I'd probably get a boa if I were you. My blood can be a bit interesting at times - and by that, I surely mean edgy - but boas are a much better trip to handle.
Boas in general are easier to handle. On average, they usually have a better temperament, although most CB bloods/short tails are nowhere near as mean as what's commonly believed. Regardless, short tailed pythons/bloods require more careful handling to support their weight, whereas a boa will be content to wrap around you and support its own weight.
An edgy or legitimately agitated short tail/blood python can be very intimidating for the novice. In addition, a bite from one of them will most likely cause more damage than a boa bite.
Boas get longer than short tails/bloods on average, but will not be as heavy. There's also more boas that are naturally mellow. However, both snakes are relatively lazy - neither a boa nor a blood/short tail will move around as much as your ball pythons. A mellow specimen of either species can be a great next step up. But making a mistake with a short tail/blood python is slightly more costly than if were one to make a mistake with a boa. Boas are usually calmer than bloods/short tails on average, so I'd say the boa would be a safer bet as an introduction to medium sized boids.
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