The green tree python is a non-venomous snake that may be found in the islands of Australia, New Guinea, and Indonesia. The green tree python belongs to the family Pythonidae. As its name would suggest, it is a bright green snake, with females being somewhat heavier and larger than males.
If you’re thinking of adopting the green tree python as a pet, then you are right to read this article on the green tree python’s diet.
The bellies of each of these snakes are yellowish, and some of them may have thin white lines running down their backs. A green tree python’s body is rather slim, and its long tail accounts for around 14% of its total length. A caudal lure is a term for the hook on its prehensile tail.
Their color helps them hide from and elude predators. A child’s golden hue blends in with the edges of the forest. They can blend in with the forest floor and tree branches because of their brick red color. Adults’ striking green coloring makes them easier to conceal under towering trees’ foliage.
These timid snakes are good pets since they don’t require a lot of upkeep (with the exception of the required humidity levels within their enclosure). Even though they are unique and colorful, they do not like to be handled regularly, are likely to bite you when startled, and do not make the best pets.
Where Do Green Tree Pythons Live?
Eastern Indonesia, New Guinea, and the Northeastern Cape York Peninsula of Australia are among the places where green tree pythons may be found. They like tropical rainforests that are heavily wooded and have high levels of humidity. They can also be found in gardens and secondary forests. Even though they spend the bulk of their time in trees, they occasionally descend to the ground, especially at night.
How Do Green Tree Pythons Live?
Green tree pythons are arboreal and have solitary lifestyles. The majority of their time is spent wrapped up around tree limbs. These snakes have a special way of resting in tree branches; they make one or two coils around the branches to resemble a saddle and place their heads in the middle. Green tree pythons typically hunt at night. They grab prey by lashing out to enclose the victim after catching a limb with their prehensile tail and producing an S shape.
Wild species have also been seen wrapped around the base of small tree trunks, facing down and ready to prey on passing ground creatures. Green tree pythons may hunt their prey on the ground as well, due to their labial pits and acute vision.
We have a full article on Where Does The Green Tree Python Live: Habitat Details and also an article on how long they can grow – How Big Do Green Tree Pythons Get? (And Other Cool Facts)
How Do Green Tree Pythons Reproduce?
These snakes frequently reach sexual maturity at two years old. Both males and females mate with a variety of partners during the course of their lives. They may mate at any time of the year and have no specific breeding season.
Throughout their 70–90-day gestation phase, females go without food and spend their time locating a good nesting location. Although they prefer hollow trees for their nests, they will build them in any protected area with the right humidity. Between 5 and 35 eggs can be laid by a female.
When incubating their eggs, they wrap around them and generate heat through “muscular shivers” to keep the temperature stable. Until they hatch, females care for and incubate their eggs during 45–56 days.
The Green Tree Python’s Diet
The green tree python’s diet is believed to comprise lizards, bats, frogs, birds, and other creatures, especially those that reside in trees. They like eating other reptiles and small animals.
When kept as pets, the green tree python’s diet often comprises primarily of rats and mice since they periodically leave the trees to feed on rodents that reside on the ground. It is quite easy to overfeed green tree pythons kept as pets, leading to adults that are fat and lethargic. Many adults will eat on a daily basis if allowed to, thus feeding responses cannot be used to determine feeding rate.
When offering rodents to green tree pythons kept as pets, ensure to have thawed the rodent. This is because these snakes are sensitive to warm prey. It is advisable to also feed at night, with utter care as they can be voracious at night.
It is advisable to have a bowl of fresh and clean water in the enclosure of a green tree python kept as a pet. It is worthy of note that there should be an elevation of the water bowl.
As youngsters, these snakes are assumed to be diurnal, meaning they will be more active during the day and pursue their prey. However, as they become bigger, green tree pythons become nocturnal and prefer to hunt and do other nighttime activities.
Housing The Green Tree Python
Knowing how to house the green tree python is as important as knowing about the green tree python’s diet. For a pet reptile, it’s essential to provide a hiding place. Snakes like the green tree python love to have a shelter, even if you won’t want them to have a location where they may perhaps stay hidden permanently.
The green tree python is not regarded to be a particularly gregarious sort of snake, thus given the choice, it is likely to remain hidden constantly and stay put. Its ability to control body temperature may be hampered, and maybe illness may result. In reality, they often feel intimidated and may bite due to their shy temperament. Over time, they can be taught to become more obedient and receptive to normal handling.
The green tree python is one type of snake that requires humidity. Once you have a suitable-sized shelter, which should be capable of retaining humidity and providing enough ventilation, ensure you maintain both the temperatures and the humidity level within the recommended range. The green tree python’s cage has to be kept moist to prevent issues with the skin and respiratory system (but not wet).
Maintain your green tree python’s enclosure at a temperature of 86 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s important to give your pet snake a range of temperatures; during the day, the cooler side of the cage should be kept at 78 to 80 degrees, and at night, it may drop as low as 70 to 75 degrees. You should always keep your temperature above 70 degrees.
Conclusion On Green Tree Python’s Diet
The green python can be kept as a pet. Caring for them is affordable and not as stressful as it seems. If cared for properly, your green tree python should survive into its mid-teens or possibly early 20s, especially if you keep it in a home environment.
Despite having a reputation for being a little more delicate than other popular pet snake species like boas, ball pythons, kingsnakes, or corn snakes, if their care needs are satisfied, they typically live long, healthy lives.
We hope this article did justice to your questions on the green tree python’s diet. Thank you for reading.
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FAQs
What does a green tree python eat?
Green tree pythons often feed on lizards, bats, frogs, birds, and other small animals.
How often do green tree pythons eat?
Adult green tree python kept as pets should have a small rat for feeding every 10-14 days. The feeding rate of a green tree python in the wild might vary.
What do green tree pythons drink?
A green tree python will drink water droplets from the sides of leaves and off the bark of trees in the wild. If kept in an enclosure, it is wise to keep a bowl of fresh water in the enclosure.
What do green tree snakes eat in captivity?
A weekly provision of rodents will be enough to keep a green tree python going in captivity.