Weight: 1000-1600g
Diet: Tree lizards, birds, small mammals, and other small arboreal vertebrates
Incubation: 45-52 days
Clutch Size: 6-30 eggs
Sexual Maturity: 3 years
Lifespan: exceed 20 years; the longest-lived record is 28 yr. 3 mos.
Range: Northeast Australia, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Aru Islands
Habitat: Rainforests
Population: Global
The Green tree python is a non-venomous snake with bright green colour and has a diamond-shaped head. Some of the green pythons have green, yellow or blue spots on the body while some of them have yellow or white vertebral stripes. This green species was found in the tropical rain forests of the Cape York Peninsula of Australia, Eastern Indonesia, and New Guinea. The colouration of Green Python helps them to remain hidden in their areas such as the green colour helps them to stay hidden in the green-coloured leaves of the tall trees in the rainforest.
Green Tree Python Behavior and Temperament
The green-coloured python lives in the tropical rainforests having lush vegetation and also high humidity. Here, they spend a large part of their life in hiding the green leaves. Mostly, people do not want to pet them but it is easy to care for them. Green pythons are exotic display animals and are good for those having intermediate to advanced snake owners.
Food and Water
Most of the time, their favourite food is to eat small mammals and other reptiles. In the wild, they are fond of birds, frogs, lizards, bats, and other vertebrates as their food. Especially the ones present in the leaves of trees are the favourite food of green phytons. Sometimes green pythons leave the trees and start feeding on ground-dwelling rodents and that is why when they are kept as pets, they eat mice and rats as their food.
Humidity
The green snakes need high humidity for their survival. Always provide them with high humidity and temperature level within the right range. Also, adequate airflow is necessary and their enclosure should be humid and have proper airflow. Keep in mind that the enclosure should be humid but not wet, so it will prevent respiratory and skin problems.
Light
Here is the good news that green pythons do not need excess light like other pets for their survival. As they do not require full spectrum lightning, now you will be able to see the true colours of the green tree python.
Heat
The heating temperature in the enclosure of the green python should be between 86-88 degrees Fahrenheit. Moreover, the snake enclosure should have a different range of temperatures in the enclosure. The cooler part of the enclosure should behave temperature around 78 to 80 degrees while the temperature should be 70 to 75 degrees at night. Do not go below 70 degrees.
Fun Facts Of Green Tree Python
- It is noticed that the Green Tree Python has much resemblance with the South American relative, the Emerald Tree Boa. Even these are not closely related to them but still, look and act like emerald tree boa. However, with the resemblance in behaviour and appearance, there are some significant differences as well such as python tree lays eggs whereas emerald tree boa lives young.
- This amazing creature may have above 100 teeth.
- The newly born green pythons are bright orange, black or brick red. They do not show green colour for about six to 8 months after production. Offsprings turn into vivid green colour when they mature.
- Green Pythons sit still on the branch and dangle their tail to lure the food. When the prey sees the wiggling tail, it gets curious about that and comes close for a strike. Python then catches the prey. How intelligent is this species!
- To attract the warm-blooded prey, pythons heat sensors known as thermo sensory pits to attract and capture the prey.
- They spend most of the time of their life coiling around the branches of trees, neck spring-loaded behind and the head lying in the middle of their coils. This coiling is similar to the saddle that lays over a tree branch. Always ready to strike the passing preys. They most spend most of their life phase in the trees.
- The history of the beautiful green python shows the scientists a very good example of parallel evolution where many different species live in separate locations but develop the same adaptions. They have a resemblance with the American Emerald tree Boa but also have some significant differences.
- Green python is made up of two different subspecies or lineages that split about five million years ago but did not interbreed well. However, the two lineages have still a resemblance in behaviour and appearance even after that difference and separation.
- The green python is the snake that was once known by the name of Chondropython Viridis and had their genus. But scientists noticed that they have similarities in appearance and behaviour with the Australian and Guinea carpet python, so they placed them in the Genus Morelia. Scientists gave them the scientific name Morelia Viridis. Sometimes they are still known by the name “Chondro” in the pet trade.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a Green Tree Python for sale, go for the right breeder. This way you will have minimum, chances of snakes’ health issues such as parasites or other problems. Also, keep in mind that these species are not good for inexperienced keepers as their pets.
If you enjoy reading all about the fun facts of Gree Tree Python, why not check out our Maintenance Guide for Piebald Ball Python for Beginners for more?