Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What is the difference between a Malaysian(Red) Blood and a Sumatran(Red) Blood? Any difference other than where they are collected?
Thanks Much-
Matt Schubarth
Pet Nebula
2100 Stephens #116
Missoula, Montana 59801
406 541 9929

Good question. They are both P. brongersmai and there are no scalation differences that I am aware of. The variations in their coloration are also quite similar. I seem to be able to detect a slight difference in their pattern configuration, its hard to describe and maybe it's just in my head. I'd be curious if anyone else has any thoughts on it.

Kelly

The reason I'm asking is that I have one of each and I wouldn't want to do something taboo with a cross. I assume that the Malaysians are just a mainland animal, while the Sumatras would be more of a locality specific type? I had bought two Sumatra Red Bloods from a very reputable breeder and they bred the first year I had them. The male was very nasty, so I sold him, and bought a Malaysian thinking they were the same. So far the Sumatra female and the Malysian male look pretty similar... the biggest difference being that the Sumatra has a very dark head and the Malysian has a light red head- but this could just be so since the male is younger and smaller(3 feet). I'll have to take some pictures of each of them and see what everybody thinks.

They are the same species. I think in this case it turns more into labeling differences rather than actual locality difference. Unless you have a Sarawak (which you would have been told most likely) then there just normal red bloods.
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"It's my snake, I trained it, so I'm going to eat it!" - Mad Max, The Road Warrior

I would be interested in seeing photos of the two. Unless you know the actual person who collected them, it would be difficult to say where they are from. The problem with brongersmai is that they show such extreme coloration and pattern variations not only within individuals from a specific locality, but also among hatchlings from the same clutch. This makes it extremely difficult to differentiate a specimen as being from either Malaysia or Sumatra by appearance alone. Interestingly, by contrast, breitensteini and curtus show much less color and pattern variations as is seen with brongersmai.

Kelly