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How fast do GTP grow to adult size?

Plisskin Mar 16, 2006 11:47 PM

How fast does a yearling grow to fully grown or before you have to change the setup? Don't you have to change the size of the enclosure for them to aclaimate? I was just wondering if the habitat was to be enlarged in a matter of weeks, months, or years? I love your GTPs!!!

Replies (11)

MegF Mar 17, 2006 10:05 AM

Snakes grow at different rates, but you could probably easily house a chondro in a rubbermaid container until it's at least a year. I think Tempest was about 14 months when I moved her to a full sized enclosure, but she's very laid back in personality. A more nervous snake might need to change to something only slightly larger at first and then later go to a full-sized enclosure. They are all individuals. If you pay atttention to their behavior, you can learn to see how they act when stressed or nervous and treat them accordingly.

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1.0~amel corn~C.S.
1.3~Aztec Okeetee corns~Coatl,Maya,Acatl,Tepin
0.1.1~Green tree python~Tempest, Whisper
0.2~Rhodesian Ridgebacks~Akilah, Ona
0.1~Old black Lab~ Callie
2.0~fat cats~Topper, Briscoe
3.0~Horses~Zaarah,Galliano,Achilles.....
www.franclycac.com

Plisskin Mar 19, 2006 02:31 AM

I just starting reading Greg Maxwell's book The More Complete Chondro. I'm glad I got it. It's amazing how you wrap yours around a tree outside and she just chills. I'd like to see how you get her off that branch she's coiled around. Does she ever strike at you when you try to get her off a branch?

MegF Mar 19, 2006 08:02 AM

She's never struck at me ever. She's very tame, and if the lights are on, she is completely docile. She got stuck in tape once (an idiot mistake on my part) and she never tried to bite then either. Usually, if I just put up my hand and remove her body, she will crawl the rest of the was off on her own. When removing her from the perch at home, I just remove her as a unit-the whole body at once. Once she's out, she's more than willing to stay out. I don't use that branch anymore because it's too small. That's why I use the walking stick, but it's hard to get her to stay on it and not climb up to your arm or the camera. She's very curious.

-----
1.0~amel corn~C.S.
1.3~Aztec Okeetee corns~Coatl,Maya,Acatl,Tepin
0.1.1~Green tree python~Tempest, Whisper
0.2~Rhodesian Ridgebacks~Akilah, Ona
0.1~Old black Lab~ Callie
2.0~fat cats~Topper, Briscoe
3.0~Horses~Zaarah,Galliano,Achilles.....
www.franclycac.com

Plisskin Mar 19, 2006 01:44 PM

Is it because she knows her feeding routine and has acclaimated to the point where she simply does not see you as a threat because of how often to handle her or do you think it is simply luck of the draw and you just got "lucky" finding a good one? I find it hard to believe that they way you treat the snake doesn't make a huge difference how her/his mannerism will shape. For example if you keep your gtp relatively stress free from the time you get her/him until she acclaimates to her feeding routine after a few months you will increase your chances of raising a more docile one? It makes sense to me that a gtp caught from PNG and thrown in a sheet thus disrupting everything the snake has known up to that point would cause emotional problems later on. If yours never knew that other life in the wild s/he would get "used" to you and your body heat and feeding schedule?

MegF Mar 19, 2006 07:45 PM

Personally, I think it's just her personality. Troy said she was very tame and that the entire clutch was just like her. Very easy going. The fact that she is so un-aggressive, yet is a voracious eater is unusual, but of course, welcome. I believe I just got lucky. I'm pretty low key myself when I handle snakes, and tend to be able to hold even the aggressive ones of all species with little trouble. I don't handle my little baby much, but it seems pretty mellow too. Normally though, both are aggressive after lights out unless I use a flashlight and warn them I'm coming in. I don't think I would want to stick my hands in the cage after dark without letting them know in some way that food wasn't coming next. When she's shedding, I've been able to help her if necessary. Her last shed was difficult as my heater had gone out and I had to use a heat lamp. It really dried the enclosure even with spraying 3 times a day. She allowed me to spray her and help her get the shed off without taking her out of her enclosure. She just crawled while I worked the skin off. I don't think I could do that with any other animal I have. She's quite exceptional.
-----
1.0~amel corn~C.S.
1.3~Aztec Okeetee corns~Coatl,Maya,Acatl,Tepin
0.1.1~Green tree python~Tempest, Whisper
0.2~Rhodesian Ridgebacks~Akilah, Ona
0.1~Old black Lab~ Callie
2.0~fat cats~Topper, Briscoe
3.0~Horses~Zaarah,Galliano,Achilles.....
www.franclycac.com

Plisskin Mar 20, 2006 10:28 AM

Is that why some breeders sell particular ones for $450 and others for like $675? Does temperament of the clutch vary the price?

MegF Mar 20, 2006 11:32 PM

Most often it's the colors that command the price. Red colored offspring get a higher price than yellow. Sometimes it's the pattern that might raise the price.

-----
1.0~amel corn~C.S.
1.3~Aztec Okeetee corns~Coatl,Maya,Acatl,Tepin
0.1.1~Green tree python~Tempest, Whisper
0.2~Rhodesian Ridgebacks~Akilah, Ona
0.1~Old black Lab~ Callie
2.0~fat cats~Topper, Briscoe
3.0~Horses~Zaarah,Galliano,Achilles.....
www.franclycac.com

jennrosefx Mar 19, 2006 02:02 PM

Hi, I have a quick question for ya. You mention that if the lights are on, she is completely docile. I've heard from some people that their snakes can't be handled durring night hours or when the lights are off, because their feeding response kicks in. Is this the case for yours as well?

I've been admiring your snakes both here, and on the cornsnakes.com forums for awhile, and have started looking into GTP's a bit more heavily after talking to several people who have docile snakes that tolerate handling. I can't remember, where your's purchased from a breeder?

- Jenn
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**************************************
- JENN ROSE -
www.jennrose.com

0.1.0 classic corn~ "Pumpkin"
1.0.0 leucistic texas ratsnake~ "Worm"

MegF Mar 19, 2006 07:48 PM

As I posted in the post before yours, I normally would not stick my hands in the cage after lights out. However, I can handle them if I open to spray or I light the cage up a bit with a flashlight. Once she knows that there is no food coming, she's perfectly docile. I got both of mine from Troy Frantz at Frantz Herpetological although I ended up getting the baby direct from the breeder (whoever it was I only had tracking info).
-----
1.0~amel corn~C.S.
1.3~Aztec Okeetee corns~Coatl,Maya,Acatl,Tepin
0.1.1~Green tree python~Tempest, Whisper
0.2~Rhodesian Ridgebacks~Akilah, Ona
0.1~Old black Lab~ Callie
2.0~fat cats~Topper, Briscoe
3.0~Horses~Zaarah,Galliano,Achilles.....
www.franclycac.com

Julian Garcia Mar 20, 2006 02:58 PM
Plisskin Mar 20, 2006 08:04 PM

Amazing looking gtps.

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