Reptile & Amphibian Forums

1. How big do they get and what size enlcosure do they need?

2. What should be in that enlclosure?

3. How is their temperament and can they be handled?

any other help would be appreciated.
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josh

i dont know whats up with me posting so much lately! but, i keep a blood python so mayeb i can help.

1. blood pythons (Python brongersmai) have been recorded to grow up to 10 feet, the average ive seen is 5 to 7 feet for females and to 6 for males, there are always exceptions.

Borneo short tail pythons (Python breitensteini and i know i misspelled that) not as long as bloods, females average 4 to 5 feet, the record was something over 6 feet, i think, i should read on bloods more...its been mainly scrub pythons lately. males are smaller, i believe 3 to 4 feet average.

sumatran short tailed python (Python curtus), the smallest of the 3 "bloods", females average somewhere around 4 feet, but have been reported over 5, males are smaller.

2. enclosure...the tricky part, for babies to yearlings, a rubbermaid sweater box, for adults, id say 4 feet by 3 feet for reds, and large female borneos, and 4 by 2 for smaller adult short tails. as to decoration, simple is best, a piece of cork to hide under at one end, a box of some kind filled with moist moss on the other end (beneficial for almost all snakes in my exp.)my blood loves to dig in her hide, which is essential, it provides an area of exceptionally high humidity, while keeping the rest of the cage at a more managable humidity level, giving the animal a chance to dry out a bit if it chooses, bump the general humidity up at shedding time and you should be ok...add a large water bowl and youre good to go...newspaper or plain paper towels make a good substrate...bloods and short tails dont tend to climb much, so branches arent really needed, and the height of the cage is less important..but these are big heavy snakes for their length so they need a bigger cage than other snakes of a similar length. ive had my blood like this since i got her over year ago and so far so good, never a stuck shed,eats like my scrubs...great snake.

3. temperment is a variable, its diffrent with each animal...some snakes are just horrble face grabbing heat seeking missles, others are sweet little kittens, bloods are no exception. and a blood will let you know if they are willing to be handled or not, but alot can be said for getting to know the animal and its quirks, i can handle my blood almost any time, she huffs and puffs, which is normal handling behavior for bloods, but if shes not willing to be handled she lets out some long, loud, hisses, her posture changes, its pretty visable that if i keep trying i will get tagged, and at over 30 inches shes not a small snake, and well, hefty enough so that a bite could do a bit of damage. start with a feeding baby,i got lucky, my blood took her first meal ever the day i bought her, a defrosted small adult mouse...and shes now a far cry from the 10 inch hatchling she once was. shes never struck at a human, i think she may have struck at a mouse or 2, but thats it, really laid back, most snakes can b very docile, some just take more effort than others....sorry i was long winded, but, you asked for info

Jay