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hypochondroac
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If you've done the research go ahead. Make sure you've got your setup and temps spot on before you purchase the animal.
If you ever need advice feel free to PM me.
If you ever need advice feel free to PM me.
GTP as my first snake
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Snakeluvver2
Very Well-Known Member
Go get one.
most people kept saying that differnet species are harder than others. It really annoys me. Just because something is different to the majority does not make it harder.
People told me that a water snake is a bit snappy. Nope
People told me that feeding tree snakes was a bit harder then pythons. Nope
People told me that mitchells water monitor was harder than other monitors. Nope
Just think about the basics.
High humidity
Stable temps with a gradient
so and so forth.
Email waterrat or hypochondroac and read a book or two.
most people kept saying that differnet species are harder than others. It really annoys me. Just because something is different to the majority does not make it harder.
People told me that a water snake is a bit snappy. Nope
People told me that feeding tree snakes was a bit harder then pythons. Nope
People told me that mitchells water monitor was harder than other monitors. Nope
Just think about the basics.
High humidity
Stable temps with a gradient
so and so forth.
Email waterrat or hypochondroac and read a book or two.
dickyknee
Almost Legendary
Are you even allowed to get your licence as a 14 year old? Also, are your parents as keen on having the snake around as you are... ALSO do you know the actual prices of GTPs and their setups? These aren't a $100 coastal you can keep in a $10 tub with a $20 heat cord. If you aren't earning the money to pay for the animal, I hope you have VERY supportive parents otherwise your venture may end right there
My view point is a pet animal is a commitment for life. But others dont hold this view, so I won't post that as either a for or against
I would merely recommend if you havent already... having a very very frank and open discussion with your parents about this snake. And I would hope at least one of your parents shares your enthusiasm or it will make life very hard indeed.
You actually can keep a gtp in a $10 tub with a $30 heat cord .... and many do just that .
shellfisch
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Are you even allowed to get your licence as a 14 year old? Also, are your parents as keen on having the snake around as you are... ALSO do you know the actual prices of GTPs and their setups? These aren't a $100 coastal you can keep in a $10 tub with a $20 heat cord. If you aren't earning the money to pay for the animal, I hope you have VERY supportive parents otherwise your venture may end right there
I would merely recommend if you havent already... having a very very frank and open discussion with your parents about this snake. And I would hope at least one of your parents shares your enthusiasm or it will make life very hard indeed.
Being a mum myself, and knowing that you are 14, I would, with all due respect to you, like to know your response
zuesowns
Well-Known Member
You can only learn and become a good keeper with experience. Me personally, when I think back to my first snake - I know then I would definitely not be ready to keep a GTP.
3-4 years later, is a different story.
3-4 years later, is a different story.
giggle
Well-Known Member
People recommend Beardies as first reptiles as well. :| Depending on where you live Beardies can be very hard to keep! A monitor would be FAR easier to keep up here.
Only thing Im concerned about is that he is sure his parents are as keen as he is Cause its a big monetary outlay that you can't scrimp on. Thats the only thing he should think about.
Only thing Im concerned about is that he is sure his parents are as keen as he is
Cause its a big monetary outlay that you can't scrimp on. Thats the only thing he should think about.JAS101
Very Well-Known Member
please do tell what area a bearded dragon would be hard to keep ? enlightin us with your experience, just out of interest didnt u just get your first snake ?
redbellybite
Almost Legendary
REGARDLESS of what we all think n say ,he in the end will get what he wants ...none of us know if he is only interested in the GTP due to it being a PRETTY colour or wether he actually has an over all keen interest in the animal itself ...you have been told by some people that OWN gtps THEY ARE THE ONES that can give you the FULL heads up on how to care and what to expect ..the others that comment that dont own one or have never looked after one are only either recycling the care fact pages or GOOGLE KINGS N QUEENS ...take advise off the actual owners and go from there .
Kristy_07
Very Well-Known Member
Not if his mum won't pay for it :lol:
I agree with zuesowns, becoming a good keeper comes from experience, not just book knowledge. And at 14, I can imagine this young fella's research has been mostly Google-based, so reading through Watterat's thread on essential GTP info and investing in some good books (Mike Swan etc.) would be a good start. A GTP would be an unfortunate investment to make any newbie husbandry mistakes on, like not covering light cages or securing enclosure doors are shut properly!
If you were my kid, and it was me buying the GTP, I'd definitely be telling you to get a carpet for a year or two first, and keep planning/saving for the GTP...
Snakeluvver2
Very Well-Known Member
Gah! I strongly disagree.
If you meet the basic requirements of any captive reptile (ignoring animals with highly specialist diets or need acres of land etc) you should be fine!
Hence if is confident enough to do that he should be able to do it easily.
Like Redbellybite said talk to some people who keep them.
There are more than enough reputable keepers that would be glad to help anyone with enough common sense. Or god forbid read some books, articles or papers.
P
Pythoninfinite
Guest
I'm with Dickyknee all the way here. Interesting that the naysayers are mostly those who've never kept them! I've had them for several years now, bred them sometimes, and whilst the neonates can be delicate, once they're well established at about 6mo, they require very little maintenance beyond a misting every 2-3 days to keep the humidity up. You sound like you've done the research, and you sound like you have the passion, so I'd go for it. (On the way home from getting my motorcycle licence, I stopped into a bike shop and bought a 1000cc BMW biuke... and I'm still alive to tell the tail (oops... tale)! This may be a bit similar!)
My recommendations are similar to those already put to you:
Get a Greg Maxwell book
Look for something at least 4-5 months old from a KNOWN breeder who will give you back-up if you need advice
There are several well known breeders here - seek ONLY their advice, and DON'T take the advice of the 10 minute experts
Do look at the licensing requirements for wherever you live - some states have them on a higher level licence requiring prior reptile experience
Apart from that... good luck and keep us posted!
Jamie
My recommendations are similar to those already put to you:
Get a Greg Maxwell book
Look for something at least 4-5 months old from a KNOWN breeder who will give you back-up if you need advice
There are several well known breeders here - seek ONLY their advice, and DON'T take the advice of the 10 minute experts
Do look at the licensing requirements for wherever you live - some states have them on a higher level licence requiring prior reptile experience
Apart from that... good luck and keep us posted!
Jamie
PhilK
Very Well-Known Member
Hahaha what are you talking about? Have you kept both these species? No? Then how can you compare?
I haven't kept GTPs either but have heard they are 0x harder than anything else to keep... my old boss kept a bunch of them, and she had them all rigged to the same set up as her jungles in the same enclosures. She would spray them every few days and that is IT.
I think the myth of GTPs being hard to keep came around because of their price tag, and maybe because the hatchies are apparently "sensitive"
Give heat (easy) a gradient (easy) an enclosure (easy) and a spray every now and again (easy). No harder than any other reptiles - in fact all reptiles are bloody easy to keep, which is why they make such great pets!
dickyknee
Almost Legendary
Well said ... but it would not be the same with out those into their 3rd week of owning their first reptile offering GTP care advice or posting complete crap in every thread that pops up
shellfisch
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Pythoninfinite
Guest
It's interesting that some members expect others to justify their choices based on looks, activity, or handling or some other criterion. I don't think it's an ego thing for 123, from what he/she has said to date, and his/her posts exhibit quite some maturity. If I was asked about GTPs, I'd have to say that they are inactive to the point of boring, BUT they are gorgeous, elegant, on show all the time, many of them change colour throughout their lives, so you never really know what you'll have from one year to the next, and they are easy to keep if you make minor tweaks to their environments.
Jamie
Sock Puppet
Very Well-Known Member
It has been mentioned if you're in NSW, you will need a Class R2 licence, which you can only get after having a Class R1 for two years.
Also you need to be 18yo+ for a Class R2.
Apologies if I missed what state you're in, was just breezing over posts & some posts have been removed.
Also you need to be 18yo+ for a Class R2.
Apologies if I missed what state you're in, was just breezing over posts & some posts have been removed.
coree2009
Well-Known Member
i thought u had to have at least 1 year experiance to hold a specialest permit and need to be sighd off to hold one so u wouldnt be able to have a gtp as a first snake well thats the law here in .sa. but if that wat you want go for it i lernt form my mistakes in the reptile industry
The question is, do you want to learn about snakes or do you just want to have a pretty snake. If it's the latter, get a GTP, and do you best. If you want to learn more, be prepared to make mistakes and be prepared that you snake(s) will get into mischief and trouble. To have a collection of snakes where nothing ever goes wrong is fantastic but also boring and you're not going to learn anything. The biggest skill in reptile keeping is to recognise (immediately) when something is not right, and it takes years to develop such skill, the second step is - to know how to fix it.
Whether you start with a GTP or a carpet is only matter of how much you're prepared to spend and how much you going to regret your spending if the snake dies.
M
Whether you start with a GTP or a carpet is only matter of how much you're prepared to spend and how much you going to regret your spending if the snake dies.
M
pythons73
Very Well-Known Member
Well said ... but it would not be the same with out those into their 3rd week of owning their first reptile offering GTP care advice or posting complete crap in every thread that pops up
In saying that Brett,they have ONLY keeped Beardies..lol...Every species require certain criterias,in this case..Humidity would be the main one,temperatures...Once the set-up is correct,there not that hard...As Jamie mentioned,BUY FROM A REPUTABLE BREEDER is your main priority if you want a good well feeding Chondro.Bottom line is ITS UR CHOICE and $$$...Best of luck...
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