Your #1 GTP Captive Husbandry Tip!

[longqi]

One important thing is to let them tell you what they prefer
As they are nocturnal sneak in at night
Watch how active they can get it they have things to play on
Drop a few perches in place
It will choose its prefered one or two
I find that if the water is warm they often go for a dip but seldom in colder water

 

[Waterrat]

One important thing is to let them tell you what they prefer

This is the best piece of advice. But, you have to learn how to listen and how to interpret their lingo.

 

[Jesse_H]

Some awesome pearls of wisdom emerging here! Yeah as I mentioned I have a few hurdles I have to get over before I make this investment. First off I will research to make sure a GTP is the right herp for me, then I need the money (both of these will come in time) but then there is the BIG problem - my housemate is utterly petrified of snakes, and I can't get her to differentiate between a death adder and a GTP, she just doesn't care and thinks that all snakes should be dead. She even hated my turtle at first, but now she loves him - I'm hoping I can do the same with a GTP, but I have to get it in the door first... I might need to start another thread on tips to introduce a snake to a terrified family member. Any genuine suggestions on helping her over her phobia would be good. I took her to a pet shop to see a baby stimsons and she flipped. She is quite dense too, which makes things hard

 

[daveandem2011]

Hi water rat

Hi michael, I was wondering if you would give me your oppinion on something that Greg Maxwell said as i have been talking with just plain nuts in regard to my gtp enclosure having water as a substrate to help with the humidity as well as looks.<br><br><br>Quote: I do not advocate the use of water as a substrate. Somewhere the idea got started that the best way to keep arboreals is over standing water. This is a bad idea because it is difficult to keep water clean and it creates a condition where polluted water can be ingested by the animals. In my experience, using water as a substrate is ineffective for providing the correct amount of humidity, it is too easy to set up a sauna like,unhealthy damp enviromentwith no dry out period.<br><br>Would love to have your thoughts on this Michael and if water was heated and a full time filter was in place for the water do you think this will work well?<br><br>Cheers Dave.

 

[Jesse_H]

Hey Dave - First off I'm obviously no GTP expert (or else I wouldn't have started the thread!) but I do own a turtle, which is a very messy aquatic animal, as are all large herps in and around water. I can tell you already that even with a good filter you'd need to change a certain portion of the water at least once every 2 weeks, possibly more if the majority of the faecal matter of GTPs is watery and cannot be individually scooped out. I'm still learning about GTP bowel habits but judging by the pics on page 1 of this thread if that went directly into water you'll have a fun time keeping it clean! Just my thoughts

 

[Waterrat]

Hi michael, I was wondering if you would give me your oppinion on something that Greg Maxwell said as i have been talking with just plain nuts in regard to my gtp enclosure having water as a substrate to help with the humidity as well as looks.<br><br><br>Quote: I do not advocate the use of water as a substrate. Somewhere the idea got started that the best way to keep arboreals is over standing water. This is a bad idea because it is difficult to keep water clean and it creates a condition where polluted water can be ingested by the animals. In my experience, using water as a substrate is ineffective for providing the correct amount of humidity, it is too easy to set up a sauna like,unhealthy damp enviromentwith no dry out period.<br><br>Would love to have your thoughts on this Michael and if water was heated and a full time filter was in place for the water do you think this will work well?<br><br>Cheers Dave.

I find it hard to express my opinion without contradicting the proponents of water substrate. I would never, ever use it for the reasons I stated in one of my previous posts. I always take nature as an inspiration and it tells me that GTPs don't live above creeks and rivers. It also tells me that they do spend some time on the forest floor (for whatever reason). It tells me that GTPs don't swim (voluntarily). I also believe that having water at the bottom of the enclosure makes any sort of "humidity control" impossible, well maybe not, I guess you can work out the evaporation rate, etc..
I love my snakes, I have the time, I am not a lazy person, so cleaning and enclosure maintenance is not an issue with me. At the moment, I am looking after 70 odd GTPs and I am enjoying every bit of it.
Please, all you GTP keepers and breeders, don't take offence if my opinion differs from yours. I have been asked .... and gave an answer.

 

[daveandem2011]

Hey Jesse, thanks heaps for your input. I am far from an expert my self,but have spent months most probably like yourself reading and recearching hitting every forum i can find and talking to people who own and breed GTP's. which is why i would love to know michael's thoughts on this before i have my enclosure ordered with a full aquarium bottum as aposed to a molded floor withjust a small pond in the floor. also cleaning the water in the stein enclosers is to easy you just turn a tap on a hose and the pump will pump water through a hose straight out the door or into a bucket.

Cheers dave

As always Michael your time and opinion is greatly appreciated. And because of that i will change the way my enclosure will be designed, I always find the opinion's and directions of experienced people on this site to be of great help.

Cheers Dave.

 

[briiiziii]

Lovin' this thread
It's great to see the good tips comes out - even if some are different to others

Sherbet ALWAYS poos in his water dish. ALWAYS!

 

[Mr.James]

Get everything setup, running and tested atleast a week or two prior to your chondro arriving.

 

[Jesse_H]

The Stien Enclosures certainly look like the way to go don't they, Dave? Does anyone know if one is likely to need to do extra spraying, i.e. during sheds in a Stien Enclosure that apparently moderates both temperature as well as humidity?

 

[daveandem2011]

The Stien Enclosures certainly look like the way to go don't they, Dave? Does anyone know if one is likely to need to do extra spraying, i.e. during sheds in a Stien Enclosure that apparently moderates both temperature as well as humidity?

Hey Jesse,not sure to be honest that is a good question and it is another on the list for me to ask ben about will ring him later and will let you know what he says. although even if a spray was needed during shedding it's fine with me just another excuse to open the enclosure and have a closer look at it

 

[briiiziii]

Anyone got some good tips for flakey/bad sheds for my little GTP? My humidity and temps are good but i don'tunderstand? Maybe some substrate for now?

 

[Bushman]

Briiiziii, what size/how old is your "little GTP"?
Saturating the tub by spraying well, immediately prior to sloughing should do it, but knowing when it's due to slough is the key here (which is harder with neonates/juveniles).
Moist sphagnum moss is ideal as a substrate in the lead up to sloughing.