Green tree snakes

[Parko]

When i was growing up i was fortunate enough to have a colony of common tree snakes living around and sometimes even in our house i often caught them at various sizes and found only the odd one would snap thrash and fart, uaually it was like they'd been hand reared.I'd love to keep one but they seem such an active snake I'd feel sorry for them. I was wondering if anyone has kept them and how they responded to being enclosed ?
As always your feedback is both respected and gratefully appreciated, Parko.

 

[Greebo]

I have a little female and she is a little beauty.I feed her on goldfish at least once a week, I just can't seem to get her on to mice.I kept her in a click-clack for the first year as she was just too small to have her own enclosure.I have found her very easy to keep, apart from having to feed her goldfish, that is.

 

[wattso]

Thats weird Greebo, what makes a TREE snake eat fish? rather why did you try fish?

 

[Brodie]

I only have experience from the ones at work...they are on mice and rats..... they are easy to keep.... they are a very active snake so IMO a large enclosure is a must with plenty of climbing space and hides on several levels of the cage

 

[Parko]

Greebo, Yeah I've heard they are partial to fish, next best thing to a frog (probably grab tadpoles and minnows out of creeks from overhanging branches?) Aren't they unreal snakes! But they can be very fast, I've seen wild ones moving from branch to branch so agile, I've heard they will even jump from trees to grab passing birds! Have you tryed feeding her day old chicks or Quail? Perhaps she is still to small?
Do you work with snakes Brodie? Reckon i agree about the large enclosure, especially height ways.But as Greebo would have found they do tame really well so that would count for a lot with snakes wellbeing wouldn't it? Gee I gotta get myself one!

 

[Switch]

Where do you work Brodie?

 

[Brodie]

the ones at work are very fast....and when they get angry it is quite a site to see.....
Parko: I volunteer at Territory Wildlife Park reptiles section to get my experince up and to meet some people....its also great fun...even though i dont get paid i rekon its better then working at Coles or BigW like most of my friends

 

[Parko]

Yeah for sure mate ,with ya all the way.Who knows what things will lead to in the long run eh? Sounds like a great way to spend your time and you'd meet the people you'd like to know.

 

[junek]

what licence do you need in NSW to keep one? id love to get one if i can with a class one?
cheers
jamie

 

[Parko]

junek, G'day, yes i believe a class one is all you need for the common variety (green) which is my favourite. I believe there's a northern variety (blue) that requires class 2 ? Also a northern yellow variety but not sure what license they require. Anyway the common green variety looks great.

 

[frodo]

yeah class 1 covers you junek.

 

[Alexahnder]

blue tree snakes are a different colour phase but are still the same species as green tree snakes. they also come in a gold colour

 

[jake0476]

they are a good snake so ive heard , one of my mates has a couple as well as brown tree snakes, i havent got one personally but they are on my to get list.

 

[Parko]

which is the ''Northern tree snake'' listed as ''Dendrelaphis calligastra''(blue? gold? Both?) as opposed to the common tree snake(green) ''Dendrelaphis punctulata''. The Northern one requires a class 3 licence(must be a threatened species?)

 

[frodo]

sounds like and interested snake, wouldnt be a bad choice for a collection.

 

[Morelia_man]

personally i reckon that the brown tree snakes are better (only cos i own a pair) no but seriously ive heard that ur commons dont eat that well. the bloke down at snakesNT tell me that he has to put all his commons into a cage which has a pond in the bottom so he can feed them gold fish... like i said i think they are pretty fussy eaters and this is why most ppl get turned off. but yes they are a very nice snake

 

[Parko]

Morelia Man, the browns look great dont they! But I believe not the type of snake that takes well to regular handling? I'd be surprised if commons didnt take well to day old chicks seeing as small birds must play a reasonable part of there natural diet(but not speaking from experience). Also goldfish seem an easy enough food source.

 

[Parko]

Forgot to ask Morelia man what size enclosure do you recommend for either browns or common?

 

[Morelia_man]

mine are only hatchlings/yearlings atm but they are both in a 2x2x2 cage. when they grow older i will put them both in a 4ftx2ftx2ft HxWxD. those foods are easy enough if u only got one snake i spose. one of my bandeds can be handled but i wouldn't recommend handling them on regular occasions. i wouldnt have thought that u should handle commons either.... my bad

 

[snakehunter]

which is the ''Northern tree snake'' listed as ''Dendrelaphis calligastra''(blue? gold? Both?) as opposed to the common tree snake(green) ''Dendrelaphis punctulata''. The Northern one requires a class 3 licence(must be a threatened species?)

the northern tree snake is a separate species, the common tree snake occurs in all the colour phases (yellow, blue, black, green, olive etc, depending on its geographic origin)