Blood Python - Need Help!

Hi,
I have a Male Blood Python, about 1 1/2 years of age, purchased on January 7th at the Hamburg, PA show. He has yet to eat for me, and is a bit nervous, and ornery. I have him housed in a 20-gallon Long Aquarium tank, with large water bowl for soaking, and a newspaper substrate. He hisses alot when approached...so I'm trying not to upset him by handling him.

Could use a good tutor here - so anyone who owns a Blood Python, could you please contact me at: denman55@yahoo.com

Thanks,
Patrick

i bought a wild caught male who is about 2 yrs old around xmas. he would not eat and had me worried. he is very aggressive and hisses when you just walk by. i found that you just need to leave them alone till they adjust. sometimes this takes a couple of months. mine just ate a medium live rat. he was shedding and they take forever to shed. after he finished iafter 2 weeks he ate. his temperment is still bad but he will let me fill his water bowl at least. bloods are very sucseptible to stress. it doesn't take much to freak them out. and they hold a grudge. just give him time and he should come around. as long as they look healthy, not to skinny and moving around at least a little, he should be all right. good luck with yours, tim

Keep your ambient humidity up, up, up. 70% +. It's good for them and does wonders for their temperment.
I've heard sometimes they'll take dead left in their cage before live but mine has always taken it off tongs so I'm not sure on that one.

Erin B.

Bloods need a lot of places to hide: a substrate to hide in is a good start, logs, etc.
We had our little female for 6 weeks before she ate for the first time. Now, she's eaten twice in the last 2 weeks.

I have a 8 month old sumatran black x borneo blood i bough from Bob Clark. I got her to take two large mice the second day I had her, and a med. rat about 1 week latter. Like most bloods she gets very aggitated when you get in the cage. Ive been using a paper pulp mulch for substrate, about three inches deep. Seems to work very well as she can bury herself very easily any where in the cage. Which she does unless she's in her water bowl. Last night I tried to feed her a med. rat and she was just striking at it in more of a defencive mode. So I took the rat out and waited till I turned out the lights for the night (except for moon light bulb) , then put two large mice in which she proceeded to eat with no problems. It seems they don't much care for a audiance when feeding. Hope this helps.

George Ketner