Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Please excuse my ignorance, but can you hold your GTP's or are they display snakes? Which tolerates handling better GTP's or Amazon Tree Boas?
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1.1 Jungle Carpet Python
1.1 Ball Python
1.1 Corn Snake
0.1 Gray band Kingsnake
0.1 Desert Kingsnake
0.1 Pueblan Milksnake
1.0 Bullsnake
1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback (Hondo)
0.1 Spouse (WC)
0.0.8 hatchling ball pythons

Some can be handled, some can't. Biak types are generally regarded as nippy and less tractable. My Sarong type is as tame as a puppy. I can generally handle her anytime and not worry about it (except at night when she's in hunt mode of course). My baby Jayapura type is too young to handle, but it hasn't attempted to nip me when I've gone into the enclosure, or when I transferred it from it's shipping container to the enclosure. There are different temperaments in all types though. As for Tree Boas, I can't answer that one. I don't have one yet! I plan on getting one in the future though. On the whole though, the GT's aren't the type of snake you'll be taking out everyday like maybe a cornsnake. I do know some breeders who do take out one of theirs everyday though as he's so tame.
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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
1.0~Black fat cat~Topper
3.0~Horses~Zaarah,Galliano,Achilles.....

Exactly as Meg said. Some can be quite tame others cannot. Sometimes it is due to locality but there are always exceptions etc.

As for Emeralds all the ones I've came in contact with were slightly unpredictable. Most were fairly aggressive if you tried to actually handle them but would tolerate changing water/cleaning cage etc. Not a species I would want to risk getting bit by though. I have a friend that got nailed in the hand by a 2 year old male and it caused some nerve damage.

I think GT and Emeralds tend to get handled less because they display themselves well. You get to actually see the animal hanging there in plain site most of the day. Unlike other boas/pythons that are always hiding or curled up behind something the arboreal snakes are usually in plain site. Making it less of a temptation to actually handle the animal.

my sorong is the best reptile i have ever owned.i handle him on almost an everyday basis and he never tries to bite,even at night.i dont believe i am stressing him out as i consider willingness to eat as a great indicator if a snake is being stressed or not.i can handle him for 15 minutes,return him to his enclosure with one hand,and with the other hand,place a mouse on the floor and he will almost always go right for it right away.i think ,like two people have already said,every snake is different and not all chondros are as great as mine an megs.its also my opinion that chondro bites are much too exagerated.i have been bitten a few times by an adult and,although it doesnt feel good,its nothing like i was warned about when i was looking into chondros(almost didnt bleed at all).they dont have fangs(like many say)and their teeth are not really much longer than other pythons.i have seen photos of emeralds and i can say with almost certainty,that their bite would be a totally different story.its also my opinion that chondros are much nicer looking than emeralds so its not even like its a worthwhile tradeoff.chondros come in more colors,better eaters,regergitations are almost unheard of,more reliable temperments(aru good,biak bad ect.)many say they are easier breeders,juvenile colors are much nicer,bites hurt less lol,and,if that wasnt enough,we now have calicos,pure blue,and even albinos!!.now that said,im with meg.its only a matter of time before i own an emerald.its just that i couldnt imagine anyone owning one before at least one chondro.good luck either way.

I know Cathy Maynard on the other forum had one of her adults bite her (not the emerald, her chondro) and it took a serious chunk out of her thumb, so they can bite pretty good if they get a good hold.
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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
1.0~Black fat cat~Topper
3.0~Horses~Zaarah,Galliano,Achilles.....

are you serious???that really surprises me.i cant imagine,after the bites i got,that a chondro(no matter how large)would be able to take a chuck out of hand.i was rather calm(drunk)when they happened.so i didnt pull away.i think if one were to bite you and you panic and pull away hard,the teeth that are like razors,could cause a nice gash,but still dont understand a chunk being taken out.maybe it was a figure of speech?i dont doubt her i just think its weird considering my experiences.ha ha just like a woman to panic when a chondro bites.lol.just kidding meg.

You took him too literally. It was a pretty nasty bite though. Also, it all depends on where it gets you. The worst bite I've ever recieved was from a 2yr old black milk snake, because it barely caught my thumb and managed to rip off some flesh.

GTPs are a snake that can be handled, but you have to know the snake. My Aru is great..my Biak will bite me simply for thinking about it.

Emeralds...I won't even attempt to hold one.

Amazons...I get struck at/bit every time I attempt to hold one. But I have a friend who can pick up the same exact snake and not get any aggressive reactions. They're definately a snake with some personality. Beautiful snakes, and great for displays. If you get lucky, great for a pet too.

Chris
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1.1.0 Irian x Jungle Carpet Pythons
1.2.0 Black Rats- Robert, Cady, Kylie
1.2.0 Albino FL Kings-Nick, Jessica, Ashley
1.1.0 Crimson Corns-Kane, Ruby
0.1.0 Het-Crimson Corns-Lola
0.1.0 White-Sided/Pos Het Albino Black Rat-Lita
1.0.0 Albino White-sided Black Rat-Rey
0.1.0 Albino/Het White-sided Black Rat-Stacey
1.2.0 Creamsicle Corns-Vince, Trish, Torrie
0.1.0 Fl King-Bonnie
1.0.1 Green Tree Pythons Biak-Brandon, Aru-Orochimaru
1.0.0 Flame X Blood Bearded-Ruff
2.4.0 Ball Pythons-Kritsy, Gretchen, Alexis, 100% het for albino balls- Naruto, Hinata, 66% het VPI Axanthic-Sasuke
0.1.0 Red-tail Boa-Xena
0.0.1 Savannah Monitor-Izzy

Thanks for the info. It doesn't sound too different from my Jungle Carpet Pythons. One of them bit me everytime I picked her up for about a year. She finally started settling down about 8 months ago. It really doesn't hurt when she bites, just a quick bite and release that leaves tiny little droplets of blood. Scares the h@#$ out me, usually, but doesn't hurt. My other one has never once even got into strike pose, he's really docile. I really love the looks of the green trees. I like when my JCP's hang out in trees, although they aren't as aboreal as the green trees. I was just wondering which was a better choice as far as tempermant and handling are concerned, the GTP or the Amazon Tree Boa. Of course to be fair, I suppose I should ask this same question in the ATB forum. That will probably just confuse me that much more, lol. Thanks again.

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1.1 Jungle Carpet Python
1.1 Ball Python
1.1 Corn Snake
0.1 Gray band Kingsnake
0.1 Desert Kingsnake
0.1 Pueblan Milksnake
1.0 Bullsnake
1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback (Hondo)
0.1 Spouse (WC)
0.0.8 hatchling ball pythons

Nice looking carpets

As far as ATB temperment goes...they're kinda weird snakes. Usually it's the picking them up thats the hard part, and once you have them they settle down, as long as you don't wave your hand in their face. They just take some work to get them to calm down. Just be prepared that like all snakes, some of them WILL NOT calm down. Get some, and enjoy the show lol.

Chris
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1.1.0 Irian x Jungle Carpet Pythons
1.2.0 Black Rats- Robert, Cady, Kylie
1.2.0 Albino FL Kings-Nick, Jessica, Ashley
1.1.0 Crimson Corns-Kane, Ruby
0.1.0 Het-Crimson Corns-Lola
0.1.0 White-Sided/Pos Het Albino Black Rat-Lita
1.0.0 Albino White-sided Black Rat-Rey
0.1.0 Albino/Het White-sided Black Rat-Stacey
1.2.0 Creamsicle Corns-Vince, Trish, Torrie
0.1.0 Fl King-Bonnie
1.0.1 Green Tree Pythons Biak-Brandon, Aru-Orochimaru
1.0.0 Flame X Blood Bearded-Ruff
2.4.0 Ball Pythons-Kritsy, Gretchen, Alexis, 100% het for albino balls- Naruto, Hinata, 66% het VPI Axanthic-Sasuke
0.1.0 Red-tail Boa-Xena
0.0.1 Savannah Monitor-Izzy

Hahahaha since I got your attention how about some of my tame Chondro's and Emeralds they can both be tame don't let anyone tell you they can't. I have owned both for years not weeks like some pro's I see on some sites. Biaks can be tame too. I have 3 adult females that are tame as any Ball Python I have. Just remember captive born is the way to go!!!!!
I bet he would of bit me if he was mean...

I bet she would of nailed me if she was mean.....

He would of got me no way around that one..

She would of bit me too see any blood???

Biak!!!!!

Another Biak!!!

Even Bigger Biak!!!!

Whats up Dude???

I have alot more pics on my site of my hairy arm holding several more.....

Tim Rash
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Tim Rash
www.nocturnal-creations.com

Wow, those are great looking snakes. Thanks for all your responses. I'm still waiting for the folks at the Tree Boa forum to weigh in with their opinions. I asked the the same question there. Now you have me wanting a new snake, my wife's going to kill me, lol. She hates snakes and I now have 18 including the ball python hatchlings, but they are temporary. She says the next pet is going to be a mongoose, that's ugly, isn't it?
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1.1 Jungle Carpet Python
1.1 Ball Python
1.1 Corn Snake
0.1 Gray band Kingsnake
0.1 Desert Kingsnake
0.1 Pueblan Milksnake
1.0 Bullsnake
1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback (Hondo)
0.1 Spouse (WC)
0.0.8 hatchling ball pythons

Captive bred doesn't mean they won't bite. My friend Angelina bought several captive bred Biaks from a well-known breeder and one grabbed onto her arm when she picked it up. It's just a nasty snake. As far as the chunk out of Cathy's thumb, that was from her snake losing it's balance on the perch when she was getting some moss (I think it was) from the side of it's mouth and when it slipped it grabbed taking a chunk of skin off the thumb. The point is, they do have decent teeth, and they can hurt. Some will bite....some won't....
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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
1.0~Black fat cat~Topper
3.0~Horses~Zaarah,Galliano,Achilles.....

Meg, What kind do you have? What is Biak, is that the specific local they are from?
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1.1 Jungle Carpet Python
1.1 Ball Python
1.1 Corn Snake
0.1 Gray band Kingsnake
0.1 Desert Kingsnake
0.1 Pueblan Milksnake
1.0 Bullsnake
1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback (Hondo)
0.1 Spouse (WC)
0.0.8 hatchling ball pythons

Haha you took that the wrong way I didn't say captive borns wont bite, I said captive born is the way to go. Any thing with teeth can bite. I was just showing they could be tame. With captive borns you have a better chance having a healthy animal if you stay with captive borns from Trustworthy Breeders that is what I was trying to point out. Any snake can be tame any snake can be mean they are how they feel like being. Like this guy below some days he likes me some days he wants to kill everything in his path. Stay away from wild caughts unless you have a big bank account to pay for vet bills for all of the problems that could come up and after spending double what a captive born one would of cost from the vet bills then waking up one morning with her lying dead on the floor you will understand what I went threw with my wild caughts. I wont buy another wild caught no matter how cool looking it is. If you want one that will give you years of fun Captive Born is the way to go!!!!

Tim Rash
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Tim Rash
www.nocturnal-creations.com

Biak is the locality of the animal. In the GTP community, Biaks have the label of being the nastiest and most likely to bite, where usually Aru and Sorong locales tend to be the tamer ones...but it works both ways. People have mean Aru and Sorong types, and nice Biaks. And somehow, breeder seems to come into play. I've purchased 2 gtps, 1 ATB, and 4 ball pythons from 1 breeder...the balls are all pissy and hiss/strike. 1 of the GTPs (biak) strikes when bothered, and the ATB will strike at me but not my friend. Snakes are like women, don't even bother trying cause you'll never figure them out.

Chris
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1.1.0 Irian x Jungle Carpet Pythons
1.2.0 Black Rats- Robert, Cady, Kylie
1.2.0 Albino FL Kings-Nick, Jessica, Ashley
1.1.0 Crimson Corns-Kane, Ruby
0.1.0 Het-Crimson Corns-Lola
0.1.0 White-Sided/Pos Het Albino Black Rat-Lita
1.0.0 Albino White-sided Black Rat-Rey
0.1.0 Albino/Het White-sided Black Rat-Stacey
1.2.0 Creamsicle Corns-Vince, Trish, Torrie
0.1.0 Fl King-Bonnie
1.0.1 Green Tree Pythons Biak-Brandon, Aru-Orochimaru
1.0.0 Flame X Blood Bearded-Ruff
2.4.0 Ball Pythons-Kritsy, Gretchen, Alexis, 100% het for albino balls- Naruto, Hinata, 66% het VPI Axanthic-Sasuke
0.1.0 Red-tail Boa-Xena
0.0.1 Savannah Monitor-Izzy

yea you really cant tell.i have an almost 2 year old sorong that has never tried to bite in the almost 2 years that i have owned him.i am really cocky when i handle him and since he never tried to bite before,i sometimes dont even look at him while im reaching in to take him out.i realized it the other day when i was talking and looking at my friend while i was reaching in and pulling him out.i didnt even really look at him untill he was out of the cage.i thought for a second"im too comfortable with this guy"i know its been 2 years but i have to get bit at some point..right?im not really scared of the bite becuase i have been bitten before and its not that bad,im more worried about jumping and pulling back and hurting him.i think most injuries from chondros happen like that.although the teeth are sharp and somewhat long,they are pretty small and needle like.if you get bit and dont pull away,usually little damage is done.but if you pull away,you actually tear your own skin from the razor sharp teeth.kinda hard to remember not to pull away though when you see them coming at you.kinda reminds me of what i heard once about shark attacks.if you poke the shark in the eyes or stick your fingers in his nose,they are supposed to let go..lol.,is that before or after he ripped your leg off and you have severe whiplash from being whipped back and fourth.lol