Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i heard that bloods have a bad temperment is this true. i am looking for a snake between 6-8 feet and like the look of bloods. any help would be appreciated.

1.0 wc columbian rtb
1.0 cbb ball python

thanks derek

I'm thinking about getting a too, and I have the same question. Some people say as long as they're CB and you handle them when they're young, they'll get as tame as a boa. Others say even CBs that are handled when young will be unpredictable as s. From what I've read, Borneo Short-tails(Black s)are the tamest, but lengthwise they're only in the 3-5 foot range. The Sumatran s(Red s) are supposed to be almost as tame as the Borneos, and they get in the 4-6 foot range. The Red s from Malaysia are the most colorful, but from what I've read even CBs are pretty aggressive.
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MY COLLECTION:
1.0 Columbian BCI
0.0.1 Crested Gecko
1.2 Ball Pythons

MY WISHLIST:
A Northern Blue-Tongue Skink
1.1 nice Jungle Carpet Pythons
1.1 Hogg Island Boas
0.1 pastel Columbian BCI
A Blood or Short-Tail Python
A Dumerils Boa
1.2 Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rankins Dragons
1.3 Crested Geckos
Breeding groups of various Leopard Gecko morphs (including Tremper Giant, Patternless Albino, Blazing Blizzard, and Bell Albino).

np
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MY COLLECTION:
1.0 Columbian BCI
0.0.1 Crested Gecko
1.2 Ball Pythons

MY WISHLIST:
A Northern Blue-Tongue Skink
1.1 nice Jungle Carpet Pythons
1.1 Hogg Island Boas
0.1 pastel Columbian BCI
A Blood or Short-Tail Python
A Dumerils Boa
1.2 Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rankins Dragons
1.3 Crested Geckos
Breeding groups of various Leopard Gecko morphs (including Tremper Giant, Patternless Albino, Blazing Blizzard, and Bell Albino).

np
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MY COLLECTION:
1.0 Columbian BCI
0.0.1 Crested Gecko
1.2 Ball Pythons

MY WISHLIST:
A Northern Blue-Tongue Skink
1.1 nice Jungle Carpet Pythons
1.1 Hogg Island Boas
0.1 pastel Columbian BCI
A Blood or Short-Tail Python
A Dumerils Boa
1.2 Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rankins Dragons
1.3 Crested Geckos
Breeding groups of various Leopard Gecko morphs (including Tremper Giant, Patternless Albino, Blazing Blizzard, and Bell Albino).

The "horrible blood reputation" is bases on WC imports, which is what was available to herpetoculture until recent years (relatively speaking) when folks learned how to succesfully produce these animals in captivity.

A good blood or short-tailed python is worth it's weight in gold (IMO, anyway), and is also very much a reflection of what its keeper has put into the animal. Baby pythons - regardless of species (okay, I guess balls can be the exception) - are shy & flighty, because they're genetically hard-wired to think that anything bigger is going to try to eat them. Baby bloods are NO worse than baby Burms (HA!) or retics...or ringed pythons or water pythons...I could go on and on here! Gentle, consistent, routine handling will turn just about *any* good intermediate-level python into a joy to handle, and ultimately a big, fine adult that is a pleasure to interact with.

Sure, there are exceptions to every rule, but for the most part if you're willing to invest the time into making friends with a young blood or short-tail - after you make sure you're properly meeting the animal's husbandry requirements - you're in for a real treat!

I have kept a lot of snakes, Dumeril's boas (I saw those mentioned in this thread) included. I keep anywhere from 200-plus bloods at a given time...and NO Dumeril's boas!! You can't beat a blood or short-tail for personality!

JUST MY $2.00 (includes fuel surcharge )

K~

>>i heard that bloods have a bad temperment is this true. i am looking for a snake between 6-8 feet and like the look of bloods. any help would be appreciated.
>>
>>1.0 wc columbian rtb
>>1.0 cbb ball python
>>
>>thanks derek

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Bloodpythons.com - Whats YOUR Blood Type?

I agree. My CBB baby Borneo's get pretty calm in a short amount of time. The WORST babies from 2005 can all be free handled at this time without a single bite. I still have a few that try and 'bolt' when the time is right, but I'm sure in a few more months they will likely all be on the very tame end of the spectrum.

>>Baby pythons - regardless of species (okay, I guess balls can be the exception)

Kara, I somehow hatch ENTIRE clutches of Ball Pythons hard-wired to try and KILL KILL KILL ME!!! Hahahaha... seriously, I have friends and folks I've sold Ball Pythons to that say my babies always feed VERY strong and bite even more! I can't figure it out... I treat them all well in my opinion. Maybe it's too much death-metal cranking in the snake room during cage cleaning time. The 'crazy' sound vibrations could be making them nutty?!?! Who knows...

Matt

Don't give away the "death metal makes for strong feeding ball pythons" secret - Kev will never forgive you!

Wait till the new Crotalus CD is done...your balls will try to eat you!

(yeah, there's a punchline just screaming to get out, but I'm not going there!)

K~

>>>>Baby pythons - regardless of species (okay, I guess balls can be the exception)
>>
>>Kara, I somehow hatch ENTIRE clutches of Ball Pythons hard-wired to try and KILL KILL KILL ME!!! Hahahaha... seriously, I have friends and folks I've sold Ball Pythons to that say my babies always feed VERY strong and bite even more! I can't figure it out... I treat them all well in my opinion. Maybe it's too much death-metal cranking in the snake room during cage cleaning time. The 'crazy' sound vibrations could be making them nutty?!?! Who knows...
>>
>>Matt
>>
>>
>>

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Bloodpythons.com - Whats YOUR Blood Type?

>>Wait till the new Crotalus CD is done...

Let me know when it's done!

>>(yeah, there's a punchline just screaming to get out, but I'm not going there!)

As per the subject line: NO comment! Hahahaha...

Matt out

Hey, I have a pair of 13 year old ball pythons who have been listening to death metal since they were 2 months old. They are perfectly well adjusted snakes. My only complaint is the same one my parents had about me at 13, they sleep all day and party all night!
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Dennis

I always hate it when I see a blood as being advertised as having "typical" blood temerament. It is much more likely that it is typical uneducated owner temperament that is the issue. As near as I can tell there is not a typical temperament. I cant remember how many bloods I have owned at this point but its been quite a few. The bloods that I have acquired young and have handled regularly are as docile as a ball python but more inquisitive and outgoing. My kids regularly play with a few of my adults and I was just moments ago giving a head and mouth physical to an adult male without restaining him. He likes to have his chin rubbed gently and I used it to trick him.

Any WCs that i have owned have been pretty unpredictable and thus I will never own another WC blood. There is just no need for it. Some supposedly CBB adults that I have aquired have also been unpredictable buy who knows how they've been handled before I got them.In my experience it if you want a pet you should buy them young.

I would always defer to Kara because she has more experience than the rest of us combined, but I have heard and read that some "blood" lines (representing places of origin) may have less docile personalities. Dave Barker alludes to that fact on occasion. That is however an easy thing to avoid. Just buy babies from established breeders with docile blood lines, which is what you should do whenever you buy an animal of any kind. If you do less than that you are rolling the dice, wether it is blood pythons, horses or wombats.

Note: CB does not denote a reputable breeder with established docile/beautiful blood lines. These are farm bred and likely have zero socialization when you get them. There are probaly more than a handful of people on this list that have fantastic bloodlines for sale. Try them first, last and every time in between

Steve

>>Note: CB does not denote a reputable breeder with established >>docile/beautiful blood lines. These are farm bred and likely >>have zero socialization when you get them. There are probaly >>more than a handful of people on this list that have >>fantastic bloodlines for sale. Try them first, last and every >>time in between

I've purchased a few CB bloods from big reptile dealers, and most of them have been pretty unpredictable as babies, and have taken some patient handling to tame them down. But I've also purchased a number of bloods produced by the people on this list, and every one of them has not only been much much better looking, but very docile and good-natured, and they all eat like pigs on F/T right from the start. There's no doubt you'll get a better animal if it was produced by someone who knows the species and works with the best bloodlines. If I ever get a CB snake again, it'll have to be a pretty amazing animal that I just can't pass up. Other than that I'll stick to people I trust to breed em for me. Hopefully in a couple years my snakes will be making some babies for me too.

The snakes you've purchased from people on this forum are still CB. Of course, you are correct that CB does not necessarily translate to good bloodlines or properly cared for animals, but it also does not translate to the opposite. Always purchase from a reputable breeder, and believe it or not, some of them are “the big reptile breeders”.
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Dennis

Bloods (reds, blacks, and short tails) are not mean. This reputation is undeserved. Get yourself a CB red blood (or preferably a pair), you won't regret it. They are likely to fuss when handled with much huffing and puffing, but they are just making noise. These are great snakes!
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Dennis