New to blood pythons and completely in love.

[Novek]

I bought my first blood python (p.brongersmai) 10 days ago and am absolutely smitten with the species. I had kept easier snakes (corns, kings) for years and admired bloods online but was too intimidated and lacked confidence in my skill as a reptile keeper (You'd think after 20 years I'd give myself some credit). I'm sad I never got one sooner! Absolutely spectacular and I've got another one in the works to be purchased already. The look, personality, and respect required to work with them just really does it for me.
I've got the general basics down with the humidity, temperature, and appropriately sized caging (I'm using a nice tub I turned into a cage complete with thermometer, hygrometer) since I had read that this species can be nervous and difficult while young in too large of an enclosure.
But for those who have been keeping them longer, what are some tips, tricks, quirks, anecdotes that you can share that maybe you would not normally find on the usual care sheet? (If any at all) :rolleyes:

[Hurrok]

I'm afraid I don't know anything about Bloods, but there will be some people who do :)

You should post pictures of your new buddy! Is it a baby or an adult?

[Novek]

She's a young blood python. Approx. 18 inches long. She's a 2012 hatched snake and has a great appetite. Where I live there isn't a large exotics (specifically reptile) trade/community. So, outside of columbian boas, cornsnakes, and ball pythons there aren't a lot of other species to choose from that are readily available. To get her I had to go through a great local pet shop as a special order from a wholesaler on the mainland (I'm on an island) and had the option of male or female Het T+ albino p. Brongersmai or normal phase p. Breitensteini. While I trust what I received, I noticed when I was researching more closely that I can not really tell the difference between yearling Brongersmai and Breitensteini lol :rolleyes:

[SnakeyJay]

There's an awesome thread on bloods specific quirks and traits on here already... Go to the blood section and you'll see it. (Can't remember how to post a link)


Edit: try this.. http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/python-curtus/92701-blood-python-quirks.html

[Corey209]

She's a young blood python. Approx. 18 inches long. She's a 2012 hatched snake and has a great appetite. Where I live there isn't a large exotics (specifically reptile) trade/community. So, outside of columbian boas, cornsnakes, and ball pythons there aren't a lot of other species to choose from that are readily available. To get her I had to go through a great local pet shop as a special order from a wholesaler on the mainland (I'm on an island) and had the option of male or female Het T+ albino p. Brongersmai or normal phase p. Breitensteini. While I trust what I received, I noticed when I was researching more closely that I can not really tell the difference between yearling Brongersmai and Breitensteini lol :rolleyes:




Are you going to prove her out in the future?

[Novek]

Thanks for the heads up, Snakey! I'll check that out.
Corey, I do intend to prove her. I'd love to have a clutch of babies! :)

[marvelfreak]

Nice looking Blood.

[Mark Taylor]

Is that you with a cute kitten?

[Novek]

Yes, that is me with a 6 month old Eurasian Lynx. She's awesome to play with.

[cossiecraig]

Nice Blood mate ,i picked up mine 3 wks ago here and so far so good with her eating :)

[Novek]

Thanks Cossie. How do you find her attitude? I know the bad tempered bloods are generally a thing of the past but do you find her easy to handle? Mine has yet to hiss or strike at me. She's quite calm. She did strike at my friend though who was moving a little too fast around her for her comfort.

[cossiecraig]

Thanks Cossie. How do you find her attitude? I know the bad tempered bloods are generally a thing of the past but do you find her easy to handle? Mine has yet to hiss or strike at me. She's quite calm. She did strike at my friend though who was moving a little too fast around her for her comfort.

Your Welcome .....have a read here regarding our's and her attitude .....very early days though
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/python-curtus/97707-baby-brongersmai-first-feed.html

as for handling we've only had her for 3 wks and i handled her twice ,once to bring home and the other to remove a piece of coco-husk she had lodged ,the link above should explain how i came to be in such a predicament lol , if the link doesn't work for some reason just click on my page and then my posts ok and look for the "Baby feed" ok.......so far we are thrilled with her and her attitude ,i think of lot of the talk regarding attitudes with Bloods is with the WC ,that bieng said each to their own and i've no doubt that husbandry can play a part in their behaviour ,of course thats just my opinion ;)

[JoeNapoli]

There's an awesome thread on bloods specific quirks and traits on here already... Go to the blood section and you'll see it. (Can't remember how to post a link)


Edit: try this.. h t t p : / / w w w. ssnakess. com / forums / python-curtus / 92701-blood-python-quirks. h t m l

The last page of that link contains a video entitled Blood Python Tail Wagging. Those of you that have or have had Bloods already may have had the unfortunate experience of observing this behavior. What caught my eye was the snake's hyper ventilation. It's always the very 1st indication of a nervous snake, a precursor of the undesirable behavior that will soon follow.