Blood Python or BCC/BCI?

[ahouseofscales]

Hi all,

I recently got my first snake, a ball python, and I've been loving having a snake. I've had crested geckos for years, but I'd like to keep more snakes from now on. I'm thinking about my next snake and what I'd like to have, and I'm deciding between blood pythons and BCC/BCIs. I do demos at school and camp programs, so I'd like a larger snake with a good temperament. I like the size and body of blood pythons, but I've heard they can be spicy. I think I'm leaning towards BCC/BCIs at the moment, but as much as I want a larger snake I'm concerned about how long they can get (my max length for an enclosure is 6 ft, but I'd prefer something between 4 and 5 ft, depth would be 2 ft, height is more flexible). What is the snake for me, blood pythons or BCC/BCI (and what locality/subspecies if that)? Thanks in advance!

[Bogertophis]

From what I know of them, I don't think a blood would be a practical demo snake. And you'll want to research the boas that stay smaller- others here can offer more info than I can.

[GoingPostal]

I have both and while I do let my short tails around kids, I don't know that any of mine would enjoy being a demo snake, my borneo girl and sumatran are much calmer than the bloods but even so they don't like to be held up in the air or overly handled so more of a see don't touch type demo animal. The BCC is better for handling but can be jumpy. There's many boa options though, even outside those types, my dumerils boa for example is one I often bring out as he's hefty but also fairly chill.

[ahouseofscales]

Good to know, thanks!

There's many boa options though, even outside those types, my dumerils boa for example is one I often bring out as he's hefty but also fairly chill.

I'm very much so leaning towards BCIs since they stay a little smaller than BCCs. I will look into other boas, but from what I have seen/encountered before I think I would be most interested in a rainbow boa.

[Bogertophis]

Honestly I wouldn't be getting any more animals for a long while (8-12 mos.), since you're dealing with crypto & not quarantining. Crypto is a death sentence.

For reference: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ow-to-sanitize
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...Sample-Testing

It's always best to research ahead of time anyway, but first make sure your collection is crypto-free.

[ahouseofscales]

Honestly I wouldn't be getting any more animals for a long while (8-12 mos.), since you're dealing with crypto & not quarantining. Crypto is a death sentence.

For reference: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ow-to-sanitize
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...Sample-Testing

It's always best to research ahead of time anyway, but first make sure your collection is crypto-free.

I actually do quarantine new animals for at least a month, and with the way my enclosures and equipment are set up, and the way crypto spreads, it is very unlikely that my current collection has it. I am 99.9% sure my animals don't have it, I just want to be extra safe and make sure I sanitize what I can and test them for it so I can be reasonably sure they aren't infected, which is why I made those threads Plus, I need to build my new enclosures, which will be in a couple months most likely, so at this point I'm just planning.

[Bogertophis]

It's totally on you (your call) but honestly, a month isn't much of a quarantine. I know of a gal that got a corn snake from a pet store & it got sick about 3 mos. later, & then died from apparent crypto. It had classic symptoms, & later (much too late) she found out that most of that pet shops snakes also died or had to be euth'd.

[Anable]

I PREFER YOU KEEP LOVING HER TILL SHE GET OLDER FOR YOUR CHOICE.

[ahouseofscales]

It's totally on you (your call) but honestly, a month isn't much of a quarantine. I know of a gal that got a corn snake from a pet store & it got sick about 3 mos. later, & then died from apparent crypto. It had classic symptoms, & later (much too late) she found out that most of that pet shops snakes also died or had to be euth'd.

Yeah I get that. I just think that it is unlikely that my current animals have it based on quarantine/conditions/my animal room set up/fecal-to-oral infection route/the fact that the geckos most likely had Cryptosporidium varanii/saurophilum based on symptoms and that species is unlikely to pass to snakes. At this point I am just taking precautions, and I still need to wait until I build my new enclosures.