Animals & Exhibits
Fun Facts!
Green tree pythons will attract their prey by dangling the end of their tail over the end of a branch and wiggle it, like a lure.
Green Tree Python
Morelia viridis
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
The green tree python is a non-venomous snake can reach lengths of about 6 feet - males are usually larger than females. The vivid green coloring, flecked with blue, white and yellow, provides excellent camouflage and makes it very difficult to detect amongst leaves and small plants.
HABITAT
Found in the tropical rainforests of Papua New Guinea, Australia, and Indonesia.
DIET IN THE WILD
This carnivore primarily feeds on lizards, birds, and small mammals. Their feeding is enhanced by greatly enlarged front teeth, which enable the snake to grasp and hold its prey.
BEHAVIOR
This tree snake has developed a grasping tail to help it move among the branches. Much of its time is spent coiled in a pile in the branches, with its head in the middle of the coil. This is an unusual resting position for snakes. Like most snakes, green tree pythons are solitary, except in the breeding season.The female green tree python lays about 15-20 eggs in a hole in a tree or amongst tree roots on the ground. Like other pythons, she coils around the eggs and shivers to keep them warm during the incubation period until they hatch after about two months.
In the Zoo, the female lays her eggs in a wooden nest box. They are then removed by the keepers and kept in an incubator. Newly hatched pythons are lemon yellow or brick red in color and do not develop their adult green coloring for six to eight months.
STATUS IN THE WILD / CONSERVATION EFFORTS
Due to their bright color, these snakes are popular with reptile collectors. They are not listed as a threatened species, but species numbers are being watched because of the threat from wildlife trade.
LIFE SPAN
They can live as much as 20 years in the wild, and some have lived as long as 28 years in captivity.