Thinkin' about bloods

[boosh96]

In my search for a snake that'll keep me on my toes, I've been thinking about blood pythons. What can you tell me about blood and short-tailed pythons, in terms of behavior and stuff?

[dshin963]

Not too sure but do you currently have any other med to large snakes?

[CDN_Blood]

There is quite a bit of good information in this section of the forum. An hour's worth of reading through the threads here will give you a good idea of you what you want to know :cool:

[marvelfreak]

Black Blood are the smallest of the three and tend to be the mellowest.
Borneo's get a little bigger and for the most part are mellow.
Bloods (reds) get to be the biggest and seem to be more aggressive.

The thing to understand about Blood is they aggression comes from fear. They are a very nervous and insecure snakes. They will keep you on your toes, but with some work that can become mellow. The one thing you never want to do is let your guard down around them. They can spook very easy. Once spooked the can be striking machines. Plus they are one of the few pythons that will muck or piss or even crap on you when scared. When handling them you always want to move slow. Never pick them up from above always slide your hand under them and lift.

Any other question just ask.

[boosh96]

Not too sure but do you currently have any other med to large snakes?

Currently, I have an adult ball python and a baby Colombian Boa constrictor.

[CDN_Blood]

Currently, I have an adult ball python and a baby Colombian Boa constrictor.

A lot of folks think that the next logical step for them once they're used to Royals is a Blood because they're both heavy-bodied snakes. That usually ends poorly - they're like night and day. I'm just sayin', lol.

[CDN_Blood]

I just got finished cleaning my youngest Blood and I'll tell ya, he's been in *such* a mood the past couple of weeks that had you been here to see it, you'd be happy you have a Royal and not a Blood right now, lol.

This one has always been a little on-the-edge, but the past little while he's been more over-the-edge. My oldest brong went through stages like that as he was maturing also, so I know they only tend to last a few months at a time, but right now Wee Bubba is in his Terrible Twos and he's 10 kinds of batty, lol - a *real* handful and there is essentially no controlling him when he's like that.

If I didn't know what I was doing with him, I'd probably be leaking blood for the next 1/2 hour and it'd be hard to type from the multiple punctures he'd have just inflicted upon me.

There are times when that one is easy to deal with, but more often than not he's so nervous that he freaks himself-out and that snowballs into defensiveness for no particular reason (other than paranoia), but it's been a number of weeks since I've seen him easy to deal with, so these are things you need to keep in mind when considering Bloods. They are indeed paranoid, nervous snakes that *can* get very moody and *can* be next to impossible to control at times; not always, but they do have that potential :cool:

[lady_bug87]

Black Blood are the smallest of the three and tend to be the mellowest.
Borneo's get a little bigger and for the most part are mellow.
Bloods (reds) get to be the biggest and seem to be more aggressive.

The thing to understand about Blood is they aggression comes from fear. They are a very nervous and insecure snakes. They will keep you on your toes, but with some work that can become mellow. The one thing you never want to do is let your guard down around them. They can spook very easy. Once spooked the can be striking machines. Plus they are one of the few pythons that will muck or piss or even crap on you when scared. When handling them you always want to move slow. Never pick them up from above always slide your hand under them and lift.

Any other question just ask.


you mean defensive right? I've come to learn from owners its not aggression its insecurity and defensiveness

to the OP: bloods are great but you need to have patience and a great respect for such an impressive animal

[marvelfreak]

you mean defensive right? I've come to learn from owners its not aggression its insecurity and defensiveness

to the OP: bloods are great but you need to have patience and a great respect for such an impressive animal
Your right. People tend to say they are aggressive, but in truth it's defensive behavior.

[lady_bug87]

^^ Yea I figured you meant that I just wanted to make sure the OP realized if he wants aggressive not to give Bloods that characteristic they just like being left alone

[boosh96]

I know that blood pythons aren't really supposed to be aggressive, but don't they have a habit of keeping their owners on their toes? Because that is what I want in a snake.

[dshin963]

Ohhh you will always be on your toes when handling bloods for what ever reason thats for sure

[CDN_Blood]

Being kept 'on your toes' is one thing, but when a Blood goes Mustang it's a whole other ball game.

I've seen a couple of people become so afraid of their Bloods gone bad that they want them out of the house ASAP. The snake usually suffers in the meantime because they're too afraid to go near it.

I've also seen someone who knows that they can be like that, has a few very defensive adult Bloods and has to shield himself with a Rubbermaid garbage can lid just to change their water and/or clean their enclosures around them, yet has no problems with that because he figures that's what they're all about.

They can be a long-term nightmare, or they can be absolute sweethearts. I've also seen both qualities in the same snake at different periods in time. They can be very moody.

Two of my three are easy to deal with, but they do have their moments and there are times when they very clearly less tolerant to being disturbed. The third has been more edgy since I got him as a hatchling and nothing seems to have any lasting effect in calming him down, yet he has short periods of time when he's more tolerant than usual, so they're really quite opposite from each other.

[alessia55]

And there's the occasional puppydog blood

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[CDN_Blood]

[QUOTE=alessia55;658629]And there's the occasional puppydog blood

HA! Great little video, Alessia :)

I'll match it to show there is more than 1 that's not a wildcat, lol...

CdnBloods's Channel - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/CdnBloods?feature=guide#p/u/3/sAB_xcnmEc8)

[Jacob1750]

If you want on your toes, then a blood is a good choice. The first time I handled mine, she tagged me once in the upper arm and once on the hand before I sat her down. The next time she handled just fine. I dont know if they are defensive or aggressive, but I do know they can be moody. Just make sure you don't get inover your head. Good luck

[millertime89]

If you want on your toes, then a blood is a good choice. The first time I handled mine, she tagged me once in the upper arm and once on the hand before I sat her down. The next time she handled just fine. I dont know if they are defensive or aggressive, but I do know they can be moody. Just make sure you don't get inover your head. Good luck

snakes are almost always defensive, very rarely will you get a truly aggressive snake. males in breeding mode being a common exception.

[boosh96]

Can someone point me out to a reputable breeder that sells blood and short-tailed pythons?

[marvelfreak]

Can someone point me out to a reputable breeder that sells blood and short-tailed pythons?
Try kingsnake.com there are a few.

[dshin963]

Awww that video reminds me of my blood :-P
Mind you I doubt she will be like that when its breeding time and I have to get at her eggs... :-S