The snake that sits day after day without any movement or environmental stimuli could grow bored, obese, and constipated. As veteran keeper and chondro pioneer Trooper Walsh says, "Change is good". Soaking and some gentle handling can help stimulate a bowel movement.
Shedding takes place often in growing juveniles, about once every 6-8 weeks. As the snake grows to adult size, sheds occur over a much longer time period, usually several months. Do not allow the humidity to drop too low during the shed cycle, which is a 10-14 day process that begins with a dulling of the colors and an opacity developing to the clear eye caps. In chondros, this milky appearance is much more subtle than in other snakes, and it takes some experience and a trained eye to discern the opaque period in some individuals. This is especially true with yellow neonates...these can be very difficult to when opaque. The python will almost always go off feed during this period, and may assume odd looking or unnatural postures, including coiling on the ground. Learning to adjust the humidity to a proper level to ensure good sheds is one of the skills needed for good husbandry. If the humidity is too low during the opaque period, the animal will have difficulty removing it’s old skin.
Do not attempt to handle, feed, or move chondros during a shed cycle. Needless to say, they should not be shipped or transported during this time either. Stress during the opaque period often results in poor sheds regardless of the environmental conditions.
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The best person to help you overcome any problems you encounter is the breeder who sold you the animal. The tips below will assist you in dealing with the most common problems and behavior issues.
If the chondro is a baby please see the section on feeding neonates in the Breeding section.
Is the animal in a shed cycle? Most snakes will refuse food during the entire pre-shed period.
Is the animal stressed or frequently disturbed? Is the cage in a high-traffic area of the house? Has it had enough time to acclimate to its new cage? This can take several weeks with some individuals. The worst thing you can do with such an animal is keep pestering it with food. Healthy adults can go for months without food, and even neonates can fast for 8 weeks or longer right out of the egg.
Is the snake a male one year of age or older? Most males go off feed for part of the year whether they have been cycled and bred or not. This is normal and not a cause for worry as long as the animal is in good shape going into the fast. Males will eat again when they are ready, and this can be weeks or even months. Don't get creative with a lot of different types of food- if he ate rats before he will eat them again.
Shedding problems are a common difficulty experienced by beginners. It takes time and a familiarity with the right amount of humidity to experience consistent good sheds. Neonates are particularly vulnerable to low humidity and dry sheds. Fortunately, dry sheds can be corrected without too much trouble, unless they are really "baked on." Here are some tips for preventing dry sheds, and for correcting them after they occur.
Keep humidity high throughout the shed cycle. Keeping records can be a great help in anticipating shedding intervals and timing. Really boost humidity the day or two before the shed is expected, after the colors and eyes clear up from the opaque period.
To remove a dry shed from a baby GTP, place the animal in a deli cup with a few small air holes in it. Place a folded, soaking wet paper towel in the bottom of the cup, along with just enough water to wet the bottom of the cup. Use caution- babies can drown easily in too much water. Place the cup with the snake inside and the lid on in a warm place. Depending on how dry the shed is, it may take from several hours up to a couple of days for it to soften and come off.
The best way to loosen and remove a dried shed from an adult is to set up a "wet box" for the animal. Use a medium sized plastic tub, a three gallon size works well. Place a soaking wet terrycloth bath towel saturated with warm water in the bottom of the tub. Place the chondro under the towel. Allow a small amount of water in the bottom of the tub, perhaps 1/8 inch, not more. It may take from several hours to several days for the shed to come off, depending on how dry the shed was to begin with. The snake will usually rub off the shed crawling through the wet towel, so keeping the animal covered with it helps. In bad cases you will need to carefully remove the shed manually. Do not try to remove retained eye caps. This is dangerous, and they will come off with the next shed and with no harm done.
Do not handle or stress a chondro that is in a pre-shed condition. This alone can cause a bad shed even if the humidity is sufficient.
3/ Lethargy
Make sure there is a horizontal heat gradient in the cage, don't heat the entire cage (or room) at a single temperature.
Provide large cages with plenty of exploring room. Most of my adult cages are 40-48" long.
Stimulate the python into activity by manipulating the cage environment. Extra misting, night cooling, handling, changing the substrate, etc. can help.
Chondros are often very active after being placed into a new cage, but quickly settle back into an inactive mode of life. This illustrates how important environmental stimuli can be in overcoming lethargy and the associated problems.
4/ Animal Is Overly Aggressive
Actually, this isn't something that can be "solved" with some individuals. Chondro personalities range full spectrum, from dog tame to psychotic. Most chondro babies are very snappy, and this usually lasts until around a year in age or so. After this length of time most begin to settle down on their own. Gentle handling beginning at a year of age or so can help many chondros adapt to becoming tame or semi-tame adults. However, some will never accept being free-handled without a lot of stress, and it is wrong to force "taming" on these snakes. If yours is very aggressive, be sure to locate the cage so that the stress level of the animal will be minimized. Never allow the animal to repeatedly strike the glass. Exercise caution at night if you use a flashlight to feed or observe. Many pythons will strike at a shadow reflected on the cage back. We must accept that some of these creatures are high-strung, and treat them accordingly.
This problem is not common in properly maintained collections. However, most keepers with multiple animals will experience prolapse at some point. Even veteran keepers experience this condition from time to time, and the occurrence of prolapse does not necessarily indicate that there are husbandry problems. Actually, chondros prolapse part of the bowel as a normal part of defecation. The problems arise when the rectal tissue fails to retract, and begins to swell. This looks like a pink bubble or blob of tissue protruding outside of the vent. Left untreated prolapse can be fatal. Conditions that may lead to prolapse include stress, temperatures too high, dehydration, feeding too large a meal or feeding too often, lack of exercise, and in the case of babies, eating unnatural food items. (It is very doubtful that pink mice make up wild neonates' diets.) However, prolapse can occur for no apparent reason even under good conditions, so if you are doing things correctly and experience a prolapse, don't beat yourself up...they happen to experienced keepers too. Animals that repeatedly prolapse are most likely suffering from deeper health issues.
The first order of business is to keep the swollen tissues from drying out. Place the snake in an appropriate size container (such as a deli cup for babies) with a small amount of warm water in it. Be sure that the water isn't deep enough to drown the chondro - use just enough to keep the swollen tissue moist. Make a thick sugar and water paste and apply some to the tissues. Often this will cause the prolapse to retract within a few hours, or overnight. An eye dropper can be useful in applying the sugar paste. Sometimes the tissue will go down in size but not fully retract. Use a clean blunt tool such as an appropriate size sexing probe, and gently push the tissue back into the body cavity. Push the tissue completely into the body, but not farther than is needed to get it all reinserted. If you aren't comfortable with doing this, or if no improvement has been observed within 24 hours, see let a qualified veterinarian. In really bad cases, mild anesthesia will be needed to relax the muscles enough for reinsertion. Sometimes a purse-string suture is needed to retain the prolapse while things heal.
Withhold food from the recovering animal for at least a couple of weeks and then start with very small food items. Watch for a normal defecation, and then slowly work back up to normal meal size and feeding frequency. Most cases of prolapse look much worse than they really are, and usually the condition is very treatable if caught early. Adult females can make a full recovery and go on to lay eggs without complications, as long as sufficient time is allowed for complete healing.
From time to time, some chondros will lay on the floor of the cage, or under paper substrate. Factors inducing this behavior may include stress, hiding from other snakes in the cage (including a mate), shed periods, temps too high or low, or shyness. However, some chondros will do this just because they want to. Unless the cause is one that needs to be corrected, this behavior is harmless and usually lasts just a few days. A lot of owners fret when experiencing this for the first time, thinking that something must be wrong for an arboreal snake to lay on the ground, but in most cases there is no cause for concern.
7/ Other Medical Problems
Most medical problems can be avoided by only purchasing healthy, quality animals from reputable sources, and by keeping your cages and reptile area sanitary. Quarantine all new animals for 3-4 months, and never allow your animals to have direct contact with other animals or persons that may be a source of diseases or parasites. Swap meets should always be considered risky. Know that there are mites present on some animals at all swaps. Break the rules and you'll get burned sooner or later. Use an anti-bacterial soap to clean cages, water bowls, and your hands before and after working with reptiles. Here are some tips for a few common health related issues:
Mites
You should never have to deal with mites if you take proper precautions... I haven't had any in years. It is false information that snake mites originate from substrates or branches. The common snake mite (and the one we are concerned with) is spread from other reptiles...period. The tiny mites can infest whole collections rapidly unless stopped. The eggs can even be transported on clothing from place to place. Proper precautions can prevent you from ever having to deal with them. Fortunately there is an easy cure if you ever do encounter mites... Provent-A-Mite, from Pro Products. Follow the directions to the letter.
RI (Respiratory Infection)
RI is often the result of a lowered immune system caused from stress. Stress can result from many things, including cage changes, shipping and transport, breeding, fasting, bad sheds, excessive handling, etc. These things do not cause RI; rather, bacteria already present in the snake's system "take over" when stress lowers the effectiveness of the immune system. Symptoms of RI can include a wheezing or rattling sound when breathing, holding the mouth open, mucus in the nostrils or throat (that can cause the animal to blow bubbles), and going off feed. Chondros suffering from very light cases detected early can sometimes be treated successfully with a temperature increase to the upper 80's and moderate to high humidity, but most cases respond best to a course of an appropriate antibiotic. Your vet can do a lab culture to determine the presence of pathogens and how to best treat them. RI can be fatal, so don't delay treatment if it is evident the animal isn't well.
Drug regimen for treating RI in chondros
I treat most cases of RI with a combination of the antibiotics Amakacin and Fortaz. This treatment was passed on to me by Trooper Walsh, who got it from Dr. Scott Stahl. The treatment is reprinted here as a service to the chondro community, and it has proven to be highly effective. Disclaimer: Fine GTPs shall not be liable for any damage caused to any animal from the use of this treatment, including incorrect dosages, failure to cure RI or its symptoms, or death of the animal. Always consult a qualified veterinarian before giving drugs to any reptile. Here is the regimen:
Start with a high loading dose of Amikacin on day one (50 mg/ml, 5mg/kl = 0.1cc/ 1000 gm) followed by a dose of Fortaz (280 mg/ml, 28 mg/kg = 0.1cc /1000 gm) on day two. Give one day off, then begin a series of injections every three days of both the Fortaz and a maintenance dose of Amikacin (2.5 mg/kg = 0.05cc/ 1000 gm) until the snake has been given a total of 10 injections of each drug over 30 days.
Baytril can be effective against some bacteria but can cause skin lesions and muscle scaring due to it's acidity. Amikacin has no such problem, but it is hard on kidneys. So, be sure to keep the renal system flushed by injecting 5-10 cc of ringers (sterile water solution) under the skin using various injection sites each time the Amikacin is injected. Note Fortaz degrades very rapidly at room temperature once it is reconstituted, so make up the doses ahead of time and then freeze them. When it is time for an injection, thaw the liquid by rubbing the syringe in your hands...inject immediately.
Don't feed the snake during treatment...digesting food puts further strain on the kidneys.
Spinal Kinks
While these are not usually a medical problem, and nothing can be done about them, they warrant some discussion here because many keepers have questions about them. Most kinks are caused by "popping" or probing neonate chondros to determine the gender. Many years ago it was determined that if young chondros were not subjected to this practice, spinal and tail kinks were rare. Regardless of who tells you otherwise, or how experienced they claim to be, never buy a chondro that was sexed while under a year in age. I have personally seen specimens with spinal kinks that came from sources who claim that they can perform the action without harming the animal. Accusations that breeders like myself actually sex babies, and then sell the males as unsexed, are absurd.
The damage caused by early sexing usually does not show up right away. Such kinks, even severe ones, usually don't interfere with normal defecation or breeding. I have seen females with very bad kinks successfully lay eggs. However, I have also seen specimens suffer nerve damage and broken vertebra. One male I saw was so badly damaged that he had lost the use of the rear third of his body and was unable to defecate on his own. He eventually died from a massive prolapse.
Kinks can also develop from spinal damage resulting from improper handling of young chondros, including pulling the tail off of a perch. This is why the unnecessary handling of young animals is discouraged. It's possible the animals can even damage themselves during fits of anger, or from binding while emerging from an egg. Chondros seem much less prone to spinal damage after they are a year old or so.
Dehydration and Kidney Stress
Green Tree Pythons are vulnerable to kidney damage. Imports often have kidney damage from lack of proper humidity and water during capture, containment, and transport, and can expire after months in the U.S. Certain antibiotics can harm the renal system of chondros unless precautions are taken. Baby chondros may show kidney stress when ill or exposed to contaminants in poor quality drinking water. These symptoms, which are easily recognizable once you have seen them, include a bloated appearance that looks as if the specimen were filled with water like a balloon (which in fact is it is), or a dry, wrinkled appearance. The latter can also be caused from a dry shed. Dry sheds in neonates can damage the kidneys through dehydration and should be avoided by always providing proper humidity.
Treatment first includes remedying the problem that caused the stress and/or the dehydration. Proper cage humidity, and clean drinking water of known quality, are important. I have nursed several babies showing moderate kidney problems back to health by providing Reverse Osmosis filtered water for them, both as drinking water as well as in the sprayer. Make sure to mist such babies twice daily, and feed them reasonable sized meals. Digesting food puts proteins into the system, which can further stress the kidneys, so keep meals on the small side until the animal recovers. You can inject pinkies with clean water before feeding them to animals suffering from the problem to aid in hydration.
Skin and Mouth Disorders
Excess moisture, and a constant hot, wet, cage environment can cause bacterial skin problems. Incubating females that have sat on damp infertile eggs can suffer skin lesions and infections too. Unless the condition is severe, correcting the environmental problem will take care of the skin issue. Often after a shed or two the animal will look like new. The same goes for small cuts, abrasions, scrapes. Make sure that the cage interior contains no sharp edges or abrasive surfaces such as metal screen. If the area of damage looks infected, see your vet for treatment. Lacerations, unless very small, should be sutured shut. Again, several sheds will heal the incision. An interesting note about skin wounds is that they usually heal with a different color than the rest of the animal. Scars may be black, blue, or bright yellow.
Mouth damage may result in a condition known as "mouth rot". A veterinarian can prescribe antibiotics to help. This condition is entirely preventable with clean conditions and proper husbandry techniques.
Conclusion
I hope that these care sheets are a help to you. A much more detailed treatment of these issues can be found in my book, The Complete Chondro. Keeping Green Tree Pythons is a fascinating and rewarding hobby, and providing them with the care they need is not too difficult. Chondros are not for everybody, but if you are willing to learn, you can experience success. Enjoy your chondros!
Return to the Table of Contents
I have included this section to dispel some common beliefs about Green Tree Pythons that are in fact not true. "A little leaven contaminates the whole loaf of bread", and while there is a small grain of truth in some of these beliefs, the public perception is often out of touch with the reality. I hope my comments will bring some needed balance to these common misconceptions.
Myth # 1: "Chondros are difficult to keep and only for advanced keepers"
Facts: I do not feel that GTPs are difficult at all once their specialized needs are understood and met. While it is certainly true that they are not corn snakes and will not thrive in just any old cage or environment, providing them with what they need is not that difficult. While some snake keeping experience is important before getting into chondros, and I do not recommend them for a first snake, they may be kept successfully by anybody willing to learn and do what is required.
Myth # 2: "Green Tree Pythons are among the meanest and snappiest of snakes"
Facts: Chondros come in all types of temperaments, from very tame to untouchable. Most captive bred individuals can be free-handled during daylight hours. Most babies are very snappy and don't tolerate being handled until they are a year old or so. Most captive bred adult specimens will respond well to gentle handling. Neonates younger than a year in age should not be handled, to help prevent spinal damage. If getting a tame chondro is a must for you then the best bet is to purchase a yearling or adult that is already tolerant of handling. NOTE: All chondros should be treated with the utmost respect after dark, when the feeding response can cause even the calmest of GTPs to strike at any movement.
Myth # 3: "Green Tree Pythons need constant 100% humidity"
Facts: This is a bad idea that can cause skin problems. A daily cycle of high humidity followed by a slow drying out period is best. If your cage grows mildew or mold it is too wet. This is one of the most intimidating and confusing aspects of GTP care for beginners, but need not be. Your chondro won't die if the humidity isn't exact. Shedding problems are the most common symptom of incorrect humidity, and can be treated without much of a problem. See Humidity under Caging and Environment for a detailed discussion.
Myth # 4: "Green Tree Pythons have enormous teeth"
Facts: This distinction goes to the completely unrelated Emerald Tree Boa from South America, which does posses very large front teeth in both the top and bottom of the mouth. That is not to say that GTPs don't have impressive teeth, but they do not have huge fangs. A bite from an adult chondro hurts less than being stuck in briars...and I speak from personal experience on both counts.
Myth # 5: "You can tell the locality of origin by the appearance of a Green Tree Python"
Facts: While there are some outward color and pattern traits commonly associated with geographic chondro races, notably the Aru and Biak Island forms, most locality claims are just wishful thinking at best. GTPs are highly variable, and reliable collection documentation for founder (wild) stock is nearly impossible to get. Somehow many people have gotten the idea that a "locality" tag on a given animal makes it more desirable, but most of the time there is no substance to it. Please see Locality Debate for an in-depth discussion.
Myth # 6: "Many Green Tree Pythons are overpriced, they are all worth about the same price"
Facts: Compared to what? GTPs produced by legitimate, quality-oriented breeders are not inexpensive. These pythons are not easy to breed, and the babies can take quite a bit of work to get started. When it comes to buying a quality, captive bred chondro with bloodline records, data card showing feeding, shed, and hatch info, and expert friendly advice, you get what you pay for. I spend literally hundreds of hours helping those who have purchased inferior animals and can't get help from the seller. In light of this, I have zero tolerance for sarcastic remarks from critics about "greed".
Furthermore, the demand for special morphs is high and supply is low. The free market principles of supply and demand govern prices of these animals, just like any other highly sought-after consumer item.
Myth # 7: "Green Tree Pythons aren't that hard to breed, lot's of people are doing it"
Facts: It is certainly true that there are more successful breeders than there used to be, and I for one am glad about this. I support the captive breeding efforts of all who approach it with integrity. It is also true that there have been a lot of one-time lucky clutches hatched out, and many who do hatch out babies are unable to get them to eat. It takes years of learning and perfecting techniques to consistently produce quality chondros, and even the best breeders still lose clutches. The simple fact that the market isn't flooded with captive bred GTPs like so many other herps should shed light on the truth about captive breeding. There is a reason why most breeders usually have waiting lists for offspring...think about it.
Myth # 8: "You can get rich breeding Green Tree Pythons"
Facts: You will do well if you are breaking even, after purchasing breeding stock, cages, heaters, thermostats, misting equipment, rodents, lighting, incubator, thermometers, and all the other stuff you will need. That is if you can successfully hatch, feed, and sell your offspring. Chondro breeding is like farming...there are good years and bad years, with most being average. Don't buy chondros with the goal of getting wealthy from selling offspring...it won't happen.
Myth # 9: "Blue chondros will produce babies that will be blue as adults too"
Facts: Actually, you could substitute other colors for "blue"... yellow being the most common. The truth is, while parents having a desired trait may possess a better chance at producing offspring with that same trait, only a percentage of the offspring will show varying degrees of that trait. Some bloodlines are definitely more potent than others, and only from seeing past results can you make an intelligent assessment about a particular animal's potential for throwing like offspring. I would never pay outrageous prices for unchanged babies based solely on the appearance of a parent with no proven past results.
It is hoped that a lot of progress will be made in the next few years in the area of selective breeding for color in GTPs. For much more about this topic, please see Morphs and Genetics.
Myth # 10: Greg Maxwell is a closed-minded and arrogant jerk who hates locality animals and other breeders
Facts: It has been said that the truth needs no defense, and I admit that I find it distasteful to defend myself against attacks and smear campaigns. On the other side of the coin, silence is often regarded as an admission of guilt, as many honest public servants have learned the hard way. I have decided to publish this statement to set the record straight for those who care to hear what I have to say.
Sadly, when anybody tries to do and be their best at something, there are always those who will be envious and resentful. Further, it is not popular in our culture and society to boldly stand up for one's principles. Such individuals are usually branded as "arrogant" and "intolerant." I have not been shy about standing up for the issues I believe in, such as buying only captive bred animals, the non sexing of neonate pythons, upholding the pricing and value of captive bred animals, exposing the false claims about many so-called "locality" animals, and debating those who pass out bad information on internet forums just to hear themselves talk. This has made me some enemies!
The fact is, the reptile world has a lot of dishonest people doing business in it, and it is rare to meet a fellow hobbyist who does not have some horror stories of his or her own about getting burned. There are also plenty of persons who use reptiles to draw attention to themselves. It was this way long before the advent of the Internet...but the web has certainly compounded the problem by allowing anybody with a keyboard to present themselves as an expert, grinding away at personal agendas and attacking those they perceive as threats. I hope that the vast majority of this web site reflects my passion for chondros, and not a passion to talk about myself!
The truth is, I spend many hours every week helping others who have never given me a dime. I stand for quality, integrity, honesty, value, hard work, patience, and sacrifice...all things that have been involved in shaping my life and business, and things I think every person should stand for. I wish success for all who approach chondro keeping with honesty and integrity, focusing on the animals and not themselves. I confess that I often have little tolerance for those who do otherwise. Sometimes what this world needs is a little more well-directed intolerance for foolishness, and a healthy dose of critical thinking.
In the Editorials section of this site you can read for yourself the truth about many of these issues and what I believe about them. I am always learning, and I have an insatiable appetite for improvement and excellence. I hope that those of you who share my ideals and ideas will join the group of chondro lovers I call my friends...I hope that sometime, we can share a meal and spend a day in my basement or yours talking chondros. And when you hear about how I "overcharge" people; or how I never used artificial incubation until I stole the process from somebody else; or that I inbreed all my animals; that I don't really have that much experience; that I am out to squelch smaller breeders; that I secretly sex my babies and sell only males; that I kick others off my Forum who don't agree with me... blah blah blaaaaaah, blah blah.....consider the source, compare results, and ask me before you believe everything you hear! I think I have earned that much consideration. Thank you for listening!
