Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all,
First off this is my first time in this area of the forum and i have to say it looks as though everyone is super friendly and helpful.. I am in the market for my first GTP.. I have been reading up for a few weeks now and think i have it worked out atleast a little bit.. i would like some set up help.. im thinking about buying a cage and i wanted to know what was recomended for a neonate, i know that as a neo they just need to feel secure. and ive hear any 5 gallon tank will do and then as a yearling move them into a 10-15 tank... Im not sure how good this advice is or if anyone can enlighten me... im open to all options and just want to have a healthy animal.. also any general information would be great.

1. cage size and set up. what brand should i get... pictures would be great
2. water dish or fill the tank bottom with water?
3. where to get tree branches? southern cali doesnt have many big trees..
4. heating this cage,i know heat tape/pad and 15watt bulb but is that enough i know the temp should sit about 2 degrees.. and that you should cycle the lighting in 12/12 hour shifts
5. Feeding should be 5-7 days for neonates, 7-10 days for yearlings, 14-21 days as adults or even up to once a month for male adults.. Is that correct...

Thank you everyone for straightening me out i just want to be able to provide a good home for my new little one. Also if there are any breeders that you would recomend me useing that would also be helpful informaiton...

Thank you all,
Sincerely,
Rose & Steve

Hey there,
I would reccomend checking out chondroweb.com alot of different people use different setups and you can find detailed info on the different types there.

I use a 50 qt Rubbermaid plastic tub from Target for my 8 month old, I have a hole cut in the top with plastic screen on the inside and metal screen on top with a 5 1/2 inch lamp and a red bulb with a thermostat on the perch nearest to the bulb and the thermostat is set at 86 . This setup works great and hold humidity very well. I use cut up plastic clothes hangers for perches held together with zip ties. I use orchid bark found at any pet store for substrate as it looks natural and holds humidity well. If you want detailed instuctions on building this type of setup go to Greg Maxwell's site via chondroweb.com, lots of usefull info there.

I purchased my baby from a broker named Gary Schiavino in New Jersey. I am in San Diego, but he is a great guy to deal with just ask around. He also will work out payment plans with you and your animal is guaranteed for 30 days after arrival. I highly reccomend him. I've recently seen a few ads for animals from him in the classifieds here under tree boas/pythons check it out. I got a beautiful lereh type from him for $450 and he let me pay for him in 2 months. Where in so cal do you live ? Any way best of luck with whatever you do.

Steve

Hey there steve....
Im in San clemente... about an hour from Down Town San Diego, Im actually a student on the SDSU campus so i know a ton about SD... I would love to see your set up if you could put some pics up here for me.. im just trying to get a feeling for what in all i will need.... thanks steve

Sincerely,
Rose & Steve

I had to stop in and say hi! San Clemente HS class of '72 here checking in. Moved out to Temecula quite a few years ago, rarely miss the beach, though I do miss my old job in SC from time to time. Don't miss being owned by the city for one single moment though

I agree with everyone else on the rubbermaids/sterilite containers for neos. The only down side about using them is they are quite inexpensive and easy to set up....... then of course to need to find other occupants to fill them!!

for my neonates i use a 3 gallon rubbermaid with plastic coathangers as branches.for security it is well planted with pothos. i set up an elevated small dish of water that they will find when exploring their surroundings.as for feeding it's agood rule of thumb to feed neonates every 5-7 days but could be every 3-5 days depending on the blood line you are working with(thanks rob worrell).for a substrate i use either paper towel or newsprint...cheap,readily available and not too bad on mould resistance,but please don't cover the bottom in water.as a final note buy captive breed from a reliable breeder,you will save yourself a lot of headaches.good luck.

Hello and welcome to the wonderful world of chondros. I'll answer your questions with what has worked for me.

1. cage size and set up. what brand should i get... pictures would be great

If you are getting a hatchling or yearling, I would get a rubbermade or sterlite first just to get a feel for humidity and temps. These are easy to clean and maintain, which aids in record keeping. As for adults, IMHO, I think most commercial cages are way overpriced. I can make about 4-5 cages for what most companies charge for one. If you are not handy with tools and wood working, it may be in your best interest to buy. Barr's cages seem to work well and are pretty affordable.

2. water dish or fill the tank bottom with water?

Definatel use a water dish. Standing water will harbor bacteria and could cause problems. It also makes cleaning a hassle.

3. where to get tree branches? southern cali doesnt have many big trees..

Maple branches work great. You can also use plastic dowels if you have a source for them. Don't use wooden dowels unless they are painted. They will mold quickly and this can cause problems. Black Jungle supply may have an alternative solution for you also.

4. heating this cage,i know heat tape/pad and 15watt bulb but is that enough i know the temp should sit about 2 degrees.. and that you should cycle the lighting in 12/12 hour shifts

I use room temps in one snake room and 15-40W bulb in another room depending on the size of the cage and material of the cage. I keep temps between 78 and 86.

5. Feeding should be 5-7 days for neonates, 7-10 days for yearlings, 14-21 days as adults or even up to once a month for male adults.. Is that correct...

I feed neos every 5-7 days. Usually this allows for a bowel movement and they are hunting again.
For yearlings and adults I use a 7-10 day rule. If adults are only fed 14-21 days they will become thin over time. Males should be offered food at the same time females are. You'll understand why when your male goes off feed for 6 months, starts feeding for a month and then goes off feed for another 2 months or so. As long as the defecation cycles are pretty regular, feeding should be on a routine schedule. Some animals will eat every week, some will only eat periodically. Most females will eat anytime. But, as with any animal, they are all individuals and thier eating habits will differ. Just figure out what works best for you and the snake. Good luck and prepair for more chondros, because one will not be enough.

Brandon Osborne

Hey everyone!

I can not thank you enough for all the wonderful information.. I guess im going with the rubbermaid set up... what size is recomended.. I will be using either plasic hangers for his branchs or PVC pipe. I want him to be as happy as a little clam... I hope that with this starting information it will be easy to get a new little guy adjusted and into the comfort zone so to speak... Im sure ill write again when i actually get this snake but for now the information overload is good for me.. thank you all so much

Sincerely,
Rose & Steve

I use a 50 Quart Rubbermaid. On another note make sure that you have the whole enclosure setup BEFORE you purchase the animal. By setup I mean making sure you have the right amount of humidity lows of about 40% and highs up to 100%. Basically you want to mist in the evening and the cage should pretty much dry out completely in 24 hrs. You will need to drill holes in the tub so just drill a few try it out as far as humidity goes and then drill more if needed.
It would be a pain in the rear if you got the animal and didn't have everything already set and ready to rock.
Best of luck.
Steve

I keep neos up to yearlings in 12-16 qt boxes. Good luck.

Brandon