Considering a blood python/python curtus. Please help :D

[retic720]

Hi guys,

I'm planning to get a blood either on July or Christmas of this year. I've read a few caresheets and I just want to ask a few questions on the "average" experience, as this bit is sorta....not so available in the caresheets.

1) handling; I've worked with afrocks and retics. From my experience, afrocks do a VERY good job of intimidating you through hissing. Unacclimated afrocks tend to squirm wildly when handled, then either: a) defecate/pee around you or b) strike. When I handled retics on the other hand....out of the three retics I've worked with, the last two were similar to my afrock....except they skip the initmidating part and go straight to striking

What can I expect from my future blood/short tail?

2) husbandry (note, I live in Manila....retic country ); all of my pythons (retics and a ball) are kept in my room (AC's disabled), caged separately.

If I do obtain a p. curtus, will I have issues if I arrange the cage like say...the way I arranged the cage of my retics? (humidity and all). I read that I am to be guided by the weight of the p. curtus, not the length but I guess I just want to know if even in a "retic country", do I still have to make an attempt to make the cage a lil more humid than usual?

3) feeding; in my herping experience (i've worked with phil. rat snakes, retics, afrocks, S.I. ground boas and balls), I guess I'm pretty much blessed to experience "feeding compliant" animals; my ball's longest hunger strike was roughly 2 - 3 weeks (shed phase excluded).

Will I have difficulties in feeding when dealing with p. curtus?

Thanks guys; I'm still researching/reading up on my next herp (took me roughly 8 months to "prepare" for my first leo...lol!) and I pretty much narrowed down the list to include p. curtus (blood, borneo short tail...idc. As long as it's a Python Curtus ).

[Tim Mead]

They don't want to be kept as warm as many other species..80-85.F
They retain waste FAR longer than others..which worries many..
Their couch potatos or lap snakes..
If captive hatched they feed great and present no problems..
If handled regulary and proper their puddy cats..
Their easy as pie once a keeper knows the requirements..
Never been to Manila so can't tell ya what you'd have to address for its environment..

[Tim Mead]

Make that puudy cats..

[retic720]

They don't want to be kept as warm as many other species..80-85.F
They retain waste FAR longer than others..which worries many..
Their couch potatos or lap snakes..
If captive hatched they feed great and present no problems..
If handled regulary and proper their puddy cats..
Their easy as pie once a keeper knows the requirements..
Never been to Manila so can't tell ya what you'd have to address for its environment..

Ei. Thanks for the quick reply.

1) waste rentention ; referring to stools and urates here? how often do you have to "put up" with this and how? (whoa...I didn't see that in the research I've done...lol).

2) manila; except for my brothers and sisters living up north (like Baguio or Tagaytay), our "room temperature" (non AC'ed) is perfect for retics (temp/humidity wise). If I set up the cage of my future curtus like say...the way I set up the cage of my retics, will it be prudent to mist/provide a damp hide or something?

3) handling; so....I guess this means I can "relax a bit" as compared to working with retics and afrocks? This doesn't mean I'll go ahead and assume nothing...but was just wondering if I can expect behavior similar to retics/afrocks when dealing with python curtus

Thanks again

[retic720]

doh...time limit to edit my post has expired.

3) handling; i guess what I really wanted to ask...will it be expected that I have to work "hard" on earning a blood python's trust as say....when working with retics? or are bloods "naturally easier" to deal with as compared to retics?

Thanks

[BrucenBruce]

Hey, Retic720!

I've got three bloods here - one will sometimes "go off" and strike rather randomly if disturbed. He's actually never connected, but the force of his strike can cause his entire body to jump forward a bit - these guys hit hard! The other two, while they will hiss a bit (especially if I'm a little clumsy in handling them), are really very mellow snakes. I don't have a lot of experience with retics, but I do think blood/short tails will be a bit easier to work with.

I don't know how you set up your systems for retics, but bloods like temps in the mid-high 80's Farenheit, with 70% or so humidity. (If humidity is a bit too high - or too low - their scales will wrinkle. General concensus is that too low is better than too high.) They love to burrow into a loose substrate - here in the 'States, cypress mulch would probably make them happy - or hide underneath paper substrate. They seem to enjoy that touch security. They also seem to enjoy a water tub big enough to soak in, and like it changed on a pretty regular basis, thank you!

Pooping - yes, dark solids and urates. They may "go" every other month, or once a season, but when they do, it'll look like a decent-sized dog has been using your snakeroom for a toilet. They do release liquid waste more regularly though....

Your biggest difficulty in feeding is likely to be getting your fingers out of the way fast enough! All of mine are excellent eaters, though my female will sometimes hold out for live.

One other note - they are now classified as three separate species: The red blood python of Maylasia and Sumatra is Python brongersmai, the Sumatran short-tailed python or "black blood" is Python curtus, and the Borneo short-tail is Python breitensteini. They're all gorgeous, but the ones I have are P. brongersmai.

HTH!

~Bruce

[Tim Mead]

Our snakes our handled rather frequently and many or most won't even give the typical python exhale/hiss when picked up..They are Totally acclimented to our routine..The retention of wastes is a wonderful thing...

[retic720]

Hi Bruce,

Thanks. To be honest...here's how I set up the cages of my pythons (2 retics and 1 ball python) who's been with me for 4 years and counting.

1) secure tank/tub (cleaned 2 - 4x a month)
2) newspaper substrate (changed as soon as they make a mess)
3) water bowl (water's changed everyday/every other day)
4) hide box

...that's it. No heaters and no misting. I just let the Philippine climate take charge (since it's summer right now, temp averages roughly 85 deg F during the day, 77 deg F at night).

I actually considered BRB (rainbow boas) before but I was advised that "retic room temperature" isn't exactly going to be healthy for them (which led me to get another retic....LOL!). Will the same be true for python curtus?

Granted, my ball python may have already acclimated to Philippine climate (which explains why he was "sickly" at first but is all fine now...then again, I didn't know better when I first got him and he had to experience the very effective AC system of a Honda Civic); will I expect the same? or worse from any member of Python Curtus?

Books tell me that I should replicate the marshy/swampish environment....but I later realized that retics also live in similar areas (swamps, rainforests...almost anything except the beach...). Does this mean that the set up I listed above will NOT work for any member of Python Curtus? Or can I remedy this by using a larger water bowl? Or is the set up I'm using for my retics just fine?

So far...consensus is:

1) gaining their "trust" for handling purposes SHOULD be easier than say....retics

2) they don't "move" their wastes that often

Next question:

1) Books tell me that I should house a 50 lb blood python in a cage suitable for a 50 lb retic in order to avoid RI, yet I read in caresheets and in other forums, that smaller is better coz they are lazy and would feel more secure (secure = more likely to feed and tolerate handling). Will smaller cages be better in the long run? Or should I follow what I read in the books?

Still taking my time and doing my homework (caresheets and books NEVER mentioned anything about the "going potty every other month/season") and I plan to get one this July or December. Hopefully by then, I'd be able to gauge if I'm ready for a Python Curtus (red blood, black blood, short tail...they're all great for me!).

^_^

[Crazy4Herps]

Bloods are awesome! They can be tricky temperament-wise, but if you've worked with retics and afrocks, you've got nothing to worry about.

85* is just about perfect for a blood. Make sure to keep the humidity at 60-80%.

And don't worry about feeding. Bloods and shorties are all monster feeders!

Not only do they rarely defecate, but most of the time they do go is on you. Lol so just don't wear any nice clothes while handling them.

As for caging, it completely depends on the age. Younger bloods really need to be kept snug, or they'll refuse food and become especially snappy. However, when they're older, they appreciate lots of space. A good guideline is 2 square feet for every foot of their length.


Good luck and have fun!

[retic720]

thanks big time

Looks like I'm quite decided on a blood/short tail