Ball or Blood?

I used to keep snakes in the past (mainly boas and corns) but it's been quite a few years. Anyway, I'm interested in having a snake again and I think I've pretty much got it down to either a Ball or Blood python and I'm hoping you guys can help me decide.

I'm either looking to get one snake, and maybe get a second someday down the line if I decide I want to try a breeding project. Obviously you can do a lot more variety of projects with Balls than Bloods but a lot of the fancier morphs come with bigger price tags and you're looking at two of them of course. Not a deal-killer though and there ARE some less expensive ones that look pretty nice on morphmarket if you browse around.

Bloods look pretty cool even as normals though and even a T- or Ivory isn't that pricy. I could probably even drive down to RepTillis to pick one up in person since we get down to Florida periodically.

If I get a Blood I will go with a male since they are a bit smaller and therefore more wife-acceptable :) With a Ball it doesn't really matter that much as both genders are not so large. Initially I'll have a tub setup but I also own a 4x2x1 Boaphile cage I can use down the line - leftover from my last Boa Constrictor quite a few years back.

I've been doing a lot of reading and watching videos about Bloods and I know that their reputation for aggression is misleading and outdated - they seem to be pretty mellow snakes although there may be some hissing/huffing. However, I've also heard some claims that because they don't climb they need to be more supported and don't wrap around you like a boa or corn so you have to be careful they don't make a quick move and fall which undermines their trust. Is that accurate?

How long do they like to be handled? In my experience a boa or corn is fine to hang out quite a while. Is a Blood sort of a "lap snake" that will chill out with you watching TV or will they want to go back in their tub after a few minutes?

I have a 6 year old son, is a Blood pretty cool with children (supervised)? As in I'd be holding the snake but he can pet it, and I can tell him to touch it away from the head.

Is it pretty easy to keep the humidity at their preferred level? I'm planning to do some tests with my Boaphile cage and monitor the humidity with a water bowl and/or some misting for a few days to see how well it holds stable.

I'll be attending Atlanta Repticon this weekend to gather more information and hopefully get to see some Bloods in person as well as some Ball morphs but I'm not looking to rush into things and plan to purchase later on.

Thanks for your help!

Looking forward to answers, blood pythons are my favorite snakes. I'm looking forward to owning one.

I'm sure Zina will be able to address this when she is on. She has both. I really like bloods but they are out for me right now. My reptile room is geared 100% to balls and my temps are too high to keep bloods.

Depends on your experience level and expectations, bloods are not a beginner snakes and even a male can reach a good size (think 28 lbs for example which is a big difference compare to a BP)

Lots of bloods out there are imports and it is very important to get a blood from a reputable breeder who works with them, those are again not beginner animals and need to be work with on a very consistent basis unlike BP which could stay in a cage without ever being pick up and not have any issue, do that with a blood and you are in for a nightmare.

If you are thinking about a BP or a Blood some serious research and not do not make an impulse buy especially not a blood impulse buy.

Here is a good source of info for you.

http://bloodpythons.com/cms/index.php/husbandry

http://www.bloodpythons.com/forums/

I have two kids, 5 and 8 years old. Each of them have a Ball Python of their own that they are able to handle easily and I feel very confident each time. Your 6 year old will want to be involved and you will want him to be.

I now have a Bredli for myself. The kids are fine with not handling him at the moment because they have their own. It would have been difficult to start with anything else that wasn't a known "beginner" snake with the kids as curious as they are.

Thanks for the links Deborah, I will read through all of them. Yes, I will only be looking at animals from reputable breeders no matter what I get and taking my time with research. For a Blood, that would likely be RepTillis as we pass very near their location when traveling down to Florida from Atlanta which we typically do several times a year.

28 pounds sounds large for a male, most of the documents I've read cited 30 pounds for a large female and that males were more like maybe 20 pounds. Is this for an animal that was power fed, or just natural variation?

My prior snake experience includes several boas and corns, one California Kingsnake, and a Spotted Python. I've also had a trio of Bearded Dragons, a Spiny Tailed Monitor (which we still have), and a variety of tarantula species. The snakes were all quite a while ago, I started with the boas back in college and I'm 45 now. I feel confident that I can provide proper living conditions, but if Bloods require handling every day to stay friendly that might be an issue.

I'm also potentially open to other species recommendations (that don't get TOO large) but I know very little about Morelia and prefer the look of Bloods over the Sumatran Short Tails as I'm told they turn black with age and I'd prefer a pattern of some sort. Borneos may be OK and I understand they're a little smaller than Bloods but I haven't found a lot written about how they change appearance as they age and they seem quite a bit less popular. I think visiting Repticon this weekend will help a lot to get a clearer picture of what I like and don't like as well as what adult sizes are like for various species. Again, just going to look and learn, not purchase. Anyway, if you think I should look at something else it needs to fill these criteria:

1. Must be friendly to handling
2. Must be able to live in a 421 Boaphile cage at max size (I'm willing to select the smaller gender which is typically males)
3. Should be attractive in appearance, which basically means some sort of color & pattern and not plain mud-brown or something
4. Needs to be available at a reasonable cost from quality captive breeders
5. Having at least a few color/pattern morphs is probably a plus


Back in the old days when I was single, the easiest solution would have been to get a Ball first and then potentially add more snakes of different species later on if I wanted to grow my collection. At this point though my wife wants to limit to one snake which of course puts some pressure on my choice. There may be more leeway down the line, but it's hard to predict so I want to keep to the assumption that I'm only getting one.

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28 pounds sounds large for a male, most of the documents I've read cited 30 pounds for a large female and that males were more like maybe 20 pounds. Is this for an animal that was power fed, or just natural variation?

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Actually no, nothing ever larger than a retired breeder rat every 10 to 14 days, just like in BP you do not need to feed them a ton for them to grow steady and get big, genetics have a big part in it, yet there are still people out there that feel like they really need rabbits :rolleyes:

From what I've seen of Bloods they are not a Snake for young children to be around for touching ect... They pack a punch like Mike Tyson and that will be the end of a child's interest and your wife's understanding period lmbo
Id say a cool Ball is up your alley... The Russo White Diamonds amaze me.. There are some gorgeous Balls out there... Then next year if you want another snake get one you want thats off limits to the fam... [emoji1360]


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Originally Posted by Mr Sully

From what I've seen of Bloods they are not a Snake for young children to be around for touching ect... They pack a punch like Mike Tyson and that will be the end of a child's interest and your wife's understanding period lmbo

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Originally Posted by Mr Sully

Id say a cool Ball is up your alley... The Russo White Diamonds amaze me.. There are some gorgeous Balls out there... Then next year if you want another snake get one you want thats off limits to the fam...

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That's a good point, perhaps it's better to take the long view here. Concentrate on getting something that is foolproof and will help break down the one snake barrier.

I think this is my favorite Ball I've seen so far:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...b8b5a64d47.jpg

That is cool !!!!


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Not for nothing, but if you know/like boas, why not go for Central American/Mexican or island locale? Big boa fun in a little boa package.

If the temperament of the animal is of the most importance to you, make that your primary shopping point and let whoever you are buying from know this is your primary concern. Most balls are super mellow. Boys tend to be more mellow than girls but don't get as big. Some balls while they may not bite, want nothing to do with handling and will attempt to escape which can be a handful for a child. There are a few that can be down right wicked. I have a couple that my kids are not allowed to touch. It does not hurt to get bit by a ball, but it will scare the crap out of a young child.

My best handling ball is actually a huge older normal female. She "likes" to be out and will tolerate a lot of BS from the kids, barbies riding on her back etc. All of my males except one my kids can play with. That one has an attitude and will go off food if the wind blows in a different direction.

First snake should be the one the family falls in love with. You cannot care what it looks like. If the family likes it there will be more...... and more....... and more.....

I remember hearing that the Hogg Island ones stay relatively small, don't know much about the Mexican/Central American forms but I can look into that.

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Originally Posted by dboeren

I think this is my favorite Ball I've seen so far:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...b8b5a64d47.jpg

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Amazing choice and one of my faves as well!

We're a BP forum, but a lot of folks on here have a boa or two as well. As far as personality goes, I've found boas to be more interactive. They typically aren't as shy as a BP, and can be a lot of fun for kids to grow with. Of course they do get large - some of them VERY large. Island boas are typically the smaller versions - Crawl Cay and Caulker Cay boas being some of the smallest http://www.cuttingedgeherp.com/islandcayboas.html

If you're going for pretty colors though... stick with the BPs. They can also be friendly and make great pets, and come in VAST numbers of different patterns and shades, they just tend to be a little more shy.

I'm seeing a lot of people mention boas. I don't own any, but have interacted with quite a few. Same thing goes for boas that I said earlier about balls. Most are great, some can be hell on wheels. Primary difference between boas and balls with kids can be size depending on the particular animal and the fact that if I was to be nailed I would much rather take a bite from a ball than a boa.

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Originally Posted by ladywhipple02

We're a BP forum, but a lot of folks on here have a boa or two as well. As far as personality goes, I've found boas to be more interactive. They typically aren't as shy as a BP, and can be a lot of fun for kids to grow with. Of course they do get large - some of them VERY large. Island boas are typically the smaller versions - Crawl Cay and Caulker Cay boas being some of the smallest http://www.cuttingedgeherp.com/islandcayboas.html

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If I did a boa an Island type would be best. Maybe I can see some in person at Repticon this weekend.

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Originally Posted by ladywhipple02

If you're going for pretty colors though... stick with the BPs. They can also be friendly and make great pets, and come in VAST numbers of different patterns and shades, they just tend to be a little more shy.

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Yeah, for variety of colors and patterns the Balls and Corns have it pretty much wrapped up. Corns are illegal here in Georgia though.

On the other hand, there are also some species that are very attractive in their natural color/pattern too. Some King/Milk snakes are very boldly colored, Blood Pythons of course look really cool especially as their red develops, and some of the Carpet varieties too.

Not to say boas don't have their own beauty too. I'm a huge fan of those big, bright red tails myself. If you get a good one, those colors will stick with the animal all their lives. I miss having one a bunch, and that will be my next acquisition. I just don't have the room right now.

I'd go blood, but my son is in his 20s [emoji4]. My husband was rather in my blood's face the other night with his new camera (pictures coming soon) and she puffed up and hissed a little bit, but no striking. Not sure how she'd be with kids. She came from RepTillis, and I'd be very happy to buy from him again. He even remembered our transaction when I saw him at NARBC months later. Picking an animal up in person would be icing on the cake.


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Hi dboeren,
I keep Bloods (2 Sumatrans + 1 Matrix Het T+), Balls and Boas. I am new to Bloods, but I have 3 (soon to be 6 of them). If I were looking to just get 1 snake to keep as a family pet and possibly do a small breeding project at some point and I wanted to choose a species with the most personality that is the easiest to care for and the most fun to handle, I would have to say a Boa would definitely be the way to go. Personality-wise, Boas are much more sociable, animated, inquisitive and attentive than the other two species, generally. Though, due to the fact that they are curious and love to explore, they can be a bit flighty at times, but for the most part they will wrap their whole body around you and hang out all day long. Boas will rarely ever pass up a meal and rarely have shedding problems.

Don't get me wrong, I am just about as crazy about Bloods as I am Boas and they can be just as fun to hang out with as Boas. It's just a little different... Bloods are definitely a "lap snake" or you can sorta cradle them in your arms. At most, they will partially wrap the very end of their little short tails around your hand or something from time to time if you're holding them up in the air and they don't feel 100% secure. Personality-wise, once my Sumatrans got settled in (after about 2 weeks), their temperament was like night and day. For the first two weeks, they were nasty and bitey as hell! I claim full responsibility for that, though. I should have just left them completely alone. Within a couple of weeks they became a couple of adorable little angels and never even strike anymore. I sit with each of them for about 30 minutes a day. They are almost as animated, inquisitive and attentive as my Boa. I sit in a chair in my snake room with them and they love to crawl around on me and explore. They seem to be looking at everything in the room and sometimes they will just sit and stare straight up at my face. My Matrix is another story... She is a 2015 (my Sumatrans are 2016's), so she is a little older and was rarely (if ever) handled. I still have yet to actually hold her myself, because she is so schizo acting. She will sit in her tub completely motionless (and tensed up) and let me stroke her with my hook, but the moment she sees a hand heading for the tub she starts throwing her whole body around. She even threw herself completely out of the tub and on to the floor once! Honestly, I am a bit intimidated by her and i'm pretty sure she knows that at this point, which isn't going to help matters. So, i'm still taking it real slow with her just trying to get her used to seeing me and being touched everyday before I push the issue of holding her anymore. I think the less negative experiences you have the better. Care-wise, Bloods simply need more humidity and slightly lower temperatures than Balls and Boas. Higher humidity is easily achieved with a large water bowl and daily misting. Bloods are generally vivacious eaters as well, but are notorious for having shedding issues. Though, mine haven't yet... If you are seriously considering a Blood, I highly recommend starting out with a baby, so you can give it proper handling from the youngest age possible. The bigger breeders have way too many animals to give any one of them enough handling to keep them tame in my opinion. If you get an older one like my Matrix that hasn't ever been handled, you will most likely be starting right out with problems. You wouldn't believe the power these guys pack into their strikes even as babies!

Ball Pythons... The way I look at it is, Ball Pythons are the Poodles of the snake world, whereas Blood Pythons are the Pit Bulls. Personality-wise, Balls are very timid and shy as babies, but in my experience they really aren't as adults, at least with regular handling. They really don't even curl up into a ball anymore as adults. When handling adult Balls they are sorta a cross between a Boa and a Blood. Sometimes they will partially coil around your arm like a Boa, but for the most part, they seem to prefer to sit with support under them like a Blood and they are a lot more laid back than Boas. Out of these three species, I have to say Ball Pythons are the least animated and have the least personality and attentiveness (perhaps, the most boring in my opinion) of the three. Care-wise, their requirements are essentially the same as a Boa, as far as temperatures and humidity, but they will require (and prefer) much less space as they grow and become adults. Some Balls can be very picky eaters, but don't normally have shedding issues...

I'm sorry this turned into such a long post, but I hope it helps give you a little insight and helps you in you decision. As much as I have grown to love Bloods and Short Tails, if I could only choose one snake, I think I would have to go with a Boa. But, I could never choose only one, so I want them all!!! lol

Thanks for the personality comparison, that's very helpful. Yes, I'd like to start with a CB baby of whatever species so they can be raised up accustomed to handling.

I guess the lower personality is part of what people are talking about when they refer to Balls as "pet rocks" :)

I'v been reading a bit more about Carpet Pythons and they look like a possibility as well and sound like another more interactive snake like boas.

Going to the show and getting to see/handle examples of each type will probably be what helps the most to decide.

You are very welcome. I don't have any personal experience with Carpet Pythons, but from what I gather, they can be a little more on the nippy side. Have you considered a Woma? Womas are very animated and make great display animals and have very simple requirements unless you live in an area with high humidity. I am dying to get a pair of them! There definitely needs to be more Woma breeders out there, too!

Before i got my newest boa, i was very seriously considering a carpet python. My understanding is that they are very active, also great for display caging, but to be honest, the main reason i stuck with boas over them was just the practical concern of sticking with what i know.

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Originally Posted by Aedryan Methyus

I don't have any personal experience with Carpet Pythons, but from what I gather, they can be a little more on the nippy side. Have you considered a Woma? Womas are very animated and make great display animals and have very simple requirements unless you live in an area with high humidity. I am dying to get a pair of them! There definitely needs to be more Woma breeders out there, too!

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From what I've read it sounds like baby Carpets are nippy but become docile as they grow up. I get the impression that this is common with several python species.

I don't know anything about Womas other than they are another Australian python species but I'll look into it - thanks for the suggestion.

Once again, if there is a child involved and you want to have the best chance of a positive introduction to snakes, the two highest on the list are going to be corns or balls. Bites can happen from any species. A bite from a corn or a ball is not likely to ruin anyone's day.

I've had Balls, Carpets, Borneo, Blood, Boa's (Rubber, Redtail, Brazilian) and a few more.

A Ball Python will make the best choice if you want a "docile" snake. They are also most shy and some of them will try to get away the entire time you are handling. That is still preferable to being bit ;)

That said, IF you have a TAME and calm Blood Python, they actually make better "pet's" imho, then Balls. Because they tend to be calmer, more curious, less head shy (less shy overall) and "hang out" more.
Like everyone mentioned though, that is if you have one of the calm/tame ones.
If you want to get a TON of info on them, lots of pictures, stories and experiences, there is a great blood python group on facebook. I would read there for at least a couple of weeks before making up my mind. Most of the reputable breeders post there as well. Lots of pictures of beautiful snakes, some being handled by the children of the keepers.

Yes, your husbandry has to be on the spot. Perhaps more so then with some other snakes. For me personally, that isn't a issue. I'm picky about ALL my snakes husbandry needs. A Blood needs it cooler then a BP, they need fairly high humidity BUT good airflow through the enclosure as well. You don't want swampy conditions with tepid air. Bloods and shorttails poop far less often then BP's but they pee a LOT. And you need to keep them clean.

I feel like everything has already been said, and you have gotten a ton of good advice here !

Let me add one thing in case it hasn't been brought up, if at all possible, pick your snake up in person, ESP. a Blood or Shorttail!!! If you can to to Reptillis, that would be awesome. Pick one by temperament, not "looks". While all young snakes can be nervous and even defensive, there are definite differences. If you want a smaller (and usually calmer) species, pick a Sumatran short tail (wrongly known as Black Bloods).

Good luck, and have fun finding your new friend :)

The Sumatrans get too black for me, but Borneos could be a possibility.

I'll check out the Facebook group as well, I guess that's where a lot of "forums" are headed these days.

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Originally Posted by dboeren

Thanks for the personality comparison, that's very helpful. Yes, I'd like to start with a CB baby of whatever species so they can be raised up accustomed to handling.

I guess the lower personality is part of what people are talking about when they refer to Balls as "pet rocks" :)

I'v been reading a bit more about Carpet Pythons and they look like a possibility as well and sound like another more interactive snake like boas.

Going to the show and getting to see/handle examples of each type will probably be what helps the most to decide.

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Now you're talking. If you are opening up the possibility of Carpet Pythons then you are exactly where I was a few months ago. I read and read and read and I finally decided on a Bredli Python, which is within the Carpet Python Complex. I love him, he's still new to me though. Sweet as could be. Great climber and display snake and are supposedly even better to handle as they grow. I would definitely throw them into the ring if you are going to start comparing.

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Originally Posted by dboeren

The Sumatrans get too black for me, but Borneos could be a possibility.

I'll check out the Facebook group as well, I guess that's where a lot of "forums" are headed these days.

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When it comes to Ball Pythons and even other reptiles, I much prefer THIS forum over facebook ones.

There just isn't that much activity for Blood Pythons, here, and the Facebook group has tons of info if you have questions ;)