Green Tree Python Care Sheet
Green Tree Python
By Reptitrader
NEW – Scroll down for Green Tree Python Video
Photo by Marcel Burkhard
(Care sheets are a simplified look at how snakes should be cared for, for a more in depth view try getting the book from our book store)
General: Adult Green Tree Pythons range in color and pattern, but intense greens, yellow, and blues are normal for this species, and their wildly diverse colours add greatly to their popularity. Green tree pythons are relatively small pythons compared to many of their close relatives. Adults may range greatly in size, but the average adult Green Tree Python is between 3 and 5 feet in length. Green Tree Pythons can be expected to live well over 15 years with proper care.
Enclosure: These pythons are from tropical areas, so their enclosure should be suitable for maintaining adequate levels of heat and humidity and ventilation. Glass terrariums with locking screen lids work quite well, as do custom enclosures, and molded plastic cages. Due to their inactive and arboreal nature they can be housed in relatively small enclosures with some breeders opting for enclosures as small as 2ft X 2ft X 2ft although a little larger is recommended.
Heating and lighting: Ambient day time temperature in the enclosure should be in the upper 80 degrees fahrenheit with a basking spot approaching but not exceeding 90. Nighttime temperatures for adult Green Tree Pythons can drop as low as 75 degrees but should be kept a little warmer for juveniles. Heating can be provided in various ways but since Green Tree Pythons are arboreal, underfloor heat pads are not as efficient as ceramic heat emitters, infra-red heat bulbs and standard basking lights. Green Tree Pythons do prefer a 12 hour light cycle and low output full spectrum bulbs are the best for this.
Substrate: Cypress mulch, Coconut husk and comercially available Reptile bark are all good choices for a substrate. They all hold moisture well and therefore promote healthy humidity levels. Green Tree Pythons are arboreal and so they need branches of various sizes throughout their cage to give them multiple basking options. Plastic plants give the terrarium a natural setting and provide security as well as places where water droplets can collect after misting.
Humidity: Green Tree Pythons are from an area where there is plenty of rainfall and high humidity. So damp sphagnum moss in various places is required to up the humidity as well as frequent mistimg of the enclosure and all furnishings. Never make the cage furnishings soggy.
Feeding: Green Tree Pythons thrive on mice in captivity. When young they can be fed pinky mice and move up to adult mice or even small rats when adult. Green Tree Pythons should not be overfed and should be offered 1 appropriately sized food item every 7-10 days. They are aggressive feeders and should not be fed by hand, use forceps!
Picture By Ian Chien
