Black-headed python progression thread

Our female Western (Lazic bloodline) shed last night so it took her out for some sun.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e1f3cae462.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...17ffe9fda1.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...9d09c70a71.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...be061a077f.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...1aac8f0216.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...35bba32621.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...55802308c3.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...734866f218.jpg

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On a side note, here's a perfect example of why you always use a hook with even a tame black-head. She displayed their typical behavior perfectly. No aggressive body language, no striking or fast movement. She simply started rubbing her head along the snake hook opened up and chomp down on it.
This was not aggressive or defensive behavior. She was hungry and in typical BHP fashion, tried to eat the first thing close to her face.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...13c4b63256.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0280bc688f.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...34869e9803.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d10db1bc7e.jpg

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Well, at least you don't need to worry about them fasting. Lol

I love it! Those pics really do show the strange behavior.

Love the pics blackhead and woma's are great looking pythons. If I had real muti species collection they would be on the list of something to add.

Here is a great read regarding BHP diets posted by Derek Roddy yesterday. I am copying and pasting with his permission.

Good morning everyone.
Recently Ive been getting several questions a month regarding feeding BHPs and their diet. I'm also seeing a few answers from other keepers who seem to be "in the dark" regarding the associated problem with them and their diets in captivity over the long term.
I first got an interest in the BHPs in the mid/late 80s. During this time they were 10k each and out of reach for a high school kid. Haha.
Over time though I developed a fascination with them and would bother all the breeders at the time with question, etc.....like we all do/did.
One thing I noticed over the years was that no one who was breeding in the 80s, were doing so in the 90s. And the guys that were breeding in the 90s were not breeding in the 2000s and even most those guys in the 2000s are not breeding now.
This is because their breeding stock stopped producing for them after a number of clutches. Almost every keeper from back in those times has told me that most of their females would laid 2 to 4 clutches then never produce again.
I had always believed it was diet and one of the breeders who got me into BHPs in the early 2000s told me "Don't ever give them large food items" he also went on to say that "feeding smaller items more often was the way to go with BHPs".
I listened but more than that, I learned. I have studied the diet of this species in detail and even been to Australia several times to see these awesome animals in their natural environment.
The problem is that BHP eat A LOT!!!! Radio tracked BHPs have been observed eating as many as 12 to 15 breaded dragons in a weeks time. But what type of "nutrition" does a 6 foot BHP get out of that? Well the answer is not much. This is why BHPs are constantly looking for food. AND the reason keepers mess them up with Diet in captivity.
This also seemed to go right along with what I had been told by the breeder (Tom McLay) to offer smaller items more frequently.
As I stared to understand the BHPs diet, I started to change my feeding accordingly.
So Instead of a large or x large rat every week or even two.(like most would give a 6/7 foot animal) I started offering smaller meal every few days. This mimics most closely HOW they eat in the wild. Not only does it achieve their natural behavior in captivity it also helps from getting fatty tumors from having large food items basically rot in the gut of an animal thats not supposed to be even getting those types of fats and proteins. I even noticed a difference with the hatchlings and ease to get feeding.
In theory its not the amount of food but the time it takes to ingest the larger meals and that is what causes the issues over time. Fat tumors in the stomach, intestine, liver, kidneys and even the heart have all been diagnosed to be cause by DIET!!!!
BHPs digestive systems are extremely fast (much faster than ambush predators who ARE designed to eat large mammals)
By feeding them larger items you are slowly rendering them unless for breeding and giving them a shorter life span.
Now I guess if you're a high turn around breeder....meaning you just want to turn and burn through your females....I guess that's OK but for keepers like me who get attached and name the 100+ BHPs you have....it means more and I want to keep my "friends" with me for as long as possible.

I can tell you this. Feeding this way will not hurt your BHPs nor will it prevent them for breeding nor will it keep them from getting the nutrition they need. In fact it's the opposite. When done right ,feeding smaller meals more often is actually getting MORE food into your animals over time But, doesn't come with the side effects of females who won't produced after a certain age or just end up dying at 8 years old.

I've been feeding this way for over a decade now and I have noticed a physical difference in my BHPs appearance (brighter,more colorful and added "shine" in their skin) their behavior seems to be more on par with their natural behavior as well...... searching for food most everyday.
Couple that with most of my breeders being over 15 years old and still producing for me..... It's the diet folks.

D

More from Derek,

Also an issue is no-one really knows what a wild BHP looks like. Seeing these animals in captivity gives us a "false knowledge" of size reference to go by (because of overfeeding). Here are some wild BHPs.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...70cabd656a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d1def9c271.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...18a3bb0912.jpg

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Continued.
in other words your BHPs shouldn't look like this hahahttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d0e884158a.jpg

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Continued.
check this video out. My buddy Dave in WA with a super nice young adult (YES ADULT) BHP. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAbIzjFEjRo

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Fish day. Funny how one of the most challenging snakes to get feeding as babies will literally eat anything you put in front of them as adults.
Here is a pic of Patty (female western bhp) eating a f/t finger mullet.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...cf6a988460.jpg

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