Hello my friends! I hope you are all doing well! So I did get a beautiful neonate Green Tree Python, and for now he is living in the excellent Tranquility Base by Reptile Perch/Specialty Enclosures for baby condros. My question is around plants, I notice the pictures I’ve seen of neonate GPTs in standard tub setups are pretty bare, normally just the perch, waterbowl and substrate/papertowels. However it seems lost of these are from breeders that have lots of tubs and neonates to take care of. Are there any thoughts in the community around adding (but not overcrowding) a neonate’s tub for enrichment? Like adding some fake plants for concealment to reduce stress and make a more unique environment to explore? I just have the one GPT and I want to provide the best possible environment for him (till he grows and I get a much larger setup constructed). Any thoughts are welcome! Thanks!
Definitely a good idea to add plants for cover and enrichment.
In my gtp enclosure I have several pieces of drift wood, mostly cottonwood roots that I found along the river. They are solidly mounted but many keepers choose to mount them on hooks so they can be removed with the snake on them for cleaning and handling.
For plants, I use cat litter pans filled @ 1/2 with soil I mix myself. No drain holes.The plants are rooted in this then the pan topped up with coco fibre. Some are planted in pots but the soil is my own mixture with cuttings I take myself. These are easy to remove if needed.
As for types of plants, I have pothos, tapestry vine, spider plants and wandering jew. Coleus is easy to grow and comes in q variety of colours. It is brittle though.
I have also used others like cucumber or watermelon. Both grow quite well and there’s nothing like eating fresh picked watermelon in the middle of winter. I hand pollinate if need be.
Basically any plant that is non toxic can be used. I tend to use edible plants. I have served snake cage salad more than a few times. No joke.
That being said, artificial plants tend to live longer. Lol.
It isn’t necessary but I, in some cases, use elevated water dishes. I build holders and mount them using suction cups.
For my soil mix, I use finished compost mixed with sand 50/50 then add maple leaves (fallen)and or lawn clippings plus a small amount of clay. After the substrate has been laid down I add a small handful of unfinished compost partially buried so the bugs can get to it as well as disperse from it.
If you’re not going bioactive you can use just coco or any sub that holds moisture without molding.
If you decide to use live plants it is best to avoid commercial planting mixes because of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and leaf shiners. Instead make or buy a mix that is safe for terrariums. Take cuttings and root them in whatever container you feel looks good in your set up. I have used sections of hollow logs lined with a plastic bag.
If live plants are used, remember to quarantine them before adding to an existing terrarium. Wash the leaves with a sponge ,if possible, and tepid water, then take cuttings.
Hope this helps a little. Btw, we all really like pics.