A Good
Book.
Reviewed by Michael Cermak.
If Maxwell’s Complete Chondro is regarded as the Bible
for keeping and breeding Green Tree Pythons, then I
wouldn’t hesitate to call this book the New Testament.
The authors draw heavily from research conducted in the
last decade, mainly on Australian GTPs by Australian
scientists, and this sets the book apart from any previous
publication. Also, a lot has changed in captive manage-
ment of the species since Greg Maxwell published his
book some 14 years ago and this new volume suggests
some innovative approaches.
Etymology, description, size, longevity, distribution,
predation, behaviour, conservation and reproduction in
the wild are all discussed in the chapters relating to
natural history. The contents are informative and easy to
read and understand. This part of the book is particularly
important for those who have never witnessed a Green
Tree Python in the wild. It explains their body design and
function in three-dimensional habitat as well as other
aspects of their ecology which are not obvious in
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captivity. The chapter entitled Adventures in (Australian)
Green Python Country adds a nice little travelogue that
us Aussies can relate to and enjoy.
The authors emphasise that ecological data should be
incorporated into captive management for best results in
maintaining healthy, happy, long-lived animals, and urge
keepers, no matter how experienced, to ‘look beyond the
fact sheet’. The captive maintenance section covers all
aspects of husbandry for both adults and neonates, while
the captive reproduction chapter highlights recent
progress in captive breeding techniques and sheds some
sobering light on the not-so-wise practices of accelerated
growth, overfeeding and much-too-frequent breeding. It’s
music to my ears, reading about a naturalistic approach to
housing and behavioural enrichment that embodies real
respect for these amazing snakes.
The following chapters deal with diseases and disorders,
highlighting the huge improvements in husbandry,
quarantine and veterinary care in recent years. Finally,
the last chapter is devoted to the memory of Rico Walder,
one of the best-known Green Tree Pythons breeders who
left this world much too early. I had the pleasure of
spending some time with Rico at Iron Range - an
experience I will never forget – and I commend the
authors for including this epilogue in their book.
About the authors:
Dr. Justin Julander is an Associate Professor at Utah
State University with an interest in virology and antiviral
research.
Terry Phillip has worked at the Black Hills Reptile
Gardens for the past 20 years and has extensive knowl-
edge and experience with a wide variety of reptiles.