Facts About Green Tree Pythons

The green tree python is a beautifully colored constrictor snake that lives in tropical rainforests in New Guinea, parts of Australia, Solomon Islands and Aru Island. Green tree pythons spend their life in the trees, descending only when they wish to find a new tree. Their life span is approximately 20 years in the wild or up to 35 years in captivity. Green tree pythons have a unique appearance and they are closely related to the emerald tree boa.

  1. Appearance

    • Green tree pythons are various shades of green and have white or yellow stripes down their back. They may have small white, blue and yellow spots scattered around their body. Green tree pythons have a slender body that is slightly compressed. Its head is diamond shaped. Green tree pythons have a prehensile tail. This means that the tail has the ability to curl around different objects to grip them. They range in length from 64 to 72 inches.

    Habitat

    • Green tree pythons are found in rainforests. They are arboreal, tree dwelling snakes and only descend from the trees to move to another tree. Green tree pythons coil along the branches of the tree. Green tree pythons are often kept as pets.

    Diet

    • Green tree pythons feed on small rodents, tree lizards, birds and other small vertebrates. They use their tail to attract prey. They do this by dangling their tail from the branch and wiggling it to attract curious prey. Once their prey is close enough, the green tree python will strike.

    Breeding

    • The female green tree python lays her eggs 20 to 24 days after mating. She lays them in a tree hole and protects them until they hatch in 45 to 52 days. The young snakes are independent from birth and will go off in the forest by themselves. At birth, green tree pythons are brightly colored. They are born bright yellow, orange or deep red. They will remain this way until 6 to 8 months when they will begin turning green. Green tree pythons reach sexual maturity at 2 years of age. They have a breeding interval of one year.

    Relatives

    • The green tree python is closely related to emerald tree boas which inhabit parts of South America. This is what is referred to as parallel evolution. The green tree python looks and acts similar to its relative, but they are in fact very different. Green tree pythons are oviparous, meaning that they lay eggs. On the other hand, emerald tree boas bear young snakes.