Green Tree Pythons (Morelia viridis) are an undeniably stunning creature of the rainforest. This species of nocturnal, arboreal python can reach total lengths of around 4' to 6' as an adult. In the wild, they are found primarily in the rainforests of New Guinea and the islands of Indonesia.
Terrarium
Green Tree Pythons are strictly arboreal. A 20-30 gallon tank can adequately house younger snakes, but will need a larger tank as it grows into an adult. Because these snakes are arboreal and live their lives among the treetops, tank height is important. a 36x18x36 (Exo Terra Large X-Tall) tank is ideal for an adult green tree python. The tank should be constructed out of glass or wood, any mesh or open top tanks will not hold in a high enough humidity. Cages that opened from the front are highly favored, these guys DO NOT like being approached from above!
Humidity/Temperature Control
Proper and constant humidity/temperature is vital to your boa's health. Your terrarium should have a constant humidity as high as 90% ans never below 60%. This humidity level can be achieved with manual spraying, misting systems, fog machines or evaporation via heating pad. Wet, stagnant air can lead to skin disease, so proper ventilation and air flow is also very important. Emerald tree boa's should have a constant temperature of 82-84 F with a basking spot of 90 F. At night the temperature should drop to ~74 F. A ceramic heater can provide heat after dark, Pisces recommends: Zoo-Med Nano Ceramic Heat Emitter. A digital thermostat is ideal for controlling a uniform temperature. Pisces recommends: Zoo-Med ReptiTemp Digital Thermostat.
Decoration
Emerald tree boa's like to coil themselves around branches of varying width and shape. Pisces recommends: Fluker's Bamboo Bars Combo Pack for easy to clean and install branches. Provide a variety of perching options on both sides of the tank. When given the option, these snakes will likely choose a resting branch with a smaller diameter than a larger one. Because these snakes are so vibrant, a natural looking enclosure will really show this baby off! Try using a cork bark backdrop and planting some live moss and vine plants like Pothos to make your tank come to life!
Feeding
Feeding the GTP is relatively simple and will live on a diet of rodents. It is very easy to over feed one of these snakes due to their sedentary lifestyle. Hatchling can east 1-2 day old newborn mice ever 5 - 7 days. As the snake grows, you can scale the size of its food accordingly. After the snake has grown into an adult (2-4 years) we will start to feed the more sparingly. Males can be fed an adult mouse every 2-3 weeks, while females should be fed more frequent, every 10-14 days. It is not uncommon for male snakes to stop eating during the breeding season.
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