Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just recently received my first blood python tuesday, a outwardly healthy beautiful, imo, '06 hatchling. I could tell as soon as I opened the box and took him out this snake was going to be totally different than any other snake I've ever owned or handled. I noticed right off the bat, that he watched my EVERY move very, very intently. I would be lying if I said he didn't make me feel uneasy, not scared, just uneasy. For example, when I handle my coastal if she starts acting nervous or defensive all I have to do is get her to move or misdirect her attention and she seems to calm right down. This guy on the other hand just sits very very still looking me dead in the eyes & is almost impossible to distract or move. He makes me feel as if he's waiting for me to make a mistake so he can tag me. Has anyone else felt this way while handling their bloods? What are the signs of an impending defensive bite? Also, are bloods known for being sneak biters? Example snake is sitting calmly in your hand and suddenly reaches over and bites the crap out of you. What is the best way to handle him and avoid being bit? Sorry for the long post but I'm just trying to make owning him as enjoyable as possible. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Sean Lafar

"He makes me feel as if he's waiting for me to make a mistake so he can tag me"

LOL Nice. Your snake isnt waiting for an opporunte moment. they do however like to stare you in the eye for the first little while. But right now you shouldnt be doing handling. let him adjust to his new place and get familiar with his new home. Once you do that he (or she) will be more pleasant in your holding. Give them a week or more, of undisturbed peace. Only fill their water, check the humidity and temps, and leave 'em alone.

They will warm up to you.

They are probably the only Python I've kept that don't track movements with their body. The Eyes will follow you, but the head/body won't. Some will grab you out of the blue with no provocation, others may take more poking/prodding. I've had both, and it can be a little un-nerving at times. However, when it comes to handling, you have to make sure the animal is 100% supported, or else your "tame" BP will literally kick your ___ all the way to the floor. They will flop/thrash/bite/poop/musk/ untill they feel secure again. They also do not like to be restrained in any way, and they will flip out like they do when they aren't supported

I handle mine like anyother Boid, I make steady purposeful movements, trying to stay out of there head/neck space which is sort of there trigger. I havent had mine tag me but one of my hatchliings almost got me the other day. You just have to treat them as a more tempermental species like a fat tree python/ emerald. Way different snake i know. But thats how i treat mine. They arent a ball python or corn just remebr that and your ok.
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Ricky

lots of everything im not gonna list it

Do people honestly worry about handling them like the above posts? I havent worried once about handling mine, and I'm not about to either. Honestly even IF she does strike its a snake bite! But treat the snake like you want to hold her and respect her space you'll be fine. Dont let these other keepers fool you. Nothing to it.

uh, not to be a jerk but you just got your very first snake and it's sick so hopefully you're not handling it that much. wait for some time and experience and you'll see that juvie bloods can be a little bit snappy until they get used to you. no don't skitz out over small snake bites but do learn to get to know what you're dealing with in a blood.

My male has never once struck..don't assume that they all bite, and the statement that you have to know "what you're dealing with in a blood" - well as a general rule almost any kind of baby snake will bite, they're pretty low on the food chain so yeah, they're quick to bite. I've taken more bites from my baby corns than I did from my baby bloods.

Its a blanket judgment saying that bloods are more prone to bitting then a corn or someother common herp. But most bloods out there are bite there keepers then corns or balls or anythign else. It the same reason that burms have the highest keeper to kill ratio. Even if you think its the tamest puppy dog snake out there its still a wild animal, and the temperment of a blood is naturally more nippy. They are an ambush hunter they lay in the forests with there head barely out of the water/grass/etc and wait for soemthing warm to come by. Have you ever seen a dog burying a bone under arig in the house? Its all instinct. Dogs have had thousands of years to becoem tame and still have there instincts. Just because a blood is tame for you dosnet mean it will always be. Thats great if you dont get bit, but if mine were super tame all the time id be checking temps and humidity. They may be not be as bad as theyre reputation. Most of that is based off w/c adults. But with most bloods being wc/ch with very few cb's they cant be more then f1-f3's they are way more wild with alot more instinct left in them then some other widely bred snakes, and the cmparison to corn bite. Wait until a python or boa gets a good grab on you for the first time, youll no it snot a corn when your still trying to get the teeth out of your hand months later. Basically respect the animal.
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Ricky

lots of everything im not gonna list it

You are right, this is MY first snake. thats not to say I havent been around them and handled quite a few. For a small tidbit of info, I have three friends that are big into herping. Big enough that they breed them and they put on their own reptile expo and everything. So yes this is MY first snake. But that doesnt mean jack that I havent handled them or know what I'm doing with them, or that I'm inexperienced.

And I have been bitten before by pythons, and I think before I was bitten, I was more scared of it than I needed to be. Therefore I was always worried about it and anxious.

All I'm saying is your snake will be exactly as tame as you allow it to be. If it doesnt feel comfy, your doing something wrong. Dont be scared of it.

I just reread your reply from my last post, the one about your blood freaking out in the vets office. Just wondering, how many times have you had a blood flip out on you like that? How many times have you had one bite you seemingly with no provocation? Im not trying to be paranoid or anything I just want to know what im dealing with here. Also ratstar honestly im not trying to flame you or anything, but isnt this your first snake? Ive kept several different species over the last decade or so and have been bit twice both times by B.C.Imperator and trust me getting bit by a 4 or 5 foot constrictor is no fun at all. Its painfull and at the least shocking, it will definately make you think twice before you handle that particular snake the next time. Thanks Sean Lafar

At one point I believe I had 12 adults. They all ranged from "tame", to absolute evil. The worst was a CBB trio of Malaysian decent. They would launch at any kind of movement, and although thy were beautiful animals, they were more of a liability than anything. You just have to be careful and learn how to read these animals, which is almost like a total 180 compared to other Pythons. These are for the most part a ground dwelling Python; Some get very nervous when they are plucked off the ground and only have two hands to support a relatively large frame. A Boa would be fine if picked up like this, but some Bloods don't like it and will either go stiff and flip out eventually, or start as soon as you try to pick them up. It definately takes experience to really sink in what I'm trying to say. These are powerful animals that can exert an enormous flight or fight response. Being tame really doesn't mean anything when they are put in certain situations. All you can do is learn to adapt the behavoirs these guys have. Every one is different, and some tolerate a whole lot more than others. I always get a kick when I see a vendor at a show showing off hatchlings to prospective buyers. Usually nothing comes of it, but every now and then you'll see what seems to be a laid back animal sitting in the palm of someones hand literally do a front flip trying to grab the person thats looking at it. I look at it this way, if I get bit, I get bit. I know next time to change my approach and try again.

i only have two bloods so i cannot vouch for the majority but... my male is a puppy dog. i'm glad he was my first blood, he's never struck and despite all of the learning experiences i've had with him and times i messed up he's always been a strong eater and has remained very healthy. my female was VERY tense and nippy when i got her, she would strike the side of her cage when you walked by and when you tried to handle her she liked to go for your face...i found it was best when starting the handling process to only handle her on one of her good days. if i opened the tank and she immediately tensed i would leave her alone for awhile. i never jumped from a strike (i never actually got hit, she was a big bluffer) the last thing she needed in her already distressed state was to feel her support make a quick movement, so i would slowly lower her back into her tank and leave her alone. as she got calmer i found that it caused her less stress to handle her close to her cage so she could smell something familiar (this was my reasoning at least) if she started to tense up or flatten her head she could easily be calmed by letting her get closer to her enclosure. today i trust her just as much as my male and she is every bit as calm. also..this process took awhile, i got her in feb and she didnt calm down until may so dont get discouraged if you dont see immediate results. i dont quite feel qualified to give you tips but these are some things that helped me. good luck
-kim

I'm another newbie to bloods, but so far I've had great luck handling my snake. She's only about 20 in. or so now. Very tame, even when I first reach in to take her out. And once she's out, I've never even seen her move fast. Her movements are slow and (at least so far) easy to read. It's been that way since Day 1.

Also, I've read a lot of posts from folks who have snakes with really lively feeding responses. My snake is a mellow feeder, too. Even when she's hungry, she'll sniff her F/T rat and then eat it (only in the dark, it seems), but she never really strikes it. Only seen her constrict a couple times in the beginning before I switched her over to frozen food.

So, I've got to keep the advise of others here in mind as she grows up, I guess. She could have some latent attitude or insecurities in there somewhere. But I hope she stays this mellow for life.