RecoverySnakes
Green tree python care guide
Morelia viridis
A fully arboreal display python that perches all day. Perch placement and stable humidity matter more than floor area — an advanced-keeper species.
Arboreal — vertical height first
Green tree python enclosure size
Arboreal — vertical height first. An adult green tree python should live in at least 24" L × 24" W × 30" H; we build toward 36" L × 24" W × 36" H (3 × 2 × 3 ft, roughly 6 sq ft of floor and about a 135-gallon glass equivalent).
- Hatchling / baby
- 18" L × 18" W × 18" H recommended · min 12" L × 12" W × 18" H
- Juvenile
- 24" L × 18" W × 24" H recommended · min 18" L × 18" W × 24" H
- Adult
- 36" L × 24" W × 36" H recommended · min 24" L × 24" W × 30" H
Temperature and heating
Radiant panel above the highest perch on a thermostat; never a hot floor.
- Basking / warm surface
- 86–88°F at the top perch
- Warm side (ambient)
- 82–84°F
- Cool side (ambient)
- 76–78°F
- Night
- 72–75°F
Lighting and UVB
UVB: T5 UVB 5–6% (UVI 1–2 at perch height). Run lights on a 12 hours photoperiod, on a timer, and replace UVB bulbs on the manufacturer's schedule even while they still emit visible light.
Humidity
Target 60–80%. Daily misting plus a moisture-holding substrate; ventilation must still be good to avoid respiratory infection.
Substrate and depth
Cypress mulch or bioactive soil. Depth: 2–3 in.
Enclosure tips and furnishing
- Two or more horizontal perches at different heights
- Foliage cover around the perches
- Water bowl below
- Smooth perch dowels of correct diameter
Build list
- 24x24x30+ front-opening arboreal cage — Perch height is the usable space.
- Radiant heat panel — Warms a perch from above the way sun through canopy does.
- Digital thermostat — Every heat source must run through a thermostat — unregulated heat burns animals.
- Two digital probe thermometers + hygrometer — Read the warm side, cool side and humidity directly — stick-on dials are inaccurate.
- Cypress mulch — Holds humidity between mistings.
Green tree python FAQ
How big should an adult Green tree python enclosure be?
At least 24" L × 24" W × 30" H, and we recommend building to 36" L × 24" W × 36" H — about 3 × 2 × 3 ft, or a 135-gallon glass equivalent. Arboreal — vertical height first.
What temperatures does a Green tree python need?
Basking or warm surface 86–88°F at the top perch, warm side 82–84°F, cool side 76–78°F, night 72–75°F. Radiant panel above the highest perch on a thermostat; never a hot floor.
Does a Green tree python need UVB?
T5 UVB 5–6% (UVI 1–2 at perch height). Photoperiod: 12 hours.
What humidity does a Green tree python need?
60–80%. Daily misting plus a moisture-holding substrate; ventilation must still be good to avoid respiratory infection.
What substrate is best for a Green tree python?
Cypress mulch or bioactive soil, at a depth of 2–3 in.
How big does a Green tree python enclosure need to be for a hatchling?
Hatchling / baby: 18" L × 18" W × 18" H recommended, minimum 12" L × 12" W × 18" H. Scale up to the adult footprint as the animal grows.
Sources
Put this guide to work
Apply these targets to your own green tree python record, then log feedings, sheds and weights against them.