Blood Python (Python Curtus)
Contributed by:Stuart Dodsworth of EAWT

This article is only meant as an introduction, and you should still read several other care sheets before acquiring your animal.

Description

A short, fat python with complicated and variable markings. The back is brown, with lighter and darker blotches. The flanks are tan with pale grey blotches. In some forms, the brown is replaced with blood red. It has large heat pits.

Distribution

Blood Pythons are found in the marshes and swamp areas of the rain forests of the Southern Malay Peninsula. Although they are wide spread throughout its range blood pythons are diminishing in numbers as they are used extensively for the skin trade - over 60,000 blood pythons are harvested each year.

Size

The Blood Python is rather short at between 183 - 274 cms (6 - 9 feet).

Diet

Their main diet consists of pink mice and fuzzies for hatchlings. As the snake grows, so will the frequency and amount of food given as well as an increase in prey size. Blood Pythons will take mice and rats readily, depending on their size.

Requirements

Heat Source: This can be either reflector spot lights in green, red or blue, ceramics, tubular heaters or thermostatically controlled heat mats.

Fig. 1 - Blood Python

UV Light Source:Although there is a lot of controversy regarding the use of UV supplementation with snakes, many herpetologists wouldn't be without one. It has therefore been included here as a suggestion and the recommended type for snakes until further scientific research proves otherwise is a 2.0% UV light. This should be left on for 8 to 12 hours a day and replaced every 6 months unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer. If you decide to use a UV with your snake, care should be taken if your snake is albino as the light intensity could have detrimental effects on the eyes of the snake. Vitamin D3 supplements should also be kept to a minimum.

Housing: This should consist of a dark wooden vivarium with glass frontage and adequate ventilation. Hatchlings would require a small hatchling tub (pen pal, geoflat or even a ventilated sandwich box) which can be housed in a heated vivarium. An adult snake can be housed within a vivarium measuring 122cm long by 61cm deep by 61cm high (4 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet), although this should be the minimum size vivarium.

Thermostat:An essential part of any vivarium and is required to regulate the internal temperatures of the vivarium and to prevent your pet from becoming too hot or too cold.

Wire Mesh Guards:These should be fitted over all heat sources used in order to prevent thermal burns.

Thermometers: One should be placed at each end of the vivarium in order to give an accurate reading of the temperatures within the vivarium. Never go by the temperature on the thermostat as these are often inaccurate.

Hides:These are essential to prevent stress and allow your pet to hide away from the outside world. Artificial plants, boxes, plant pots, caves etc. all make excellent hides.

Fig. 2 - Blood Python soaking

Water

These animals require a water container which will allow them to bathe without constriction. This water should be changed daily as this is also the water they drink.

Temperature

A background temperature of 80 - 88°F should be created with a basking area of one third of the vivarium reaching temperatures of 88 - 92°F. At night the temperature may be allowed to drop to 70 - 72°F although this is not recommended if the snake is suffering any respiratory infections.

Humidity

This species requires a constant high level of humidity.

Longevity

This species may live for over 25 years in captivity.

Substrate

This can be anything from newspaper, brown paper, wood chippings, cork chippings, corn cob or even astro turf. Whatever you use remember that it must be cleaned on a regular basis to prevent contamination from disease. Never feed your snaked over substrate which may be ingested with the prey item.

Salmonella

Many reptiles carry the naturally forming bacteria Salmonella. It must be stated that salmonella bacteria can only be contracted by ingestion (via the mouth). Good hygiene is therefore very important when keeping any animal.