Blood questions!

[Kara]

Just some notes based on our collection/experience:

1. Currently we keep all of our bloods & STP's in racks. The adults are in VE-175 racks from Animal Plastics, and these tubs are 52" (L) x 20" (W) x 12" (H). In the past, we've also successfully kept and bred these snakes in cages measuring 48" (L) x 24" (W) x 15" (H). While the height of such a cage is a matter of personal preference, we feel that the 48" x 24" footprint is appropriate for most adults of all three species.

2. Typically yes, but this size difference is negligible until you start dealing with some older animals. Some of our 12-15 year old females are around 7' in length, while our largest males are just over 6'. Our biggest animals are bloods & Borneos...most of our Sumatran STP's are smaller, although our largest female is an easy 6' in length at 11 years old.

3. We feed appropriately-sized rats from the time they hatch. New babies may need hopper mice at first, but they're usually switched over to rats within few meals. We feed babies & juvies every 7 days, young adults every 10 days, and large adults every 14 days depending on time of year. Our very biggest snakes get retired breeder rats from time to time, but for the most part our adults get medium or large rats on that schedule.

4. Depending on your setup, shredded aspen can be a decent substrate. As with most substrates, you have to keep an eye on humidity & change any bedding that becomes moldy. Paper is still one of the best substrates you can use for bloods & STP's, and we use a combination of kraft paper & coarse grade aspen chips throughout our collection.

5. Shouldn't be an issue.

Just a side note - bloods & short-tails do best at ambient temperatures of 80-84 degrees, without supplemental heat. It's not necessary to keep them very, very warm, but at the same time it IS important to have even, consistent temps within an acceptable range for the species.

Good luck!

K~