My new blood python

As far as handling tips go, consistent, short, positive handling sessions are a good way to build rapport. Try to establish a schedule with your snake in which you handle it approximately the same time each day. You'll want to skip a day after feeding of course, but otherwise if you can stick to a schedule at first this really seems to help.

Try to end each handling session on a positive note, with the snake either sitting calmly...basically you don't want to put an upset snake that has just struck at you back in its enclosure, or you'll just condition it to equate striking with going back home and being left undisturbed. Keep the handling sessions short & sweet at first - 5-10 minutes - and add time as you and the snake get to know each other.

Good luck w/your new addition!

Thanks so much everyone for your help and encouragement. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. I can't wait for him to calm down and to get to know this beautiful animal.

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Originally Posted by Kara

Try to end each handling session on a positive note, with the snake either sitting calmly...basically you don't want to put an upset snake that has just struck at you back in its enclosure, or you'll just condition it to equate striking with going back home and being left undisturbed. Keep the handling sessions short & sweet at first - 5-10 minutes - and add time as you and the snake get to know each other.

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Wonderful advice: Tim Mead gave me similar advice when my SSTP went through her "phase" (striking and being very defensive). Ending on a positive and relaxing while handling has worked wonders :gj:

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Originally Posted by Kara

As far as handling tips go, consistent, short, positive handling sessions are a good way to build rapport. Try to establish a schedule with your snake in which you handle it approximately the same time each day. You'll want to skip a day after feeding of course, but otherwise if you can stick to a schedule at first this really seems to help.

Try to end each handling session on a positive note, with the snake either sitting calmly...basically you don't want to put an upset snake that has just struck at you back in its enclosure, or you'll just condition it to equate striking with going back home and being left undisturbed. Keep the handling sessions short & sweet at first - 5-10 minutes - and add time as you and the snake get to know each other.

Good luck w/your new addition!

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EXCELLENT POST, Kara.. :gj:

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Originally Posted by Daybreaker

Wonderful advice: Tim Mead gave me similar advice when my SSTP went through her "phase" (striking and being very defensive). Ending on a positive and relaxing while handling has worked wonders :gj:

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Thank you Angelica..

In the animal kingdom many animals can read a person, be sure to feel comfortable and confident with no fear..

Beautiful snake. What a nice birthday gift! Will not be so snippy after you work with him a while.

I bought a pair of leather gloves to start handling my 2 girls. Both are 2012's and were crazy at first.
Both are sttleing down nicely!

Nice addition to the colllection!

Nice blood you have there and a lot of great advice from knowledgeable people. I have had Bloods and Royals for many years in fact got a clutch off my female this year currently incubating which is actually a new one for me because I dont usually breed the Bloods as I tend to breed the royals more.

However that being said I would like to offer some additional advice or tips based on my experience. Bloods as I like to say have attitude and do best when you are confident and calm around them snakes like most animals have heightened senses ( we humans have lost touch in general with natures gifts in terms of god given attributes and our ability of perception is now led by material concepts and force fed reality as I like to call it lol )

As has been said bloods huff and puff a lot from a youngster to an adult they never lose that hissy puff and bluff attitude however with proper confident calm handling they are very docile in fact. It is vital in addition to maintaining the correct humidity and temp for these snakes to handle regular when young so that when adults they are easier to manage. If anyone has ever held a 30Ib plus Blood that does not want to be handled they know what I mean. They are extremely strong snakes as adults and pack a punch if they they tag ( I speak from painful experience ;) )

Bloods are generally great feeders and this is the danger as some people will over feed them and they grow too fast and under developed and suffer later in life so just stick to an appropriate sized rat ( you can keep bloods on rats from birth to adulthood no problem) every 7 to 10 days as youngsters and every 14 days as adults unless you give them a rabbit then stretch it out to 3 weeks to a month.

They love water and IMO you should provide at all times a water bowl big enough they can soak their whole body inside this will also ensure you get good humidity and aid sheds as well. A hide either end of their enclosure especially as hatchling's and don't drown them in too much space to begin with as it can stress them out, in general the bigger they grow the more confident they become same for every animal on the planet and snakes are no different. An example of water bowl I use for my bloods.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c1.../waterbowl.jpg

As adults prepare for a big strong snake capable of inflicting far more damage than a ball python so while it might be fun for some to be tagged by their ball python because they wanted to see what it felt like I would not wish to be tagged by an adult blood by choice A lot of owners are curious as to what it would like to be tagged by their beloved reptile as far as I have learned and having had the privilege if you can call it that, of being tagged by a few different species of snakes and I can say hand on heart, that the blood, is the one I remember most and not because it was fun :( it felt like being punched hard in the arm followed by a lot of bleeding lol

this was my forearm after a feeding strike once the swelling went down :)( it was 100% my mistake by the way not due to a snappy temperament )

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c1...8/ouchcopy.jpg


However on a lighter note [IMG]file:///C:\Users\SNAKEY\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.gif[/IMG] Bloods will feel like a step up from Ball Pythons and especially as an adult as the are impressive animals a 6ft Blood is like a 12 ft burm in weight and strength lol just shorter

You will learn a lot on reading snake behavior with these in m y opinion more so as you have to read them better than a ball python before handling etc as generally you would not think twice taking a ball python out of her enclosure however you will with an adult Blood. And they have the shiftiest eyes of any snake I have worked with lol I love that about them.

here is a couple of pics I like from some of mine

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c1...n68/may18b.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c1...n68/may18d.jpg


http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c1...8/DSCF1274.jpg


http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c1...n68/herc10.jpg



http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c1...an68/herc2.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c1...an68/herc4.jpg





I better stop there I have so many pictures I will end up with pages of them lol

Anyway just glad to see another blood owner it always makes me smile when I read some one else has decided to give these amazing snakes a chance. You have plenty of expert advice on here but if ever I can help in any way with your blood don't hesitate to ask me I am more than happy to offer advice and or encouragement.

cheers

snakey

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Originally Posted by snakey68

They love water and IMO you should provide at all times a water bowl big enough they can soak their whole body inside this will also ensure you get good humidity and aid sheds as well. A hide either end of their enclosure especially as hatchling's and don't drown them in too much space to begin with as it can stress them out, in general the bigger they grow the more confident they become same for every animal on the planet and snakes are no different. An example of water bowl I use for my bloods.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c1.../waterbowl.jpg

snakey

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Quick question, do you have a problem with them tipping that kind of container too much? I've been trying to find something better and less easily tipped.

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Originally Posted by Tikall

Quick question, do you have a problem with them tipping that kind of container too much? I've been trying to find something better and less easily tipped.

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no I never have a problem with that type of container its wide and flat and my bloods are big and have never tipped it ,as it holds a lot of water thus making it very heavy, providing they cant get under it they cannot tip it which is why I sit on the floor with nothing under it.

no way that is getting tipped ever:)

Perfect, thank you very much! I'll have to go to the container store.