Brick red green tree pythons

[scorps]

The funniest thing is everyone jumping up on there high horses saying omg you want an exotic gtp, and only yellow ones are native, ***?

Majority of green tree pythons in captivity in Australia are exotics so come on guys pull your head in.

Everything that was originally posted made a hell of alot more sence then alot of posts recently been put up on this website.

Scorps

 

[CodeRed]

they dont stay red, sometimes they turn yellow

 

[D3pro]

If you cross a biak gtp with a collete they might stay red...

 

[Greenmad]

code red thats a very nice snake mate what is the age of him/her

 

[Greenmad]

this one was a red baby and is nearly fours years old know.

 

[Greenmad]

this is the most updated pic i have of her and one of when she was a hatchie

 

[SamNabz]

Greenmad, maybe you could shed some more light on this subject??!

I'm sure we can all benefit from your input.

Cheers

 

[CodeRed]

code red thats a very nice snake mate what is the age of him/her

It was 2 yrs old in that photo

looked exactly like your one as a youngster

 

[pythons73]

Such beautiful Greens Codered and Ryan,they look simarlar in colour also..The red hatchie i had turned out a very light lime green with small patches of white along the back...Thats one main reason i LOVE the chondros,you dont know how they will turn out once they go through the colour change....

 

[Greenmad]

If you crossed 2 reds together the likly hood of getting red babies is high, if you cross a red to a yellow being that the yellow is from the right origin you will get reds in the clutch as well, i have heard that yellows from the right origin will still produce reds as well. Can any one answer this, i have not expreniced this.

 

[Tristan]

hmm, i would imagine if you can get 2 parents with the mutated gene causing late colour change than you would be able to pass that onto the off spring.

my question tho regarding the Chondro change, does any one know why they are one colour then change to another?

I'm guess that in the jungle as a bright yellow or red they look more like they are poisons and or dangerous so they are less prone to be taken by predators? and the colour change happens as they mature as they are larger and can defend them selves and also to signify maturity for mating etc?

so then surmising my above guess is correct, would a Chondro that takes longer to change colour be considered a weak gene as the late colour change would mean later maturity and less change of breeding? so even if you were able to breed that gene into some young would this then not make them even harder than normal to breed and pass the "weak" gene down?

and secondly does any one have any issues with deliberately passing weaker genes on i mean in nature the strong breed and the weak genes die out, not saying we would kill off any pets that carry a weak gene but to deliberately pass weak genes on for aesthetic reasons would seem counter productive for the species no?

 

[Waterrat]

Amazing reading!

Biak is not in PNG, it's an Indonesian island.
Ontogenic colour change is not size dependent.
Yellow neonates occur in Australian, PNG and Indonesian populations but Aussie natives produce only yellow naonates.
Red neonates are not restricted to Biak.

Scorps, no need for anyone to pull their head in. There are plenty of pure Asussie natives in collections.
Breenmad and CodeRed, you have some beautiful snakes, I am envious.

Cheers
M

 

[Waterrat]

my question tho regarding the Chondro change, does any one know why they are one colour then change to another?

I'm guess that in the jungle as a bright yellow or red they look more like they are poisons and or dangerous so they are less prone to be taken by predators? and the colour change happens as they mature as they are larger and can defend them selves and also to signify maturity for mating etc?

Tristan, go to the sticky "GTP essential info" and read D. Wilson's paper on that subject. You'll find all the answers there.

cheers
M

 

[Greenmad]

Amazing reading!


Breenmad and CodeRed, you have some beautiful snakes, I am envious.

Cheers
M

Thanks micheal you have the collection im envious of lol

 

[da_donkey]

damn this thread just about takes the junk award for the week!

Amazing reading alright!!!!

 

[Tristan]

my question tho regarding the Chondro change, does any one know why they are one colour then change to another?

I'm guess that in the jungle as a bright yellow or red they look more like they are poisons and or dangerous so they are less prone to be taken by predators? and the colour change happens as they mature as they are larger and can defend them selves and also to signify maturity for mating etc?

Tristan, go to the sticky "GTP essential info" and read D. Wilson's paper on that subject. You'll find all the answers there.

cheers
M

ah cheer Waterrat, ill check it out was i even close tho?

 

[Greenmad]

Why is that da donk

 

[Waterrat]

ah cheer Waterrat, ill check it out was i even close tho?

We know that when they change to green, they move from the rainforest edges into the interior and change their diet from skinks and frogs to mammals and birds. Why are yellow / red neonates important to this species? A million dollar question.

The red has nothing to do with aposematic colouration (pretending to be dangerous) but the red babies live amongst vines and colourful foliage (presumably different to Iron Range flora). The colour change is not linked to maturity. GTPs are sexually matured at 2,5 years (males) and 3.5 years (females). GTPs have no means of defence other that their camouflage.

I talked about ontogenic colour change at the Ipswich festival and I am now writing it up for Scales & Tails mag.

cheers
M

 

[pythons73]

That will be a very interesting read Michael...From your experience at what age do they generally go through the ontogenic change,whats the youngest you have had-oldest you have had go through it...So when will the million dollar Q get answered,is there anyway of finding a answer for it...

 

[Waterrat]

That will be a very interesting read Michael...From your experience at what age do they generally go through the ontogenic change,whats the youngest you have had-oldest you have had go through it...So when will the million dollar Q get answered,is there anyway of finding a answer for it...

It's an interesting concept and I really don't want to go into it here (it would compromise the article). I think the million dollar question will remain unanswered for a long time yet. It's not unique to GTPs, Emerald Tree Boas and other species have different colour offspring. I am more interested in what triggers the colour change, it's a physiological process that's either triggered by hormonal activity or some environmental influences. As you may know, I kept a number of juveniles from 2008 and 2009 clutches for 1 year to get some solid data on the OCC. The results are interesting.