Green tree pythons - or GTPs as they’re often described - rank amongst the most beautiful of all snakes, with their young undergoing a stunning transformation in colouration. But as Joel Smith reports, they’re only suitable for experienced owners.

Elegance is a word that comes to mind when describing GTPs. Yet their beauty masks their reputation for being rather feisty snakes, which do not appreciate being handled and will bite readily, if given the opportunity. They are also nocturnal by nature, hunting after dark, being able to locate prey thanks to the heat-seeking sensors around their jaws, and typically grow to about 1.2m (4ft) long.

The distribution of green tree pythons (Morelia viridis) is centred on New Guinea and Australia’s Cape York Peninsula, and there are a number of localised forms recognised. The population found on the Aru Islands, to the south-west of New Guinea, has white spots along the back when adult with a blue hue, becoming green on the sides of the body. Their tails are relatively short and blunt, and these particular GTPs have a reputation for being slightly more docile by nature than those occurring elsewhere.

The island of Biak lies to the north of the main landmass of New Guinea. This is home to the largest form of the GTP, with a very distinctive head shape and a long, dark tail. The Biak Island race can also be distinguished by its colouration. Adults are characterised by having variable yellow areas, offset against their more typical green appearance. These particular GTPs are not the best examples to start with, however, as they are relatively aggressive.