Black Headed Python Madness

[Derek Roddy]

Hello everyone.
Thought, I post some BHPs pictures. Don't see too many of them over here.
























Bet ya didn't know there were so many different looks!!!!!


And, a reduced pattern Woma for good measure! Haha.

[JLC]

oohhhhhhhhhh wow! You're right, I had NO idea they were so beautifully variable! That one with the solid black back is craaazy! ALL of them are amazing!! What exactly is going on with that last one?? Are any of these genetically reproduce-able "morphs"? And the woma is beautiful, too!

I would seriously love to see more traffic and info about these species! Thank you!!

[Derek Roddy]

Cheers...
Myself and my buddy Tom Keogan.... probably have the largest collections of BHPs in the US. We've been working on combining all the different "types" to create these looks you see here.
Black and Whites, Bumble Bee's (yellow and black), Black Backs, Pinstripes, High Contrast, Hypos, Axanthics, Reds, Classics, Bold banded, etc.....to name a few. Haha.

The animal in the last picture is what we call "color changer".
They hatch looking like a normal hatchy but, under go this color change... once they hit maturity. Looks like a hypo trait but, if it was an actual hypo...it would hatch as a hypo.
Still not understood what is happing with the color but, I feel it's diet related.

In fact, all the problem associated with adult BHPs.... I feel, can be traced back to diet. Keepers like to over feed em'. They're not rodent eaters....they eat Taipans and king browns, dragons, monitors, etc.

So giving them boat loads of rodents....isn't the best for them IMO.

They sure are cool snakes.....nothing else like them in the snake world. personality is more like a monitor. Just great to handle and interact with.

Glad you enjoyed the shots.

D.

[gman8585]

Wow those are just stunning. Haven't seen black head snakes like that before. I have a new found respect.

[JLC]

In fact, all the problem associated with adult BHPs.... I feel, can be traced back to diet. Keepers like to over feed em'. They're not rodent eaters....they eat Taipans and king browns, dragons, monitors, etc.

So giving them boat loads of rodents....isn't the best for them IMO.

So what do you feed them? What kind of feeding regimen do you recommend for these beauties? Do Womas have the same issues?

Hehe...I got lots of questions about them!

[jjmitchell]

wow those are amazing.... I would like to know what the appropriate feeding regimine you recomend as well, I have always been intrested in black heads and womas

[Derek Roddy]

Howdy...
Rodents are just fine.....it's the size that's important.
For instance...my 7-8 footers only eat small rats...but, may eat one every other day.
They're very active snakes by nature and, that trait.....makes keepers want to over feed because, they're always looking for food.
You can feed a black head everyday......but, only the smallest of meals.
The last thing you want is a over fed animal that just sits in the cage.

Animals that have been 'power fed" or to "get up to size" have a reproductive cycle for only 3 or 4 years..... before they burn out.
Womas handle rodents much better but, it's not really a good idea to over feed anything (imo)

Cheers,
D.

[jjmitchell]

good to know..... they are beautiful.... (if you ever get tired of them just box em up and ship em to me...) lol

[JLC]

Thanks for the great info!! I know where to start looking when the day finally comes that I can have one of those beauties for my own.

[J.Vandegrift]

Great looking stuff. I bought a nice female from Tom last year. I am hoping to grab a male for her this season. Are you in FL too? I have been keeping mine really lean (one 120g-140g rat every 7-10 days), but I am thinking that I should bump her food up a bit after reading your post. Sorry, not trying to hijack your thread.