Blood Question

[sapphire_moon]

I was wondering if a Blood Python would make for a good beginner snake? I have 2 BP's and am doing research for a 3rd snake in the coming years....
Size of cage, humidity, (I did read the care sheets but they weren't very helpful), food, substrate, heat....and anything else you can think of, oh and of course a good breeder here in the US, because I take it that a blood python is not something you would want to buy in a pet store!!!! Thanks in advance for all your input!!!!

[Edwin]

I believe that as long as you are interested in the species, it will work out for you. Their requirements are similar to bps, but they do need higher humidity, and are more temperamental.

Grant VG maintains a good website that is solely devoted to bloods:
http://bloodredwithenvy.com/

I am not very familiar with US breeders, but VPI has some excellent specimens... a little on the pricey side, though.

Hope this helps.

[Grant vg]

*Maintains* isn't exactly the best word to use at the moment....lol
unfortunately, my site has been down for several months now.

it should be back up witin the next decade...:p
As for a blood for your second species....hmmmm...tough call...
i'd say no. Do more research, get your hands wet with other species before a blood.
Depending on where you buy it and in what health your blood comes to you in, is a really important factor for the health of your blood.
look to vpi and pro exotics if your looking to purchase a good blood.
BUT...if you can set up a rubbermaid with the correct temps and humidity and maintain them 24 hours 7 days a week for a month. then i would say you can properly house it.

in the end its up to you. If you feel you can care for it properly then all the power to you!!

Goodluck with your choice.

Were here to help.:)

gvg

[Edwin]

Originally posted by Grant vg
*Maintains* isn't exactly the best word to use at the moment....lol

Lol, Grant. I haven't visited your site in a while, too bad it is offline.. I found it very informative.


sapphire_moon, if I remember correctly, VPI has blood caresheets on their website too.

[peregrinefalcon]

I'd say it'd be ok as long as you learn everything you can about then before you get them and you are confident you can care for them properly. I had a blood python as my first snake and I did not have any major problems with it. I got a Borneo short-tailed python a few months later and she was even easier to take care of. If you are going to get one, GET A CB! Don't waste your time with a wc. And you should probably start with a young one because if you get an older one that is not tame it would take longer to calm down. You can take a look at my gallery for blood and short-tail pics if you want. Good luck!
Adam

[Invictus]

As long as you don't mind having a snake that is far from being a "lap snake", you should be ok with a blood.

[KLG]

Not quite what I'd call a "beginner" snake by any means. Bloods (in my experience) seem to do better with keepers who have had the experience of working with a few other species, and have better learned how to read and understand snake behavior (and don't have an insurmountable aversion to being bitten on occasion).

And actually, bloods can make great lap snakes if you understand them, but they're not a species to be taken lightly. This is a far cry from a ball python, and equally more rewarding to work with, especially with regards to "personality."

KLG

[Grant vg]

They can be labelled as lap snakes only to a certain extent.
i have some of the tamest snakes that strike out of nowhere at any given time. i also have ones that will snap at everything. as well as ones that dont (or atleast havn't yet)
A blood python that will sit in your lap and not move is probably stressed or nervous.
If i was to take out any of my adults, they would not just sit there, they would want to explore as well as the younger ones.
Id be much more cautious of a "still" blood python, then one that was moving. Still bloods are much more aware of movement and will strike if they feel threatened. ...

[KLG]

Perhaps I should rephrase: blood & short-tailed pythons can make excellent "lap snakes" if one is familiar with reading their behavior and isn't expecting a Golden Retriever instead of a Dobermann. Personally I've been fortunate that my bloods are extremely well behaved, and there's only one that I would not consider to be lap-safe. While bloods do like to crawl around and explore - they have a fabulously inquisitive nature - I have found that tame bloods with which a keeper has established both rapport & routine are often content to sit still once they're through exploring. Maybe it's something in my water? I don't know...but it also comes down to common sense - i.e. learn to read your snakes, respect their boundaries, move real easy & let them know you're there. Then again, anyone approaching any "lap snake" with a "lap dog" concept in mind is in need of a serious reality check. These aren't puppies or kittens...there are ball pythons that can be even more unpredictable and uppity than bloods. Anyone who gets a snake & expects not to be bitten at some point or another has a rude awakening coming.

Maybe I've just been really lucky & have had more good experiences with bloods than bad. Either way it all hinges on respect & remembering that these are big constrictor personality in a smaller constrictor package.

K

[Edwin]

If you put a blood on your lap, make sure you have protection, 1 Bobbitt case is more than enough.

I don't have a lot of experience with bloods, but I find them quite unpredictable and will strike out of nowhere, just like Grant mentioned. They can also move quite fast for such a heavy bodied snake.

[Grant vg]

klg, i agree 100% with your post!
and very good advice at that.

"bloods can make great lap snakes if you understand them"

Your quote above is quite right.
However, that "understanding" is far from attainable (in most ppls cases) from just working with a few ballpythons or any snakes known to be docile.
I've worked with about 25 different bloods/stp in the past few years and can say that not one of them had the same personality.


It just bothers me how many ppl will reply to a beginners thread concerning blood pythons with such a heart-set opinion on the tameness of there bloods. when really, anyone who's worked with numerous amounts of bloods with differing moods, knows that they can be very intimidating to handle and care for, for someone who was expecting a tame snake.

However, you do a good job explaining the truth about bloods, i just wonder if everyone takes in the whole picture and the word "TAME" isn't the only word flashing out at them through the screen, know what i mean?

i think if a person can get hands on experience with bloods of all sizes and attitudes from someone elses collection they would be way ahead of the game when purchasing they're first.
unfortunately, many ppl wouldn't allow ppl to do that, but i would if it meant that one more person would be knowledgable with the species and one more blood taken care of properly.

gvg

[KLG]

Grant - you are absolutley not kidding & I couldn't agree with you more. Bloods are not "transition snakes" for a novice keeper, they should instead be a goal to work up to. The "understanding" of which we speak is not something that can be learned from reading a website, care sheet or book...it is gained by truly caring for an animal in a way that allows one to connect with that animal's behavior through interaction, observation and routine. Eventually with time, experience, and occasionally more than a bit of luck, "understanding" becomes second nature to the more experienced keeper, and a snake's actions can be more easily interpreted and even sometimes predicted. This holds true for keepers of any species, whether colubrid, boid, or venomous, not just those who keep bloods. Between ball pythons and bloods, there are other species that may be more appropriate for the skill level of those who are accustomed to dealing with docile snakes...i.e. a little spitfire of a jungle carpet whose nips can teach rather than damage, or some juvenile milksnakes with which deliberate movements must be learned to avoid setting them off into a frenzied flight (and musking fit!).

My main concern in this thread was that the inquirer would be permanently turned off to bloods due to some of the negative reactions stated instead of realizing that they are indeed rewarding snakes with which to work if approached with a more realistic perspective - i.e. bloods as herpetocultural charges rather than "pets." To start on the road of understanding one must first realize that no snake is a typical domesticated pet, and to treat them as such robs both keeper and kept of a more fulfilling experience. That said, young, well-started CB blood/STP's can make excellent captives for those who are willing to work with them and understand that calm, tame deliberate bloods are usually a reflection of the conscientious keeper who took the time to build such a rapport with the animal.

I realize a lot of this is "preaching to the choir" so to speak...getting into bloods several years ago radically changed my views on snakekeeping as a whole, and I'd hate to see anyone miss as great of an experience when approached from the right angle.

Just my $2.00 (way more than $.02)

KLG

[Mike177]

i would also have to agree with Grant and KLG. i have not been a blood owner for very long but bloods in my opinion are probly the most ineresting snake i own. but what people need to relize is there is a diffrence between ineresting and intertaning. bloods are very interesting snakes but you cant just sit there and play with them all day 24/7. they are interesting to observe and handle and when you do hold them it just makes it for that much of a more intersting experance. if you learn to respect the snakes and its wishes it will learn to respect yours. i have yet to be bit by my blood.(but cant say the same for getting sprayed) it just goest to show you that respect for a snake as well as being patient can go a long way!

[Mike177]

http://www.geocities.com/pythoncare
you can go there for care sheets

[sapphire_moon]

Well I wasn't looking for a transition snake. And I'm not looking to get another snake for another few years....So I'm just doing research. And blood pythons were one snake that I was wanting to learn about...... And don't worry about turning me off of bloods because of a negative view. The only thing that would turn me off of a snake is their size, eg: something that gets over 8 ft! So I'm not going to be running off and buying anymore snakes for a long time. Especially since I am going to be moving soon and don't want to stress out the snakes more than necesarry(sp?)!!!!

[Linds]

Originally posted by Edwin
If you put a blood on your lap, make sure you have protection, 1 Bobbitt case is more than enough.


LOL... wouldn't be so worried about a Bobbitt incident...but lap protection is a definite plus! When my boyfriend and I went to pick up one of my borneos in Toronto, I totally forgot to bring a transport container :o, so I convinced him to hold the bag on his lap. He's not a big fan of snakes and wanted to switch places and he would drive and I could hold but no go on my end :p Not 3 minutes in the car and he musked all over the place... about the size of a dinner plate all over my boyfriends lap :p We still had about an hour 45 to go....what a memorable ride that was...peeeyeeeww! :toilet:

[Edwin]

Lol, Linds, thats funny. :) :)

[Mike177]

The only thing that would turn me off of a snake is their size, eg: something that gets over 8 ft! So I'm not going to be running off and buying anymore snakes for a long time.
That is probly a good idea, its not a good idea to rush into anything. but uless you get a WC malyasin blood python ur not going to end up with a verry long snake. if you get a nice sumatrin male the snake is probly going to be around 4-5 feet.

[Linds]

They don't need to be long, though they may not have length, these are very large, powerful constrictors! And their dumpy appearance may give them a cumbersome appearance, but these are some of the fastest snakes around. They have such an incredible feeding response! I agree these snakes are very rewarding to keep, however they deserve a lot of respect and should not be taken for granted. IMHO an 8' boa is easier to handle than a 5' blood.

[sapphire_moon]

Well once any of my snakes reach 5 ft I will have atleast one other person there. Even now with my 3 ft BP I prefer to have someone there when I feed....just in case. Not sure just in case of what. But I always have someone there. Thank you for all the info and views!!

[sapphire_moon]

Here's a question I didn't ask. How heavy do they get? I seen a pic of one just now that was not very long but really really really really ( to me! lol) thick......????? And what do you feed them? hopefully not mice, that seems like it would get expencive....

[Linds]

They feed on rats and rabbits and reach weights of anywhere from 20-40 lbs :)

[sapphire_moon]

Wow, beautiful snakes. One I am definitly going to put alot of time into researching. But one day I hope I can be the proud owner of a Blood Python. And I hope that this website is still here so that I can post a pic of him! When I can finally get a camara for the computer....lol