Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have 32 constrictors but never had a GTP and want to get one. I try to find out all about the snake prior to getting one so I can provid the best care possible. I do like to handle my snakes and prefer them to be tame and I understand that you do not handle GTPs often. Several have told me that the Sorongs tend to be tame, though each snake is an individual. In your experience, what locals tend to be tame and which would you recommend for a first GTP? Thanks for your help-Bill

Hello Bill,

First off you shouldn't associate temperment with any locale types. Each animal is unique and I has its own personality. In my experience, I work with a lot of chondros, most tend to be quite easily handled during the day. At night it's a different story!

If your looking for a nice animal that can be handled then I'd find a true CBB US chondro from a reputable breeder. Preferably a yearling or older animal. Hatchlings and animals under a year are VERY delicate and really shouldn't be handled unless necessary. Any reputable breeder with animals that old should be able to give you a good idea on the animals temperment.

There are plenty of good animals around. Just do a little homework before you purchase. Many times a little extra $ can go a long way in getting a well established animal.

I hope that helps.

Rico Walder
Signal Herpetoculture

Signal Herpetoculture

According to Greg Maxwells (Author of The Complete Chondro,the apparant Chondro keepers bible.) Fine Green Tree Pythons website, there are definite temperment differences depending on "local type" any comments on this?

It all depends on the snake of how it temperment is. I have tame Biaks and I have seen nasty Aru's. This is a very large adult tame Chondro that I am holding and taking the picture of.
Tim Rash

www.nocturnal-creations.com

Very nice Tim!

Hello,

Yes I know Greg Maxwell and his opinion's on locality temperments. Greg is an excellent author and I think he's done the hobby a great deal of good with that work. I frequently recomend and sell the Complete Chondro to my customers. As with any book though it is the opinion of the author and people's opinions can vary depending on experiences.

My opinions and experiences come from working with a great many locality type animals, both imports and locality matched animals that I've produced. In my experience, individual personality of the animals and those handling them make all the difference. Even wild caught import Biak's will settle down if given time and approached properly. Some folks consider Aru's to be the calmest of all locality types but I've got one individual that proves the contrary.

Basically it comes down to how you approach and handle the animal. If you are aggressive or fast moving with your handling techniques then your going to get nailed more often than not.

Over the years green tree's have gotten a bad reputation for being aggressive and difficult to keep. I think that reputation was nurtured by folks working with wild collected imported animals that were in poor condition. The same just can't be said for quality animals that have been captive bred and born in this country.

I know this may be a hard concept for some folks to accept but remember at one time people thought the earth was flat....

Take care.

Rico Walder
Signal Herpetoculture
Signal Herpetoculture

Thanks for the comment Rico.

I am not sure if you know of Rico but he has been around arboreals for a very long time. I remember seeing his adds in Reptiles mag's way before I thought of touching a computer. He know's his stuff first hand. I still think you should write an Emerald book what are you waiting for man? =)

Tim Rash
www.nocturnal-creations.com

I agree with Rico in that Chondros exhibit their own unique (much like people) temperments and these temperments can change independent of assigned locality. True there can always be some "generalization" but as a whole I would have to agree that they exhibit individual behaviors and temperments. For example, I have a beautifully tame female Biak that measures close to 6ft and she's a totally mellow chondro during the day time periods and one can easily free handle her. However, this is NOT the case during the evening times or during times of feeding. Then she's a complete warrior! And just as Rico stated, Arus have long been generalized as the most docile and tame of the Chondros....well, ask Greg about one of his all time, most vicious bites that he's ever experienced.....it was from a "wild collected" Aru type. he figured all Arus are mellow and he simply stuck his hand into the snake bag upon arrival and *WHAMO*!!!! OUCH!!!

Rich Culver