PowderBlue Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 This is going to be my next purchase, my wife and I have wanted one for quite some time. I'm going to build an enclosure likely out of acrylic or pvc and glass. Just curious if anyone else has one and if so any input is much appreciated. Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salty Pickle Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 I had one many years ago when I was the manager of a reptile department back in Cali. I built my enclosure out of wood and glass, it was 36x36x36. all the sides were wood except the front sliding door. For heating I went with this: http://pro-products.com. For misting I went with this: http://www.mistking.com I still have my mistking that is no longer in use that I would be more than happy to give you. You would need tubing and a seconds timer but I have the pump and it is in flawless condition. This is the actual pump: http://www.mistking.com/Starter-Diaphragm-Misting-Pump.html. for plants I went with a combination of silk and live pothos. Once the pothos started vining I removed the silks as the pathos started to spread. It is a fast grower, very tolerant of the conditions, non toxic, and easy to prune. I also might actually still have a hook laying around for handling the python. They are not a snake you can handle. For bedding I used live sphagnum moss. Sphagnum moss has amazing water retention to boost humidity and antibacterial properties. It has been used for 100's of years as a wound dressing prior to the establishment of modern medicine. I was buying live sphagnum moss by the boat loads when I was cultivating Nepenthes Plants. I would buy off the forums here: http://www.terraforums.com/forums/forum91/. Flea-bay is an okay place to get live sphagnum but it often came in "dirty". This particular python requires stable conditions but since you know how to maintain a reef, I trust you can handle that. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 Get a blue phase! They are beauts! Grab that mistking! They are awesome. I have one for my dart frogs. I have worked with multiple. Not the best for handling but awesome to look at. Keep their enclosures stable. Keep temps and humidity in the ideal zones. They can be prone to respiratory issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 Just curious not that I I want one but why aren't you advised to handle them? To me that would be the coolest part lf owning a snake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salty Pickle Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 Just curious not that I I want one but why aren't you advised to handle them? To me that would be the coolest part lf owning a snake. As juveniles they are highly prone to injuries due to handling and people trying to uncoil them off the branches, the python coils with more intent and the human pulls harder with more determination. They are nocturnal and will often leave the branch in search of food, this is a common time for people to stick their hands in the cage to grab the GTP and get bit. They don't realize the GTP is on the hunt and anything coming into the cage will be perceived as a threat or food, next to my Nile Monitor the GTP was one of the more aggressive feeders I had ever had. People that manage to get their GTPs outside the cage will cause major stress to the snake due to the sudden change in environment and overstimulation (another set up to getting bit). It is also a great opportunity to cause illness in the snake as well since the tight perimeters needed to care for the snake can not be achieved outside the enclosed environment. GTP's are just like our fish and have personalities of their own. Some can be tamed but in general they can not, and just because you can doesn't mean you should. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youcallmenny Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 Very interesting thread. I have no interest in reptile stewardship but am always interested in the care requirements for "exotic" pets. Now I know, don't pet the GTP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 As juveniles they are highly prone to injuries due to handling and people trying to uncoil them off the branches, the python coils with more intent and the human pulls harder with more determination. They are nocturnal and will often leave the branch in search of food, this is a common time for people to stick their hands in the cage to grab the GTP and get bit. They don't realize the GTP is on the hunt and anything coming into the cage will be perceived as a threat or food, next to my Nile Monitor the GTP was one of the more aggressive feeders I had ever had. People that manage to get their GTPs outside the cage will cause major stress to the snake due to the sudden change in environment and overstimulation (another set up to getting bit). It is also a great opportunity to cause illness in the snake as well since the tight perimeters needed to care for the snake can not be achieved outside the enclosed environment. GTP's are just like our fish and have personalities of their own. Some can be tamed but in general they can not, and just because you can doesn't mean you should. Very well said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 Thanks for the information. That's very interestong. I always wondered if you could injure a snake because they do coil up so tightly.Sorry to hijack your thread Powderblue. Green tree pythons do not sound like a beginner snake at all. I agree Randall could handle it. Salty pickle what would you recommend as a good beginner snake that's not so sensitive and can be handled easily and is more laid back ? Would it be a corns snake? I always see those in the pet stores. The dart frogs are also pretty cool! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted August 20, 2016 Author Share Posted August 20, 2016 I had one many years ago when I was the manager of a reptile department back in Cali. I built my enclosure out of wood and glass, it was 36x36x36. all the sides were wood except the front sliding door. For heating I went with this: http://pro-products.com. For misting I went with this: http://www.mistking.com I still have my mistking that is no longer in use that I would be more than happy to give you. You would need tubing and a seconds timer but I have the pump and it is in flawless condition. This is the actual pump: http://www.mistking.com/Starter-Diaphragm-Misting-Pump.html. for plants I went with a combination of silk and live pothos. Once the pothos started vining I removed the silks as the pathos started to spread. It is a fast grower, very tolerant of the conditions, non toxic, and easy to prune. I also might actually still have a hook laying around for handling the python. They are not a snake you can handle. For bedding I used live sphagnum moss. Sphagnum moss has amazing water retention to boost humidity and antibacterial properties. It has been used for 100's of years as a wound dressing prior to the establishment of modern medicine. I was buying live sphagnum moss by the boat loads when I was cultivating Nepenthes Plants. I would buy off the forums here: http://www.terraforums.com/forums/forum91/. Flea-bay is an okay place to get live sphagnum but it often came in "dirty". This particular python requires stable conditions but since you know how to maintain a reef, I trust you can handle that.Awesome info! Thank you for all the details! I was thinking a radiant heat panel for heat with a controller to keep temp stable. Would you recommend starting with a smaller enclosure for the baby and then building a bigger one when it grows, or just start with a big enclosure and let it roll? If you're OK I'd love to grab that mister and pick your brain on the enclosure and such. I don't plan on handling it very often, basically only when necessary, it's going to be for looks. They are beautiful snakes. I've had a lot of reptile in my past and have always wanted a gtp, but never had the time and funds to justify it until now. Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted August 20, 2016 Author Share Posted August 20, 2016 Get a blue phase! They are beauts! Grab that mistking! They are awesome. I have one for my dart frogs. I have worked with multiple. Not the best for handling but awesome to look at. Keep their enclosures stable. Keep temps and humidity in the ideal zones. They can be prone to respiratory issues. know anyone that brings them in? Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salty Pickle Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 (edited) Salty pickle what would you recommend as a good beginner snake that's not so sensitive and can be handled easily and is more laid back ? Would it be a corns snake? I always see those in the pet stores. You ask a tough question and one that has gotten me fired in the the past. The best beginner snake is the one you feel most comfortable and capable taking care of. For the vast majority of people making impulse buys at petco for their 8 yr old, the best beginner snake is no snake at all or a rubber snake from Toys R Us. I used to turn people away because they saw "cool" and not a living animal. 9/10 they would return the animal with injuries, malnourishment, diseases, infections, and ultimately a reptile with irreversible damage or even death. I rescued a 6ft albino burmese python that had bitten its owner and the owner out of anger put cigarettes out on the snake. The snake survived but the twisting of the scales due to scarring made shedding an incredibly stressful and painful process for the snake. When I started refusing people the sale of an animal because I could tell, through a line of questioning, that they had no intention of properly caring for the animal, I was fired, lol. I understand why I was fired, Im not bitter. I digress, my first snake was a ball python and I loved him to pieces. Very calm, easy to care for, and I took him everywhere. It was a male so the max size was 2-3 ft, females are generally larger, which I felt was a good size. Looking back on it now, skating down the street with a snake wrapped around my arm, was probably a stupid idea. Its also good to remember that pythons in general can live up to 20 years so its a longterm investment. So I would recommend a Ball Python as a beginner snake for an adult and a corn snake for a very responsible kid. Edited August 20, 2016 by Salty Pickle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salty Pickle Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 (edited) Awesome info! Thank you for all the details! I was thinking a radiant heat panel for heat with a controller to keep temp stable. Would you recommend starting with a smaller enclosure for the baby and then building a bigger one when it grows, or just start with a big enclosure and let it roll? If you're OK I'd love to grab that mister and pick your brain on the enclosure and such. I don't plan on handling it very often, basically only when necessary, it's going to be for looks. They are beautiful snakes. I've had a lot of reptile in my past and have always wanted a gtp, but never had the time and funds to justify it until now. Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk I started with the enclosure I was going to use longterm. Once the enclosure is dialed in there is no reason to have to go through the pain of building a new one and stressing the animal out while you dial in a whole new habitat. The only changes I made through the growth of my GTP was the diameter and location of the branches. I chose the dimensions I did because it gave the GTP options. The larger footprint on the floor gave the mouse room to run around and the snake a chance to actually hunt, this was another reason why I used sphagnum moss. I also wanted to create "temperature zones" in the enclosure and give the GTP the opportunity to cool off or warm up, and chose its lighting preference, lit or dim. Its similar to our PAR zones in our reef tanks. Bigger size means more vegetation and branch options which got me one step closer to an optimal environment outside of being in the wild. Sure I could have set up a tiny enclosure with one branch, and a plant in the corner with newspaper on the ground, you can also keep a Beta in a coffee cup, or a living turtle on a keychain, again doesn't mean I should. I am a firm believer that the quality of the animals life should frequently be assessed. I see you have had previous experience with reptiles in the past so I apologize if there is any redundancy in what I have explained. This particular topic made me vulnerable to long winded rants. I just moved and I know for a fact I packed the mistking. I will dig it out of whatever box it is in and put it to the side for you. Edited August 20, 2016 by Salty Pickle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted August 20, 2016 Author Share Posted August 20, 2016 I started with the enclosure I was going to use longterm. Once the enclosure is dialed in there is no reason to have to go through the pain of building a new one and stressing the animal out while you dial in a whole new habitat. The only changes I made through the growth of my GTP was the diameter and location of the branches. I chose the dimensions I did because it gave the GTP options. The larger footprint on the floor gave the mouse room to run around and the snake a chance to actually hunt, this was another reason why I used sphagnum moss. I also wanted to create "temperature zones" in the enclosure and give the GTP the opportunity to cool off or warm up, and chose its lighting preference, lit or dim. Its similar to our PAR zones in our reef tanks. Bigger size means more vegetation and branch options which gots me one step closer to an optimal environment outside of being in the wild. Sure I could have set up a tiny enclosure with one branch, and a plant in the corner with newspaper on the ground, you can also keep a Beta in a coffee cup, or a living turtle on a keychain, again doesn't mean I should. I am a firm believer that the quality of the animals life should frequently be assessed. I see you have had previous experience with reptiles in the past so I apologize if there is any redundancy in what I have explained. This particular topic made me vulnerable to long winded rants. I just moved and I know for a fact I packed the mistking. I will dig it out of whatever box it is in and put it to the side for you. Ok cool, that's kind of where I was leaning but wasn't sure with them being small, if it needed a smaller place for hunting and such. I've been looking into the pvc cages designed for them that come with the heat panel and light, a 36x24 is 360 bucks with the heat panel, light, and doors. I might go that route, I'm sure I could build one for less but sometimes it's easier to just buy one done. Let it test run for a week or so and see how stable it is before I introduce the snake. Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salty Pickle Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 36x24 is 360 bucks with the heat panel, light, and doors. I might go that route, I'm sure I could build one for less but sometimes it's easier to just buy one done. Let it test run for a week or so and see how stable it is before I introduce the snake. Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk Pretty dang awesome what you can get for $360 in other hobbies. In the reefing hobby $360 buys you.... hold on I'm thinking. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 know anyone that brings them in? Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk There arelocal reptile shows in the area a few times a year. There are usually a few reputable breeders there. They have some nice stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milesmiles902 Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 I rescued a 6ft albino burmese python that had bitten its owner and the owner out of anger put cigarettes out on the snake. That is gnarly. Animal cruelty at its finest. Some people just don't understand that these are living creatures. Sometimes snakes bite owners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youcallmenny Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 Yikes, should have put that person out on the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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