Deciding On An Arboreal Snake

I’ve decided that after I get my upcoming blue tongue skink I want my last pet only reptile for a few years to be some sort of arboreal/semi arboreal snake, and I’ve narrowed down what I want to a few options so I’d love it if you would vote on which I should start looking into. Feel free to comment any info you have on these snakes as well. Thanks!

  • Carpet Python
  • Green Tree Python
  • Rough Scaled Python
  • Annulated Tree Boa
  • Madagascar Tree Boa
  • Pearl Island Boa

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No personal experience with any of these species, but I’ve always thought carpets seemed like really fun snakes and they’re also so beautiful!

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My vote is for Carpet Pythons, id recommend papuan (IJ), they stay a reasonable size, and arent nearly as bity as some of the other options (not familiar with all other options). They are decent when it comes to feeding, and fairly easy to tame down with a little work, though as babies they are quiet bity haha

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Full disclosure, I’ve never kept any of those species, but my vote is for a carpet python. It’s my understanding that at least some species of carpets are a lot more handleable than many fully arboreal species. Plus they’re very colourful and beautiful, so you get a gorgeous display animal that you can also handle.

But it depends on what you want. If handling isn’t important to you, green tree pythons are really beautiful and make great display snakes.

I don’t know much about the other species on your list, unfortunately, except that they’re beautiful.

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I will be honest and state that I haven’t had any of these, but I have always wished I could have a green tree python as a display animal. I adore my corn snakes, love handling them, but there’s something about green tree pythons that I’ve always loved. I’ve spent a lot of time in zoos just looking at them while they hung out in branches.

Carpet pythons are also lovely. Heck, the species you’ve listed are all lovely. For me though, green tree python would be the one.

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Its the jungle carpets that are a testy, but none of them shake a stick at green tree pythons for easy agitation haha. Though i will say, compared to a ball python, carpet pythons take alot more knowledge to keep handleable, as they notoriously think you are food until you get them out of their enclosure xD

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Yeah, I’m aware the green tree pythons are in the “for display only” category. But they’re just so…
I don’t know quite what, but they’re just SO. I doubt I’ll ever bite that particular bullet, but part of me will always want to.

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Im with you, i actually love the red GTPs, but yeah, im not good at “look dont touch” haha

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Lol I get it, believe me. I remember a line from “Jurassic Park 2” where the character Ian Malcom’s girlfriend has left their safe vantage point in the woods. She is reaching out toward a dinosaur. He says to himself (and the audience) in a bemused voice, “She can’t not touch!” My husband turned to me in the theater with this look in his eye and said, “It’s you!”

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Yeah, I’m with you on the appeal of GTPs. They’re like the quintessential snake. When you say the word “snake,” I think most people picture something close to a green tree python (or I dunno, maybe that’s just me). I love the way they coil on top of branches. They’re really, really beautiful.

But much like @verinium, I struggle with the concept of “look but don’t touch.” Plus there’s the fact that even a “display animal” is going to require some sort of handling at least occasionally (deep cleans of the enclosure, changing enclosures, health checks, and God forbid you ever have to deal with stuff like stuck shed or serious health issues). I like knowing that my snakes aren’t going to try to rip my face off when dealing with that sort of stuff. :joy:

If/when I ever have the money, I’d love to have a nice, good-tempered CBB emerald tree boa. Sadly, I doubt I’ll ever have that kind of cash, but they’re so beautiful, and apparently tend to be a lot less reactive than GTPs (especially the Amazon Basin emeralds).

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I think I’ve definitely decided on a nice Brisbane locality coastal carpet python or a normal Darwin Carpet.

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You can totally handle green tree pythons! The issue is if it’s still a hatchling/juvie then they’re more delicate but as along as you don’t handle it like a neanderthal and let it go where it wants to go then they’re fine. Second issue is if it’s an imported biak (at any age) then there will be blood. :joy:

Those choices are tough though because each species has something to offer and I’m sure you’ll enjoy whichever you pick! If you’re looking at a carpet or chondro, I say split the difference and get a roughie.

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Coastals can get 10ft+ just be ready for that (not sure on brisbane locality specifically) darwins are more the 6-7 foot range. Both are fantastic animals :slight_smile:

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You have some nice options on your list. It all comes down to what you want, size, handleablility, cost, care, color/patterns/display. GTPs & ETBs are beautiful and very nice display animals but less handleable. Sanzinia are also beautiful but less available and much pricier(assuming cbb for all options). Rough scales are basically mostly carpets to me anyway kinda like Bredls or Angolan is to BPs.

That being said as keeper & breeder of carpet pythons my opinion is very biased. But being that it’s also the majority pick I’ll give you my reasons. 1st I will strongly disagree that they’re bitey, even as hatchies. I handle dozens of them right out of the egg, only a couple are ever nippy(out of fear), even then usually only for the 1st couple weeks and most times it’s more of a headbutt than a bite. I have NEVER been bitten by any over a few months old. Adults are very food motivated and always interested if that’s why you’re opening their enclosures but never fly out with open mouths. They’re almost like monitors in that way, food? no, ok you can touch me then. They come in a wider variety of color and patterns(I recommend jungles for the greatest variety here). They have very individual personalities and aren’t shy so make a great display like GTP/ETB, with easier husbandry and as handleable as BPs. They’re cost reasonable, widely available cbb and they all stay a slender 5-7ft(except coastals). This was probably a longer winded response than you wanted but as you can tell I love them! Here’s some incentives feel to DM me if you want more lol.

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Glad youve had good luck with em haha, for me its not so much fear bitey (except for my jungle who has refused to tame down at all) but tank biteyness, as soon as i get them out, they calm right down, but its nothing a 25$ snake hook wont solve haha. I also cant spend as much time with each individual snake due to my job, college, and breeding, so that likely has a large factor in this. The one i handle the most i have no fear of being bit at all, the ones i handle less often, i will use a hook. Fury (my jungle) can have his way and stay in his enclosure xD

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