I highly recommend Greg Maxwell's "The More Complete Chondro" for anybody interested in green tree pythons, especially those interested in purchasing a green tree python. This husbandry page is not in-depth and mainly outlines how I house and care for my sub-adult chondros. If you have more specific questions, please feel free to contact me directly.

I maintain my yearlings in Rubbermaid polycarbonate 5 gal or 12q Rubbermaid "Clear Impressions" containers until they are large enough to be moved into adult sized display cages. These containers are housed in a rack system that is heated using heat tape regulated by a proportional thermostat. I maintain a heat gradient, similar to my adult cages, that ranges from 86-88F (30-31C) to the mid-70's F ( around 24C) on the opposite end of the cage. Perches are usually made from 1/4" PVC pipes, but the size of the perches I use is determined by the girth of the particular snake. I usually keep my sub-adults on a paper towel substrate but I haven't found cypress mulch to be a problem at this age. Just be sure to take care when feeding that they don't wrap up mulch in a coil if the perches are close to the ground.

Depending on their size, yearling chondros can stay in this size Rubbermaid container for another year or more. When a sub-adult chondro outgrows its Rubbermaid cage, I will either move them into a small version of my adult chondro cages (24" square) or move them directly into an adult sized cage. Usually by the time they outgrow a Rubbermaid they are solid feeders and outgoing enough to adjust to a display type cage. I may leave the cage light off if they seem stressed by a move into a larger cage, at least until they take their first meal in the new cage.

I do not keep my sub-adults as humid as I do my neonates unless they are in shed. I start to allow them to dry out each day or so. Each snake is provided a water bowl and I try and directly (and gently) spray each snake a few times a week because they will drink water droplets from their coils.

At a year of age, my chondros are usually around 100g. I feed every 7 days or so and they defecate about every two-three weeks. Yearlings should be fed less frequently than neonates and, like adults, do not defecate after each meal. I only hold back on feeding if I notice they look "full" and need to defecate. Gently handling a sub-adult or encouraging movement at night by changing their cage interior slightly can encourage a defecation.

Something some people notice with neonates is that it's not unusual for them to accept food when in shed. At around a year of age they will usually stop accepting food when they start to go into shed. This is completely normal. On average, my yearlings shed every three months.

Around a year of age or 100g, chondros will usually begin their color change. Below are two examples of color changes in maroon and yellow yearling chondros.

I recommended waiting to sex chondros until they are a year of age and at least 100g. Some people are comfortable sexing when they are smaller but there is a greater risk of injury unless you have experience with sexing chondros. Males will sometimes go off food after a year but it's not usually for a long period of time and is more likely to occur after their second birthday. I have not been able to guess the sex of a chondro based solely on its eating habits. Each chondro is different and I have had both males and females be excellent feeders and finicky feeders.

I keep shed, defecation, and feed records on each snake's ID card but usually stop keeping defecation records after they move out of the smaller neonate tubs. I encourage everyone who keeps chondros to at least keep shed and feeding records so you know what is normal for each chondro. This can also be useful information should your chondro ever need to take a trip to the vet.

Yearlings and older chondros are usually large enough to begin handling gently. As with any age chondro, be very careful of their fragile tails. Gently tease their tails off the perch and do not pull them off. If your young chondro seems uneasy with being handled, start by removing its perch during the day and gently rest its body in the palm of your hand while the snake continues to perch. Some chondros never come around to being handled but many will allow you to handle them gently during the day.