Green Tree Python housing question.

[Albino-keeper]

Hi I'm looking at buying my first Green Tree Python next month at the Melbourne reptile expo. I know he will be happy in a small container for his first year but I want to be prepared ahead of time. My questions is do people still house them in melamine enclosures even with the high humidity? Do the enclosures do alright with the high humidity? I understand you will need to seal it before this. I currently have 3 Darwin's and 2 olives all in sealed melamine but I always remove them into a plastic tube before spraying them is it alright to spray into the melamine enclosures? because I know Green Trees need regular spraying.

thanks any help is appreciated

 

[pythoninfinite]

You shouldn't need to spray your Darwins or your Olives - why do you do this? As long as your melamine enclosure is made from HMR particleboard (moisture resistant) and not MDF (which is much more affected by moisture) you should get a good few years out of it, even with regular misting. Just make sure all the joints are well sealed - I use a Selleys product, "white for life" kitchen & bathroom sealant - it is stain resistant, doesn't yellow, and has good adhesion to melamine. I spoke with the late Rico Walder not too long before he died, he was one of the most successful GTP breeders in the States, and he told me he changed his humidifying regime to only damping the substrate, because he was having a few problems with RI in his collection. The fine mist we use to damp down or Chondros is far finer and more easily inhaled than raindrops, and inhaling the water, he thought, was contributing to the problem. Probably not a bad thing to consider for long-term management of this species - they don't need to get wet at any time, as long as the humidity is reasonably high.

Jamie

 

[Albino-keeper]

I only spray my Olive's and Darwin's when they are going through Slough I was told this ever since I started keeping snakes. Is it bad practice?

 

[pinefamily]

Rather than spray them, give them a water bowl big enough that they can curl up in it when they are going to shed. Some snakes will do this, others just use a branch or rock in their enclosure.

 

[pythoninfinite]

I only spray my Olive's and Darwin's when they are going through Slough I was told this ever since I started keeping snakes. Is it bad practice?

A well hydrated snake of any species should shed without difficulty - ambient humidity is generally quite sufficient. The best hydration comes from within, and as snakes often won't drink from a container with water more than 48 hours old, it's important to change the water frequently before a shed. At other times, there are keepers who offer their animals water on a weekly basis for 24 hours, with no ill effects. Remember that wild snakes often go for months without a drink in our summers.

Jamie

 

[Albino-keeper]

I have a dinner size plate ceremic bowl in all containers and the enclosures run about 50% humidity I've never had any issues with sheds/stuck sheds. I'm getting a new enclosure built up now using HMR board which is what they use in kitchens/bathrooms so should be ok with GTP humidity.