Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone…

I'm going to take the plunge into keeping Chondros (exclusively) and I am busy doing research to make sure I do this properly. I just purchased "The More Complete Chondro" and waiting for it to arrive in the next week…really looking forward to this read! I'm looking to purchase a pair of juvenile or young adults in the next 4-5 months so I have plenty of time to prepare

I do have a few questions concerning their enclosures that I hope some of you will give some feedback. These gems will be in my living room and the enclosures will need to be display setups with live plants. I am considering the Exo-Terra 18x18x24" enclosures with a combination of radiant heat ( 60w ceramic bulb on a thermostat ) and a fluorescent bulb for lighting. I was also considering putting an under tank heater (low wattage) to keep a gradient of upper 70's in the low part of the enclosure to the mid eighties in the upper part since I don't believe the ceramic radiant heat would accomplish this. Does this plan sound good to any of you? Does anyone on here keep GTP's in the Exo-Terra display enclosures?

Basically I do not like the look of the paper bottom sterile enclosure and really would like a more naturalistic setup….

I'm speaking from a personal stance here, but I would never put my GTPs through the stress of a "display" setup.

Perhaps after you do some reading you'll understand why I'm taking this view. They aren't the most active snakes, and they stress a lot easier than other choices you could make.

If you're bent on the display bit consider another type of snake, or if you're serious about keeping GTPs give them the proper environment. That's just MHO.

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1.0.0 BP
1.1.0 Chondro

As long as you can maintain that proper humdity and the snake isn't overly stressed by the enclosure then I say go for it. A very young animal would probably do best in a rubbermaid tub for a while and then get moved into the larger enclosure when it gets bigger. I keep mine in Greg Maxwell style cages. They have glass fronts and so I can view my snakes very easily in a pleasing looking enclosure. I don't think all green tree pythons get stressed in a display cage. Many keepers keep theirs in clear cubes and they do fine. I also disagree that they don't move much. My chondros are all in 36 X 24 X 24 cages and most of them spend quite a lot of time at night moving around. Given space and a stimulating cage to move in, I think they move quite a bit. I'd say the majority of my chondros would do just fine in a display environment. A few wouldn't. Just depends upon the animal. Some are very laid back...some aren't. The biggest problem I think you'll have with the exoterra is keeping the humidity up to par. Unless you live where it's already quite humid, then the combination of scree and heat emitter might dry the cage out faster than you can keep it damp.
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5.5~Cornsnakes
3.4.1~Green tree python
2.1.2~ATB
Dogs, cats, horses....
www.franclycac.com

Edit: I have overly sensitive, extremely lazy chondros. (In Greg Maxwell type cages.)

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1.0.0 BP
1.1.0 Chondro

Hmmm....I wouldn't have guessed that a well planted display would be considered "stressful". How is it many zoos keep and breed Chondros this way?

I treat my snakes as I would treat my dogs or cats. I try to slither in their shoes, but many "keepers" feel quite the opposite. To each their own.

You'll LOVE this place in the link below my sig pic:

Link

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1.0.0 BP
1.1.0 Chondro

I would go ahead, and read the More Complete Chondro, and keep a GTP in a easy to monitor cage for a bit, so you can get used to these snakes requirements. Once you get the general gist of how to keep them, it would then be possible for you to decide if you could pull off a display style enclosure for these snakes. If you are hell bent on a display style cage I would definitely steer clear of anything younger than a well established USCBB yearling or older. I wouldn't risk stressing a neo in a naturalistic setup. Also you might want to grab a copy of Phillipe de Vasjoli's The Art of Keeping Snakes, it is all about keeping snakes in a naturalistic setup with a bioactive substrate.

If I were you I would steer clear of the exo terra cage unless you want to modify it. Also it sounds a bit like overkill on your heating ideas. Most GTP cages can be heated easily with a heat panel (Desert Rays, Pro Products, etc.) affixed to a portion of the top of the cage. However, after you read both of those books you will be armed with more than enough knowledge to keep these snakes successfully.

hi !!!
my set up with the exo terra works great but you do need to modify the top.
on one corner on top i have a 9x12 30w heat pannel and the rest of the top is covered with a acrylic type plexiglass with a smal portion i can open and close to keep the humidity in check..
on the bottom i added a exo terra heat mat under the tank.
this gives me basking area 0f 84 deg and low erea of 75..
however
with the fake back that looks like roks on the ouside of the enclosures i added planyts that hang with suction cups for added hiding