Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

I read on a caresheet delineating the differences between the various species of short-tails that Sarawaks have the calmest temperments of all the P. Curtus snakes. Would those of you who work with Sarawaks and other short tails back this up? (I generally prefer first-hand owner testimony than the word of a caresheet -- this forum has been a huge help in learning about blood care). I'm planning on purchasing a short-tail in the near future, possibly a Sarawak, and while I know that regular handling is the most important key to a tame snake I'm trying to find out which is the best-natured to begin with.

Thank you for your help,
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A. Fox

We have a CB female Malaysian Blood about 5 months old. We got her in August and she has a very sweet temperament. There have been no problems with antisocial behavior such as biting, spraying, vomiting etc whatsoever. She is great with the kids and quite happily wanders around exploring or simply curls up on an available lap to watch tv. She has recently had a minor infection which was treated with oral antibiotics which she took without complaint. The vet said she was the most tractable snake he has come across and the ONLY blood python not to take a lump out of him! She feeds well on F/T, has shed well and has had no problems in the bowel department.
Perhaps these snakes are very individual and it would be difficult to generalise. The vet's experience was quite different to my own- he couldn't believe it when I put my hand straight into the snake's carry sack and came out unscathed!
My only advise would be to try and see the snake before you buy, if possible.

Regards,
Cooljosh's Dad

I've found my Sarawaks to be extremely docile, but not moreso than my Borneos, Sumatran short-tails, or my friendly red bloods. What I have noticed is that they seem to be extremely inquisitive and alert...they're often among the first in my snake room to come right up to the glass in their enclosures & check things out when someone walks into the room. They remind me very much of Angolan pythons & even retics in this regard. I've personally found my pair to be even more "puffy" than my other blood & stp's. By this I mean they're almost constantly giving little short puffy hisses - not like a warning hiss but almost snuffling around when they're out, cruising around & exploring or else being handled.

Just my $.02

K
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"Remember the days of the old schoolyard?" - Cat Stevens

I would same my experiences with the three sarawaks I have are the same as Kara's. The sarawaks are very inquisitive, but no more or less docile than my borneos. They are more apt to "climb" as far as a short-tail can climb. They poke away more at the top of their cages (vision) and lift their bodies up to investigate. The two adult girls I have are very perceptive and they will move their heads to zero in on an object where I don't observe my other short-tails doing. I currently have three sarawaks and four borneos so you can get an idea of my experiences. I have had my sarawaks since 1999. The baby I got from Bob Garby, handsome fella (the snake not Bob, LOL) eats more aggressively that my two girls did as hatchlings. They only take food at night with reduced background lighting. I guess they have manners and don't like others watching them

Thanks to everyone who responded to my post! It seems from everything I've read that bloods have tremendous variation in individual personality. I heard somewhere (can't remember where, sadly) that they seem smarter than other pythons. Have any blood owners observed this trait in their animals?

Thanks again,
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A. Fox

...but in my experience bloods & STP's seem to be more aware of their keepers & surroundings than many other snakes. Maybe it's hard to put too fine a point on it without anthropomorphizing things too much, but I'll be darned if these snakes don't have OODLES of personality!

K
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"Remember the days of the old schoolyard?" - Cat Stevens

Bloods are by far my favorites snakes.... but smart? Wellll.... probably not.
My boas seem to be more "intelligent" than the bloods. The younger bloods are more active, look around more and therefore may seem intelligent... but really, who can judge the intelligence in an animal we have nothing in common with and really know nothing about? Who knows, maybe they're more intelligent than humans!

Interesting....

I guess it really is something you have to experience in order to understand (that is, the subtle difference between python personalities). Thank you all for replying; hearing everyone talk about their animals makes me all the more excited to pick up my own baby!
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A. Fox

First off, I don't say the following to blow my own horn in any way, just to offer some perspective...

I currently work in a facility with a few thousand animals (quantity depends on season) - everything from snakes, to lizards, tortoises, etc. etc. My main focus is the snakes, and being able to work with such a wide variety of species has helped me refine my favorites, so to speak. The exposure to so many different animals has allowed me to prioritize my private collection in terms of the species I love most. Out of the 80-something animals I keep at home, 40 of those are bloods & short-tail pythons. I think these snakes just have a ton of personality, and are great animals to keep for the herper with some experience under his or her belt. Can't quit saying good things about them!!!!!

Just my $.02...

K
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"Remember the days of the old schoolyard?" - Cat Stevens

I love bloods, and i have two. Of all the ones ive handled (plenty) they are all the SAME! Sure some are nice, and some are mean but they have a typical attitude you can just define. Bloods are REALLY stupid pythons. You want a smart snake? I dont know, an amythistine or a white lip is incredibly alert and seems to have excellent vision. Bloods just sit there with there heads looking up not even moving. They have no personality. Even when they bite, you wouldnt say its an outgoing bite. Its a cold and distant bite. They lunge there entire body at you with no regard for themselves even. But white lips are a little more clever in which they see and time there bites. I can usually out run a blood bite but not a white lip. Bloods also seem to have a small vision span, but they are good natured snakes. I have nothing against them except that when you hold them they dont do anything but just stare at the air. Not a very bright animal at all
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Many feel that I need to be balanced with equal time. Wrong. I AM equal time.

-Rush Limbaugh, 1992

You want something intelligent, try a viper. You want a pet, try a blood python!
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Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

Or, to take it one step further (right out of the reptilian relm): If you really want a smart pet, get a parrot, or even a dog. I'm not really concerned about the intelligence of my reptiles (so long as he doesn't repeatedly bang his head into the glass or something REALLY unintelligent, or [more realistically] think that a mouse is a monster and my hand is lunch). I just thought it would be interesting to see how others ranked bloods in terms of intelligence, since I had read somewhere that they seemed *smarter* than other boids.

Thanks everyone for responding,
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A. Fox

Somewhere between KLG and Tormato. My STP are not "dumb" but they seem that way. Lazy is more appropriate. Ambush predators make far better "pets" than do other snakes- my Papuan has amazing personality, but you cannot sit down, or even stand still. So much personality that handling works up a sweat. My "sweet litte" Borneo STP on the other hand is the one I use for people who are afraid of snakes, or just a little hesitant. She is everybody else's (my girlfriend, housemates, coworkers, etc.) favorite of my whole collection. Incredibly docile, very inquisitive, slow, and telegraphs her motions. She has only struck once (at food) the rest of the time she just laps it up. I certainly wouldn't call bloods "more intelligent" and am kind of curious as to who did! (They have an undeserved reputation as "pet rocks" among many herpers. I've never heard them called "smart" before today.) That said, they are my number one recommendation for "pet" snakes. I cannot think of a boid that works better for most people, and they are readily available to boot. (A far better animal than a ball to start with- better feeders, less tempermental, and the humidity thing is blown way out of proportion, especially with f3 specimens that demonstrate greater tolerance.)
Okay, that was long-winded, repetitive and probably unnecessary, but I'm in a typing mood today, so hopefully something in there helped round out your opinions.

“Some of you” need to go back and read this thread in its original context. Bluefox was asking about the intelligence of bloods & mentioned comparison to all other pythons. I don’t believe anyone here is saying that bloods are smarter than or have more personality than all other snakes, just perhaps more personality than the majority of what are considered to be “typical” pet snakes – i.e. boas, ball pythons, corn snakes, etc. etc. etc. At least that's my angle. I'd take a blood over a ball python any day for personality...although the Spider Balls are very outgoing...but that's another topic completely!!!!

You “doggie downers” who want to come in here and downplay blood pythons while the rest of us are having fun, enjoying our animals & being hyped about these awesome snakes can take your bad attitudes elsewhere. Save the drama for your mama.

Bloods & STP’s in my opinion are a great “pet project” for those who want something a LOT more stimulating than a ball python or boa, but aren’t ready to tangle with something like a scrub, retic or hot yet. My private collection contains everything from Trans-Pecos ratsnakes, ball pythons & boas to retics, scrubs and king cobras, but the majority of my collection is made up of bloods & STP’s. Why? To me they are the perfect balance of laid-back and easy going, yet curious, inquisitive, and much more aware of their surroundings than many species. Besides, I just FRIGGIN’ LIKE THEM – THEY’RE GORGEOUS SNAKES!!! They are the ZEN of medium-sized python keeping in my book. If you don’t “get it,” or don’t even care to get it, that’s fine – enjoy the species you’re working with. Or learn to look a little deeper. But don’t be so narrow-minded and say that bloods can’t be “aware” or “intelligent” just because other snakes are even more so.

Kara - NERD
www.newenglandreptile.com
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"Remember the days of the old schoolyard?" - Cat Stevens

I'm in agreement with you...yes, contorted logic, messy syntax, but the basic gist of my post was that they are "alert," "inquisitive" animals, absolutely "beautiful" and possess a potential as a "pet" that many equally interesting more aggressively active pythons do not. I was not "doggie-downing." (Though that is a new phrase for me, so I guess I've fulfilled the learning something new for today.) I like short-tails. I like mine. I like other peoples. I plan on acquiring more. I was just curious who said that they "Exhibit more intelligence" than other boids, as [many] folks have the opposite opinion. (note...not me!...otherwise I wouldn't keep them. Just when I tell people I have bloods, some of them wonder why I have a pet rock.)
Hope that clears things up...Just wondering why I got the "some people" routine, when I was responding directly to "blue-foxs" original query- wanting to know what some keepers experience with bloods/short-tails has been.

If you weren't doing the aforementioned, then the post wasn't aimed at you.

K
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"Remember the days of the old schoolyard?" - Cat Stevens

Sorry. I construct my reality along purely linear lines, which increasingly have no place. In all seriousness, I thought you were responding directly to me, so I quickly took offense. I should go home and take out the aforementioned female borneo, look at it, let it roam around a bit and get off of this computer.
-SWA

...don't take it too personally. Technical reasons, not a direct attack.

K
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"Remember the days of the old schoolyard?" - Cat Stevens

This has actually worked out a lot better than I thought it would. It's great to hear everyone's opinions, positive and negative -- although from everything I've heard here, I'm even more sold on bloods than I was before. They sound like great snakes to me.

I really have to thank everyone for posting; I find this to be a great learning experience. Tell you what; when I get my baby in December I'll post my own observations of his personality (in case anyone cares/remembers.)

Thanks again,

--

A. Fox

PS. One question for Kara: You said that your private collection includes 40 bloods and short-tails. Does every one of them have a name? (Sorry if that seems silly, but for some reason that was the FIRST THING I thought when I read that.)

Every single one of them? No...haven't named them all, but the "favorites" in my collection - regardless of species - always seem to end up with some sentimental name...if nothing else it makes it easier to differentiate between animals in all my record keeping. ID numbers get a little boring after awhile.

K
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"Remember the days of the old schoolyard?" - Cat Stevens

Vipers are fun. They have personality. Blood pythons are fun. They have personality, too. I keep bloods, retics, scrubs, boas, cobras, vipers, pit vipers, etc. etc. etc. and enjoy the variety in personality from one snake to the next - the experience I've gained working with such a range of animals has allowed me to gain a lot of perspective. Don't be so narrow-minded as to think that one snake can have personality and another one can't. You'll deprive yourself of a MUCH more fulfilling herp experience. Don't sit here and try to tell me my perspective is wrong when you haven't herped in my shoes. Then again, it's like I said before. If you guys aren't having as much fun with your bloods as I am with mine, SORRY!!!!

Thanks!

KLG
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"Remember the days of the old schoolyard?" - Cat Stevens

...and I'm sorry that you're not having as much fun with your bloods as I am with mine!!!! LOL!!!!!

K
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"Remember the days of the old schoolyard?" - Cat Stevens

In response to Tormato’s comments. To equate apparent lethargy with stupidity is absurd; just as it is to equate alertness with intelligence. The P. curtus group behave as they do because of the environment they evolved in, not because of any perceived lack of intelligence. Ambush predation in snakes is almost always associated with a more reserved activity level and has absolutely nothing to do with intelligence. Additionally, some of them tend to be a little more defensive than other python species, but they are heavy bodied and lack the predator avoidance speed of many other pythons and so they are more defensive, especially if wild caught. I have been working with P. brongersmai since the early 1980’s and have found that when raised from neonates, probably 90% of them will never bite defensively their entire lives. I qualified that because many will still retain an aggressive feeding response.

Kelly

Im sorry but they are stupid. Much more than any other pythons I own. They lack curiosity and have terrible vision. I think that might have something to do with the lack of labial pits. With pythons the more you got the bigger your brain has to be. My bloods are terrible ambush predators if thats what your getting at. They always always miss the rat, and now that I kill them the bloods still miss the rat often hitting the cage walls. Im not joking. Yet my carpets and white lips, even my GTP can calculate its bite rather quickly and acurrately. I dont mean to use the phrase 'python intelligence' as intellect by any means, but white lips and capets (etc) have huge labials that paint a very vivid infra-red picture. You have to have a larger brain to handle that, and thats why Im sticking to my story that bloods have less intellegence than certain pythons. With that said, womas are truly smart snakes, but I would imagine they make up for it in sheer sight, as opposed to infra-red. I once read that boas can see in full color and that they have two cones. Ive been trying to find that page like crazy, but I cant. But similar snakes to bloods (balls) have proved to me that they arent the greatest hunters either.
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Many feel that I need to be balanced with equal time. Wrong. I AM equal time.

-Rush Limbaugh, 1992

As far as feeding, I would say you probably have a different experience than others. I personally havent owned a whole ton of snakes, but I can def. say that my blood is the best "hunter" out of the whole group. He has not missed his prey once, ever. I was in a hurry one time and attempted to feed him in his cage and he accidently scooped up a wood chip. He hit the rat but let go because of the wood chip and then tilted his mouth and shook it out. Then went back to feeding. Even with larger prey (I sometimes feed small bunnies) if hes having a little touble sucking it down hell push it against the side of his feed container to push it into his mouth. Like I said I haven't kept a large number of species to compare, but I see no reason to put them in the "unintelligent" category of boids. It seems many people are using there sheer lazyness to imply something about there "intelligence". But this is more of a personality trait than an intelligence trait. I also have a problem with people using there vision as part of their "intelligence" but i'm not getting into that.

My short tail helps me with my homework. But he just lays there and checks the room out next to me while I do it.. Like someone else said if you want an intelligent pet, dont get a snake. Mine seems to be pretty intelligent for a snake, he recognizes me and will crawl to me when other people are holding him. I could go on but ill spare you all.

Hey KLG you got any pics of your blood/ST storage setup, wish I had that many of these guys!

That was one of the things I was interested in when I mentioned intelligence -- individual human recognition. It's interesting to hear that your short-tail recognises you!
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A. Fox

I think its pretty funny, he also tends to get scared and poop on other people when they try to hold him. He also likes to play with stuff, mainly his water bowl. And I dont mean like hell try to soak and accidentally tip it over, he moves it around his cage and if hes spills it and hes thirsty hell beat it up against the wall. Ill put some water in it and hell go directly to drinking. When hes at my computer he gets in between my headphones and moves em around, he also likes to get on my keyboard. He was actually trying to help me type this..but I dont think anyone reads snake so i deleted that part.

-J

Gotta love the babies...with their huffy puffy antics and googly eyes.

He is a DOLLBABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

K
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"Remember the days of the old schoolyard?" - Cat Stevens