Favorite Arboreal Poll...

Yeesh, I voted in this poll the day it opened for Chondros, way to make a poll that keeps on giving Rob.

As an honerable mention, I'd like to toss in the idea of Solomon island tree boas- they aren't for everyone but Candoia fans will like them a great deal.

also why are more arboreal snakes snappy?

It's the result of countless generations building to an instinctive point and covergent evolution. When a species is arboreal, it functions in a more restricted environment. It's movements are slightly more limited as are the potential encounters with other wildlife. Threre are three kinds of other animals an arboreal boid encounters in nature- something to eat, something looking to eat it and something to mate with. In two out of three scenarios (and the two which are most frequently occuring) the appropriate response is to nail it as soon as possible, thus either securing a meal or possibly preventing themselves from becoming one. The brain of a snake is pretty much a greasy little smear inside it's skull, there isn't a lot of physical potential for thought or any behavioral deviation away from that which is instinctive. A stimulus is applied, a response generated. Thus arboreals tend to be more inclined to respond in an agressive (technically it's a defense) manner to interaction.

I would have to say that the ATB is my favorite snake aboreal or not...They come in so many eye poping colors and are so unreal in the way they look that its hard to believe that the animal in the cage is alive and looking back at you. I also think that their max size is ideal for keeping more then one snake. The attitude that comes with them is something I will live with just to be able to see them all the time. They remind me of beautiful vipers or some other brightly colored snake that uses color as a warning not to mess with it.

I raised chondros for a long time, then I obtained my first northern on trade, and said by by to my egg head days. Emeralds are just more difficult to keep and i love the challange..

Remeber folks chondros are the ball python of the arboreal world, JK :P

Go green or go home,

joe

Http://www.emeraldboas.com

<img src="http://members.aol.com/chondrosforsale/full3.jpg">

What maked them more difficult to keep?

voted for the emerald's...but I have always found them easier to keep than pythons...I must have some sort of a "green thumb"...

But where are the rear fanged snakes??? my favorite tree dweller is still the mangrove snake...stunningly beautiful...
greg

tough to pick a favorite. I am still a huge fan of carpets and diamonds (be still my heart, but I can't justify the expense), but the emeralds and amazons have worked their way to the top. It's the whole package - the looks, the attitude, and the teeth, lol. guess I will give the amazons the nod here - so many colors to choose from, and so easy to deal with.
but what about the red tailed ratsnakes???

I went with the carpets.. Might change when I finally break down and get some GTP's...

gtps are incredible. The incredible , mind boggling colors , the extremem respect that i hold for these snakes , and the intricate life styles that they lead , i find them to be simply amazing. hands down , these animals are the ultimate arboreals , i havent gotten into emeralds yet , but i plan to do so by next year. From my biased point of view , nothing will compare to my gtps.

Of course i have to go with carpets. I have jungles, a couple of Jaya's and a male female Bredl. The colors are awsome on all of them.

Lawrence

ATB, and here's why

... Ammies don't get hyped, they are not expensive, yet they capture people's attention.
... No matter what phase or color you get for one, you don't know what the babies will look like... total freedom/chaos... less interbreeding, less hype, less closed blood lines, less BS price-jacking artifices.
... Hardy and adaptable.
... Long teeth, vicious, and cute ... sure the females get frightfully huge, but generally they are small (long, but they don't weigh much for their size) and vicious enough to command respect and care from the keeper, and to provide source of quixotic amusement (from a distance) for the keeper.... Who can blame them for biting the hand that feeds them?! ah, to dream the impossible dream!
... Do you mind if I for a moment anthropomorphize a cold blooded reptile?... ATBS have big personalities!