Green Tree Python Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where do green tree pythons live?
A: Green tree pythons are native to New Guinea islands (West Papua/Papua New Guinea, Aru, Biak, Kofiau, Misool, etc) in Indonesia and east coast of Cape York Peninsula in Australia.
Q: Do green tree pythons make good pets?
A: Green tree pythons are stunning display animals and make great pets! Captive-bred GTPs are relatively easy to keep and thrive in captivity if husbandry and care requirements are met.
Q: Is green tree python poisonous?
A: The correct word to use here would be "venomous" (always remember: if it bites you and you die - it's venomous, if you bite it and you die - it's poisonous). To answer this question: Green tree pythons are constrictors; they kill their prey by coiling around it and tightening their coils. They don't have venom, and are non-venomous.
Q: Do green tree pythons bite?
A: Green tree pythons, that were born and raised in captivity, are somewhat used to human presence and don't normally bite, unless provoked. Wild-caught individuals may be very defensive and intolerable of any human contact. Some of them may tame down with time, but majority will stay "wild".
Q: Do green tree pythons have fangs?
A: Fangs are an attribute of venomous snakes, and are used to inject venom into the prey to kill it. Green tree pythons are non-venomous, they kill their prey by constriction. They do have teeth - quite long and sharp - but no fangs.
Q: Can green tree pythons be handled?
A: Captive-bred green tree pythons usually tolerate reasonable handling really well. Wild-caught animals, in general, are "hands-free".
Q: Can green tree pythons live together?
A: Green tree pythons are not communal. Adult chondros (especially males) are very territorial and should never be housed together, unless they are a male and a female breeding. Some green tree python keepers experiment with putting several sub-adult Morelia viridis into one enclosure and letting them cohabitate, but usually separate them when they become mature, as the risk of one animal injuring or killing another is quite high.
Q: Do green tree pythons change color?
A: When green tree pythons hatch from the egg, their skin color is either red or yellow. Approximately at 1-1.5 year of age, they change their color to green. Some green tree pythons may change their neonate coloration to blue or yellow (for red neonates), but these cases are rare.
Q: Do green tree pythons need UVB?
A: Green tree pythons may benefit from occasional exposure to UVB rays, but they don't require additional UVB sources installed in their enclosure.
Q: What do green tree pythons eat in the wild?
A: In the wild, young green tree pythons feed on small lizards and frogs. Adult green tree pythons' diet mostly consists of rodents, and, occasionally, small birds.