Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently purchased a red green tree python (it's still small) and it strikes every time you get near it. I was wondering if there is a way to tame it? Thanks

I suggest you get a copy of (The More Complete Chondro) by Greg Maxwell. It will give you the answer to any question you could have about your gtp. You can find it on his site www.finegtps.com. I wouldn't worry about handling so much if your animal is still young. This will only stress it and can cause spinal kinks later in life due to the fragility of a growing spinal column. Your snake may tame down with age as majority of captive bred animals do, yet some can be nasty their entire lives. It sounds like your animal is neonate because of your color description and usually babies are (bitey) and can be agressive when you approach them.

Andrew
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1.0 cb pastel bp
1.0 cb high contrast albino bp(Russo Line)
0.2 cb normal bp
0.1 cb Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.0 cb Hogg Island Boa
0.1 cb Cyclops Mt./jaya GTP
1.0 cb aru GTP
0.1.0 cb OS High Yellow GTP(Russo Line)
0.1 cb savanna monitor
1.0 wc scottish terrirer

Only have to have confidence with the chondros. I have a biak and he goes for me about 90% of the time. If you go in the the cage and it looks at you just slowly put your hand in until it is below the snakes and gently try to get it off the perch. This way works for me anyway
-Kyle

Hi there,

I've found that reptiles in general and snakes in particular look at approaches from above as a predatory threat. Tree snakes have a reputation, probably well deserved, for being bitey (is that a word?) I set up my tank (with my yellow neonate) with sliding glass doors on the sides, so that I can approach from below, and am careful not to present my hand in front of its face. Also never grip the snake, and allow it to crawl around from hand to hand, with me moving very slowly. Any quick movement will probably provoke a strike, and gripping any snake will result in a bite 99 if not 100% of the time. You have a branch in your tank I assume? Try to lift the branch and approach it from below the body and behind the head, lifting it gently from the branch and slowly unwrap it from the branch. Green tree pythons, captive born or not, are not domesticated animals. They may not be tamed. Snakes are animals with strong instincts to guide them and they don't really learn many new tricks. It is our responsibility to understand those instincts and react and act accordingly. They can learn that when approached in a cautious and non threatening manner (of course dont act like prey or predator) that you aren't a threat to their survival, and calm a bit. As someone said before, young snakes tend to be extremely defensive in general, as in the wild they are prey for a large variety of animals.