This one insisted I take it home from the swap....

[Schlyne]

My new baby boy. He's a Sarawak Blood Python.

This is not his best picture, but he wanted to go exploring, instead of sitting still for the camera.

[Forrest]

I love the dark color. Does this Blood have the typical "blood attitude"?

[frankykeno]

He's gorgeous! I can see why you just had to have him!


~~Jo~~

[Schlyne]

Ok, let me say first that this is now my 8th snake. (if you want to be technical, it's the 10th, but the other two will not be in my possession for another couple of months). I'm not around much, and several of the things I have to say in the following paragraphs are not things I would normally do, or advise a beginner to do. I'm rambling a bit, so sorry if it's a bit jumbled.

I have two irian jaya carpet pythons, which I have been keeping since Jan and Feb respectively, so I'm familiar with "Nippy" species. (And acutally, only one of them has tagged me, and with the way he was reacting, it was one of those "ok, tag me, you're going to get handled anyway, get used to it, sort of things).

Acutally, so far he seems to be extremely mellow "for a blood". Well, other than deciding to follow in Issa's snake slithers and pee on me while I was holding him the first time. (he also let go of a ball of urates, and the vendor, Flynn Reptiles, gave me some paper towels, helped me clean up, and made a joke of the whole thing). He hasn't hissed at me, he hasn't struck at me. In fact, none of the babies did so, and I handled the entire group while picking out the one I wanted. Ever try to compare two baby snakes with one in each hand, both squirming around?

I was warned several times that they are nippy at this age (he has not gone through his first shed yet, apparently bloods shed out about 2 months after they hatch). I don't normally feed a couple of days after I bring home a new arrival, but I was told he'd eat just fine, and after he sheds he should take to f/t. The feeding reponse is supposed to be a bit stronger than with balls.

He was eating live, and I was hesitant to try switching such a young snake over to f/t or p/k at this time. I will switch him over after I've got a few good meals in him.

He has taken his first live meal with me today. By the time, I had purchased him, only one vendor at the swap still had live hoppers, but they were still nursing. This means the mouse I brought home couldn't eat regular food, (or possibly even milk softened food) and shouldn't be expected to eat for more than 72 hours. I didn't want to the mouse to die needlessly, so it was going to be offered to him first, and if he wasn't interested, it would go to one of my baby balls, or killed/frozen for future use.

Bloods are vocal snakes. He hissed at the mouse as he was being put into the feeding box (I was not going to feed him in hs cage for the first time, with a live prey item, I ddin't want him to get freaked out in the cage for the first time here with me.). He waited until it came over to investigate him, and then he struck, coiled and swallowed.

That picture makes him to be a bit darker than he acutally is, but he is the darkest baby out of the group, which is part of the reason why I picked him. He also has an "ankh" on his head.

I have also been wanting a baby black blood for months, and gave up on that for a while. Python curtus curtus seems to be much harder to find. Although I just skimmed through the kingsnake ads and found some. Oh well. Sarawak Bloods are even harder to find, anyway. They don't get as big as the Sumantran's. I've also seem them listed as being the most calm out of the blood/short tails species.

Blood's have a nasty reputation from mostly wild caught adults. This is what I've heard. Kara could probably tell us alot more, but she's probably running around like crazy right now

I have not seen pictures of his parents, so I'm looking forward to seeing how he colors up as he gets older. He should lighten up a bit.

[Schlyne]

Correction: the majory of the information I'm getting is stating that Sarawak is a short tail.

[normballpython2]

im not a fan of sarawaks or borneos but that one still looks beautiful. (i plan on getting a black blood if my bro decides to buy it for me ) either way glad to here things are going so well. have ya named him? congrats!

Brian

[Kara]

Nice little short-tail! Technically Sarawaks are short-tailed python, a locality of the Borneo short-tailed python (Python breitensteini). Congrats for getting your hands on one, as there is a limited gene pool of Sarawaks in the U.S. and few keepers are working with animals from verified lineages at this time. Sarawaks are often a favorite among keepers who have both bloods & short-tails. They tend to seem more outgoing & alert, always curious & aware of their surroundings.

More soon...have to go unpack...our animals just showed up from Daytona.

K~

[Python-77]

Awsome snake schlyne, let me know how she is doing and working out for you I want to get either a short-tail or a blood in the furture but still trying to decide which one I want. I held a big blood a few weeks back that was totaly awsome.

[Schlyne]

It's a he. I renamed my photobucket folder and it broke the link. Since I can't edit the earlier post anymore, here's the picture again.

[PrincessErica]

*sneaks into your window and steals him in the night*

I'm in love!