Would a Blood python be a good next step for me to take?

[CoolioTiffany]

So I'm planning out on what to get at the expo which isn't for a while so I have a lot of time to plan on what to purchase and such. I'm stuck between a Blood and a JCP, but I'm leaning more toward a Blood. I'm looking for something else rather than a beginner snake (BPs, corns, sand boas, etc.) and that brought me to the Bloods and JCPs. Would a Blood be an all right next step for me? I'm trying to get into purchasing intermediate snakes, and I already own one (Dumeril's boa, though seems so easy to care for.. well for now). I heard they can be a little nippy when babies/juveniles, but I certainly wouldn't let that happen when it becomes older because I will be handling it like I handle all of my other snakes. I do have a problem controlling humidity sometimes, but that's because I keep using the heat lamps which I do not need. Though, I will definitely get heat pads. I love the way both the Bloods and the JCPs look, they are both so beautiful. I love the Blood's bulky size, but I love how beautiful the JCPs get. Though, the JCPs are more slender, and the Bloods seem to get heavy (how heavy would an adult get? 0_0). I'm still reading up on both species too. So, which snake would be a better-next-step for me?

[mainbutter]

The bloods vs carpet pythons seems to be a common thing among forum members recently.. they are VERY different snakes.

Here's my take on the two species:

Bloods - lazy, heavy-bodied snakes.. less tolerant of husbandry imperfections. Beautiful snakes, impressive sizes in short packages. Not always the best handlers, sometimes can be nippy, though many are as cuddly as kittens.

Carpet pythons - the exact opposite of blood pythons. Long and slender, active, inquisitive, very strong feeding responses, and tolerant of a wider range of temps and humidity. I consider these snakes to be as easy as traditional "beginner" snakes in a little bit bigger package. Plenty of people get boas as their first snake that outsize your average JCP.

You've got enough experience with reptiles to know what issues you'll run into. I'd say if you can provide the correct husbandry, you're ready to care for a snake that is less tolerant of husbandry imperfections than your usual pet corn snake. You mentioned humidity issues, this is very important to have corrected for a blood python. If you decide to get a blood, get housing set up and stabalize the temps and humidity so you KNOW that it is ready to house a blood python.

[Kryptonian]

Both can be more aggressive then bps and boas. You would be best off to get a baby and get it used to handling while its young and the bites are not so bad. A blood can get very heavy, especially females and when they strike they lunge thier entire body at you. So thier strike distance is longer. You will definately be feeding larger prey to a blood.
Jcps are long but slender. Female agian would be bigger. They are also semi arboreal. Although some people keep them in bins in racks, I am sure they are happier in a cage where they can climb. I know mine loves climbing and I could never bin him. They are nippy as babies but most with lots of handling calm down nicely. Mine is as sweet as my bps, sweeter then a couple.
I had a blood borneo cross that unfortunately died when her heat pad malfunctioned and burned her bin. She was very tame but her siblings were mean. If you get heat pads definately get some kind of temp control for them.

[CoolioTiffany]

Thanks mainbutter. I think I'm going to stick with a JCP, though I still have that Blood in the back of my mind.

[mainbutter]

A note on the "nippier than bps and corns" species out there: This is where communication with whatever breeder you are purchasing from is important. When I was looking at coastal carpet pythons, one of the things i asked about was temperment. I was informed that the snake was a peach to handle and has never bitten, and she has never bitten me.. and she was still less than a year old when I got her.

Don't just pick the prettiest snake on whatever website you're looking at, there's more to a snake than the paintjob

[CoolioTiffany]

A note on the "nippier than bps and corns" species out there: This is where communication with whatever breeder you are purchasing from is important. When I was looking at coastal carpet pythons, one of the things i asked about was temperment. I was informed that the snake was a peach to handle and has never bitten, and she has never bitten me.. and she was still less than a year old when I got her.

Don't just pick the prettiest snake on whatever website you're looking at, there's more to a snake than the paintjob

The main thing I'll look for in a JCP is friendly and beautiful. Would a JCP that is a bright yellow and a solid black be a lot of money? Those ones are just insanely beautiful.

[mainbutter]

When it comes to JCPs, they are most certainly priced by selective breeding projects.. Which means the dark blacks, bright yellows, and clean pattern snakes fetch much higher prices than your more bland snakes.

For non-morph snakes, "normal" JCPs have a surprising range of prices.. I've seen hatchlings for as little as $100 and as much as $400 or more..

[CoolioTiffany]

When it comes to JCPs, they are most certainly priced by selective breeding projects.. Which means the dark blacks, bright yellows, and clean pattern snakes fetch much higher prices than your more bland snakes.

For non-morph snakes, "normal" JCPs have a surprising range of prices.. I've seen hatchlings for as little as $100 and as much as $400 or more..

I heard the "normal" JCPs can get much darker in color when adults, but depending who the parents were. The normal JCPs are very beautiful too, and any JCP would be just fine for me.

[cobweb2000]

Though, the JCPs are more slender, and the Bloods seem to get heavy (how heavy would an adult get? 0_0). I'm still reading up on both species too. So, which snake would be a better-next-step for me?

I wish I could find Kara's picture of Beefcake for you, I believe she is 6' long and 30lbs. There are three species often called 'bloods'.
P. Curtus , Sumatran Short tail python
P. Breitensteini, the Borneo Short tail python (this is what I keep)
P. Brongersmai, the true Blood python

There are some size differences between the three species but the care is pretty much the same. Temps are easy enough to control but you MUST have the humidity right. Too high is as bad as too low, there is a very narrow window that they tolerate. They are also very very strong and as was said before they lunge their entire body when they strike and they have a lot of weight to put behind it. You've had several threads where you stated you were afraid of getting bitten, what are you going to do if one of these guys bites you? I can promise you it will bite harder than your king snake did.

If you are still interested in them, you may want to go to www.bloodpythons.com and look around, there are a ton of pictures and information.

My vote is for you to either get a carpet or a woma python. The woma isn't difficult to care for, but they are such fun snakes I think everyone should have at least one.

[Oroborous]

Carpet pythons are awsome, I don't have one, but I've worked with a few and they are very cool snakes.
But I'd choose a blood over a carpet any day. I like the heavy bodied snakes over the slender ones. But also bloods are just gorgeous, I have an 08 male and he's a little huffy, but easily handled and pretty patient. He's also very alert and watchful. Awsome feeding response to, which carpets have as well. It's all up to you, but I would get a blood. As long as you get the temps and humidity right they make very rewarding snakes to raise.