Reptile & Amphibian Forums

First post on this board but I've been reading off and on for about 10 years. Considering a Borneo but still uncertain of temperament. I first started tracking these about 15 years ago when they were featured in Reptiles magazine when I worked in the pet trade but remember the bad rap the imported ones got regarding temperament. I understand the CBCH are individuals but can be fairly docile. Just a couple of questions:
1. Balls seem to get a dull look to them as adults rather than the sheen of the hatchlings. Do Borneos, Blood, and Sumatrans stay glossy like a Burm or do they get dull like a Ball?
2. I understand STP fanatics probably get tired of the STP/Ball comparisons but how would you compare the temperament of a Borneo to a Ball on a 1-10 scale? Balls being a solid 9.
Thanks in advance for sharing your wisdom!

They are all mean and nasty! (See attached video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G-yf2MnEus

(Best I could take on a short notice)

Bloods started with a bad rap due to they were being wild caught and fairly new compared to Balls.

Many of the ones I have I would hold with my eyes closed except for one who I was told I would never be able to handle EVER. I can hold her now after working with her a little but just like to keep my eyes on her, and she only bit me once when I first got her.

The video is too funny. I agree that short tails can be very mellow. Some can be very tame and yet have great feeding responses and personality.

Of course, I am biased!
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>>They are all mean and nasty! (See attached video)
>>
>>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G-yf2MnEus
>>

I had almost thought that was the video of my borneo attacking the cage when I got him home! Yours is WAY better!
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Cindy
PHFaust

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Great video! That gives me an idea what some of them may be like. I know they are individuals but yours seems real nice. Thanks for taking the time to post the video.

>>1. Balls seem to get a dull look to them as adults rather than the sheen of the hatchlings. Do Borneos, Blood, and Sumatrans stay glossy like a Burm or do they get dull like a Ball?
>>2. I understand STP fanatics probably get tired of the STP/Ball comparisons but how would you compare the temperament of a Borneo to a Ball on a 1-10 scale? Balls being a solid 9.
>>Thanks in advance for sharing your wisdom!

I dont have a lot of wisdom, but I do have some opinions. I'm a newbie to these snakes and only have 3 of my own. However I have a ton of balls sitting here in rescue. A few observations.

The STPS talk. ALOT. They are a vocal snake. Without knowing this, someone might be put off that the snake is constantly hissy. Having known this in advance, I just ignore it.

Balls are well a whole different ball game handling wise. When cleaning cages, I literally put my balls on the floor. They sit there while I clean their tubs, rarely even moving. This is usually a 5 minute procedure. Once completed, I put the ball back. When cleaning the STPs that I have here, they are placed in a holding cage while I clean. If I didnt do that, the snakes would be GONE! Also when doing handling, STPs have a mind of their own and do not manipulate as well as balls. With balls you can often put them how you want them, and leave them be. My STPs are in a constant state of motion while handled and tend to not like restraint.

Feeding responses are completely different. STPs like their food a WHOLE Lot.

Mine are all young, but from what I have seen, the maintain their childlike glow. The only exception I would think is the sarawaks, however they tend to start out a more muted color anyhow.
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Cindy
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I dont have a STP, but my blood python is the laziest most tolerating creature alive! He's the only snake i've fallen asleep handling (accidently for about an hour and i woke up with him in the exact postion he was in before i fell asleep). He's also the only snake i let little kids hold and not just pet (under close supervision). The bloods will always be a personal favorite of mine...

I dont let people handle my borneos. I am actually quite protective of them. it really has nothing to do with their temperments either. I know after 14 years or so of rescue animals that have taken up residence in my home, I am TICKLED to have something I wanted in my home. The STPs/Bloods are MY snakes. No one else can play with them. Neener Neener neener.
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Cindy
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I love the color on the Bloods and Borneos! I kind of like the idea of the Borneos because they seem a little less popular than the Bloods (I'm weird like that.) I would like a Blood too because of the color. The Black Bloods or Sumatrans haven't grown on me yet. Thanks for your input!

Own a P.Curtus "black blood" and they will be your favorite. Just watch out during feeding time. My male hit a rat off a pair of hemostats last weekend and I was left holding a rat tail LOL. many thanks

Ian

Thanks, Cindy. I sounds like a need some of each. (Borneos and Balls) I like the look of the newly hatched lighter morphed Balls but they're still too pricey. I like the general weight to length ratio of Balls and their temperament. The Borneos color is great and I like their mass better. Still just a little worried about temperament. I'd hate to invest the time and money and get one that's no fun; especially since they seem to hide a lot. I got my first snake (a wild caught Ball circa 1990) to overcome a fear of snakes that I had. I also had a baby Burm (circa 1995) for about 6-9 months. I took care of a lot of snakes working for 3 years at a pet store but didn't own any other snakes until getting a corn about 3 months ago. The fear of getting bit is still there...I kind of wish it would just happen so I could get over it.

1. Balls seem to get a dull look to them as adults rather than the sheen of the hatchlings. Do Borneos, Blood, and Sumatrans stay glossy like a Burm or do they get dull like a Ball?

Stock has something to do with the quality of appearance and of course husbandry has a lot to do with the health of the animals. The skin is a major organ in any animal's body so it does give you some indication of health. With that said, my borneos (and other STP's) are healthy animals and their skin is no different than when they were younger. Of course, scale size does have an impact on how the skin appears. Also, STP's do not have the smooth scales that a burmese python have, though much nicer than ball pythons. Figure 99% of all STP's collected or farmed are for there skins...someone likes them since that amounts to tens of THOUSANDS of skins per year.

I prefer my snake "skin" moving and alive, thank you.

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================================
www.richcrowleyreptiles.com
Support your local herp society
www.chicagoherp.org

Thanks, Rich; that's exactly what I was looking for. I guess if compared to paint an adult Ball = flat; Borneo = semi gloss; Burm = gloss.
...
How close are you to Northbrook? I'll be there for 1 night next week and then for about a week in October for work. I'm from Indy but have lived in the Tampa Bay area for 3 years. I'm thinking of going to Daytona but it's still a 4 hour drive each way. Still closer than Illinois or Indy, though!

Northbrook is about an hour or so away depending on traffic and day of week. I am west and south about 60 miles or so. Check out the Wildlife Discovery Center at Ellawa Farm in Lake Forest if you have time. Great collection of hots and other herps. My website has a link.

Later,
Rich
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================================
www.richcrowleyreptiles.com
Support your local herp society
www.chicagoherp.org

>>How close are you to Northbrook? I'll be there for 1 night next week and then for about a week in October for work. I'm from Indy but have lived in the Tampa Bay area for 3 years. I'm thinking of going to Daytona but it's still a 4 hour drive each way. Still closer than Illinois or Indy, though!

PSSHAW! I will be flying from Milwaukee to Tampa and then driving from Tampa (st petes actually) to Daytona, then back to Tampa to fly home! Tomtom says its only a little under 3 hours. If you are looking into bloods, this is THE year to hit daytona. Ill be working the ks.com booth so stop by and say hi.

Im just looking forward to 8 hours of Bubba the love sponge when I am down there!

Also depending on which week you are coming up north here, you might want to hit NARBC as well.
NARBC

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Cindy
PHFaust

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