pros and cons of owning a blood python?

[Xochiquetzal]

Ive been offered a trade , a borneo blood for one of my male dumerils, so im looking at the pros and cons! Ive got bp,s kings , the dumerils , rosy and ksb , also owned corns and rats and an african house snake, sunbeam too! Not sure if ive got what it takes for a blood but they sure are pretty!

[SnakeyJay]

Ive heard that bloods can be quite quick to bite, but then again im sure someone on here has a placid blood python lol. Apparently theyve got a strong bite for their size aswell, however im sure they can make a good addition to many collections.... all this is from what ive heard on here/reading books so ill let someone who actually owns either bp's or bloods advise you on them.. congrats on the possible trade tho :)

[dshin963]

My Blood is actually quite docile she was calmed down by the breeder I bought her off of through lots of patience and handling that also being said a blood python will is quick totell you they want nothing to do with handling that day :P best advice is go with a open hand policy when dealing with bloods, support their body well, never close your grip on them or they might flail, go slow and read your snake and lastly never try to restrain the snake. that being said some bloody can just be nasty just like any other breed of snake just your luck of the draw i suppose

[alessia55]

You can also do a search of the user CDN_Blood on here. He owns quite a few bloods and seems to be very knowledgeable. I'm sure he'll chime in soon :)

[CDN_Blood]

Here I am :)

They're not a snake for everyone, that's for sure. If you want something you can yank out of a tank at-will, manhandle and toss back when you're done, this ain't it, lol.

Bloods tend to startle easily, can have short fuses and will not hesitate to vigorously defend themselves if they feel threatened. I've never considered them a beginner snake, and in all this time I've yet to recommend a Blood to anyone, however...

If you take the time to observe your Blood and understand the nature of the beast, they can be quite rewarding if you approach them slowly and respectfully.

Individuals can be as different in behaviour as they are for colour and pattern. Some are placid and trustworthy, some will never tolerate human interference and some swing between both ends of the spectrum depending on their mood, and believe me, they can be moody.

I consider myself very luck that I'm able to handle my 3 Bloods without incident, but there are certainly times when they don't want *anything* to do with me, and I do have to be very careful with them during those times because they will remind me who's wearing the pants in our relationship if I overstep my boundaries when they're in a mood.

Another thing to consider is the size and power they have, and how that relates to working with them when they're moody, or at feeding time. A large Blood that's caught a whiff of food can get so excited that it loses all control, so you do have to be on your toes at feeding time, and I certainly wouldn't recommend trying to tong feed a Blood unless you're looking to make the evening news.

These snakes demand respect, understanding and a compatible personality-type to have a long, healthy and incident-free relationship, so I'd strongly recommend getting to know as many as you can before you decided :)

[shaunyboy]

i would say power wise a blood commands the same respect as the big snakes,retics,conda's etc

bloods are by far the hardest strikers i've ever witnessed in the flesh

awsome speed and power...!!

cheers shaun

[dshin963]

Here I am :)


A large Blood that's caught a whiff of food can get so excited that it loses all control, so you do have to be on your toes at feeding time, and I certainly wouldn't recommend trying to tong feed a Blood unless you're looking to make the evening news.

You mean hand feed right ;)


Other than that CDN blood is very true very large very powerful animals not reccomended for beginners ( that being said I got my blood after only keeping a ball pythonfor 3 months... luckily I did a lot of research and homework on it and I have yet to be tagged and she is eating and growing up quite nicely

[marvelfreak]

One of the best way to know if your ready for one is ask to handle it. Get a little hands on with it then decided. Just like most snake with some work they can make great pets.

[CDN_Blood]

Hand feeding? Well, anyone that does that deserves whatever comes next, lol. I meant tong feeding, like I typed it. If by chance you tong feed and it misses on the first strike, the second strike and everything after it is going to be at whatever moves, and that's often the person holding the tongs.

Tongs aren't something I've ever used or recommended, but that's just me :)

[lady_bug87]

how do you feed your bloods Todd?

I passed on a beautiful female because I didn't have the confidence she deserved they hit like a mack truck

[CDN_Blood]

how do you feed your bloods Todd?

I passed on a beautiful female because I didn't have the confidence she deserved they hit like a mack truck

They do indeed hit hard. Pound-for-pound they're the most powerful snakes I've worked with.

I feed mine by seeing which end of their tub that they're at and very quickly dropping a thawed item at the opposite end. It happens very quickly.

It doesn't pay to distract them when they smell food, so I tend to simply leave the room for a few minutes and let them concentrate on the food rather than my movement. Even though mine are fairly calm feeders, if I hang around when they have food in their cage they will maintain their focus on me. They're kinda funny that way, and several dozen other ways :)

[Xeperxi]

They do indeed hit hard. Pound-for-pound they're the most powerful snakes I've worked with.

I feed mine by seeing which end of their tub that they're at and very quickly dropping a thawed item at the opposite end. It happens very quickly.

It doesn't pay to distract them when they smell food, so I tend to simply leave the room for a few minutes and let them concentrate on the food rather than my movement. Even though mine are fairly calm feeders, if I hang around when they have food in their cage they will maintain their focus on me. They're kinda funny that way, and several dozen other ways :)

Lol I agree Todd, out of my snakes my bloods constantly keep their eye on me when I am in the snake room. It really is pretty neat, they kind of have a I dont fully trust you/you are in my space Im in charge kind of look lol

[CDN_Blood]

Lol I agree Todd, out of my snakes my bloods constantly keep their eye on me when I am in the snake room. It really is pretty neat, they kind of have a I dont fully trust you/you are in my space Im in charge kind of look lol

Well it's good that you pick-up on that and don't mind it 'cause it never goes away, lol. They give off a whole different vibe than any other snakes that might be in the same general area, but I find it part of their charm :)