From stupid to stupider!!!!!!!!

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Miguel

Miguel

Ole Dawg
MFK Member
Dec 28, 2006
15,870
28
89
Very much south..
let me start by saying that at my age I do not deal well with flaming, so please refrain any eventual apetites:)

I already called myself stupid, so that is that. :(


I admitted that beyond some King Snakes I knew zilch about the real constrictors ( althoug always professing my great love for them )

I was offered a splendid deal ( as told ) on a baby ball ( again, as told ) and had her eating and so on..

it turns out that my Ball is a Blood.

the jerk sold me a Blood, referring to it always as a Ball ( he admits it and told me I could take it back )

Now I already love it, fed it, and like to behold it...

Opinions, advice?



Laughing is permitted...:D:D
 
Opps...! Lol, no big deal Miguel, I personally like Blood Pythons better. I guess you already know that you have to adjust your setup for the "new" species. I don't know much about snakes but I'm sure other people on here will help you out. I agree with Oddball, we need some pics!
 
Miguel, the only problem I have with that is this: How much did you research the animal prior to getting it? I would think that after researching ball pythons for 10 mins, you'd figure out that you didn't even have the same species in your possession.

Well, questioning you there doesn't change the fact that have a blood python.

Good news - they are voracious eaters that generally don't care whether their prey is dead or alive. Per the other thread, if he's eating live now, continue to do so until he gets some good weight on him, and switch ovet after that if you like.

Their care is slightly different. Humidity is a necessity...60% or more at ALL times. They appreciate similar ambient temps to ball pythons (around 82) with a cooler hotspot, 87 degrees max. I actually don't provide mine with much a of a gradient, his enclosure is about 85 degrees everywhere and he is eating and growing at an alarming rate.

They also like a substrate that they can burrow in. Bloods are notorious for having wicked personalities, and using a substrate they can burrow down into makes them feel safer, and thus be more receptive to handling. I use a thick layer of Aspen shavings for mine.

Make sure you feed adequately sized prey, bloods should have a stocky look to them.

Also, blood pythons defecate FAR less often than other species. Mine has currently gone 2 months without so much as a urate coming out. This is normal and a common concern among first time blood python keepers.

Do your research!

Hope this helps.
 
elevatethis;1354146; said:
Bloods are notorious for having wicked personalities, and using a substrate they can burrow down into makes them feel safer, and thus be more receptive to handling.
Click to expand...

That's their reputation, but it's not true:)

As for hide spots, tighter is better. My babies have always seemed to prefer spots which they can barely fit their whole bodies in. I've found newspaper is a great substrate...some breeders use newspaper substrate and add a small hide box filled with slightly dampened sphagnum moss (a 'humid hide'), but if you've got a good-sized water bowl and your temps are good, your humidity will be good as well. High 50s to mid 60s is good humidity--too low and the scales will dimple; too high, and they'll also dimple.

I don't know what size cage your snake is in, or how big the snake is, but small bloods do best in very small cages.

And, be careful not to over-feed your blood python! Since bloods have very slow metabolisms and very efficient digestive systems, feeding it a rodent that leaves a large lump in the snake's belly every week can cause it to grow fat stores, which on snakes are inside the ribcage, making it harder to tell if your snake is overweight, and putting the snake's internal organs under the pressure of the added fat pads in the body cavity. Blood pythons are heavy-bodied, but that doesn't mean they have to be fat:)
What I do with my babies is feed them small rats, which will leave a noticeable lump in the snake's belly, two or three times every five weeks. My bigger snakes get a medium rat every week or every other week.

Other useful information I've learned from keeping bloods:
They expel liquid urine, often without a solid urate lump, two to four days after eating...one of the reasons I keep them on newspaper rather than a particulate substrate.
They don't need a temperature gradient as long as the ambient temperature is kept in the low-mid 80s.
They're extremely hissy snakes, and they breathe loudly when you hold them, touch them, or when they're moving around. It's probably not a respiratory infection if your cage conditions are good.
They don't hold on the way other constrictors do. Since they're strictly terrestrial snakes, you can't really wrap one around your wrist or neck and wander around the house like that. The snake will fall off if you're not careful.

enjoy:grinno:
 
lovespunaround;1354375; said:
That's their reputation, but it's not true:)

As for hide spots, tighter is better. My babies have always seemed to prefer spots which they can barely fit their whole bodies in. I've found newspaper is a great substrate...some breeders use newspaper substrate and add a small hide box filled with slightly dampened sphagnum moss (a 'humid hide'), but if you've got a good-sized water bowl and your temps are good, your humidity will be good as well. High 50s to mid 60s is good humidity--too low and the scales will dimple; too high, and they'll also dimple.

I don't know what size cage your snake is in, or how big the snake is, but small bloods do best in very small cages.

And, be careful not to over-feed your blood python! Since bloods have very slow metabolisms and very efficient digestive systems, feeding it a rodent that leaves a large lump in the snake's belly every week can cause it to grow fat stores, which on snakes are inside the ribcage, making it harder to tell if your snake is overweight, and putting the snake's internal organs under the pressure of the added fat pads in the body cavity. Blood pythons are heavy-bodied, but that doesn't mean they have to be fat:)
What I do with my babies is feed them small rats, which will leave a noticeable lump in the snake's belly, two or three times every five weeks. My bigger snakes get a medium rat every week or every other week.

Other useful information I've learned from keeping bloods:
They expel liquid urine, often without a solid urate lump, two to four days after eating...one of the reasons I keep them on newspaper rather than a particulate substrate.
They don't need a temperature gradient as long as the ambient temperature is kept in the low-mid 80s.
They're extremely hissy snakes, and they breathe loudly when you hold them, touch them, or when they're moving around. It's probably not a respiratory infection if your cage conditions are good.
They don't hold on the way other constrictors do. Since they're strictly terrestrial snakes, you can't really wrap one around your wrist or neck and wander around the house like that. The snake will fall off if you're not careful.

enjoy:grinno:
Click to expand...


Agreed on all points. As far as temperment goes, you're right, the reputation is there but many can be very laid back. I still don't trust mine not to bite in the same way I trust my ball pythons not to...

A friend of mine did an internship at VPI for 6 months and told me some horror stories about keeping up with some of the LTC blood pythons at the ranch. He said he feared for his life when he cleaned out those cages, lol...
 
hah I'll bet he was holding on too tight wasn't he....:p
 
ok. About research, I told you it was love at first sight. Not knowing zilch and "believing " in the guy I beçieved the ball was a ball, specifically a Jungle Pastel Ball ( second time I ever saw such a snake ).

it is 30 cm's ( 1 foot long ) so I did not know better, I admit.

I have read about the differences between one species and the other, and am not frightene of keeping one or the other, so research is, with me, not a Previous must. Will do it now ( heck I could have a dinossaur and would figure how to keep it as best as possible )

I already changed the conditions, gave her , yesterday, a closed box with sphagnum moss to where she loves to go.

I will pick her up tomorrow and see what gives...She was very easy going and I loved to handle her .

The only, only problem I anticipate, with wife and big daughter who hate snakes, is tha the blood is not as easy to conceal as the ball.

I will just have to deal with it the latin way....LOL

already love the critter..

is it real they can get to 20 kilos, Lovespsun and Elevate?
 
Yeah, a big, overfed one can. My biggest is 66" and about 20 pounds...9 kg? I think 8-10 kg is average for a full-grown.
 
The only problem here now is, you know this dealer was more than likely also lying about it being a good feeder on f/t! LOL.
Sounds like some one you should not be visiting for a while LOL..
 
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