Common name(s):
Blood Pythons, Red blood python, Malaysian blood python
Latin name: Python brongersmai
Native to: Peninsular (Western) Malaysia,
Sumatra east of the central dividing range of mountains, Bangka Island
and other islands in the Strait of Malacca, including the Lingga islands,
Riau islands, and Pinang. Most blood pythons in US collection are from
central Sumatra.
Adult size: 5/7 feet
Life Span: Over 20 Years But Much More In Captivity
Eggs or young: average clutch 18-30 eggs.
Appearance: The Sumatra Blood Python gets its name from the blood red color that washes over its skin. They are also dusted in light yellows and oranges and have thick bodies, perfect for constricting.
A snake of medium length with huge
girth relative to its length. The head is long and broad and distinctly
wider than the neck. The anterior half of the body appears to us as pale
with dark pattern, while the posterior appears as dark with pale pattern.
There is a black postocular stripe and in some populations there are black
lateral blotches on the sides. There is much variation of color in individuals
and in populations. The dark elements of the pattern may be red, orange-red,
oxblood, brown, tan or yellow. Blood pythons are without red coloration
at hatching and appear as predominantly tan with black markings. Blood
pythons attain their adult colors usually between to and three years of
age. At three and four years of age the coloration of blood pythons is
at its zenith.
In the wild: The Sumatra Blood Python,
in the wild, can be found in the vast rice fields and plains of Sumatra,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. They aren't rare
animals and can be found frequently in the wild if you look in the right
places. They are good hunters, feeding on mice and rats and rabbits and
all number of small mammals in the rice fields and grasslands of Sumatra.
However, the Pythons themselves are also hunted by people for their skin
and meat.
What does it eat? Most pythons and boas are fed once a week. Be
warned that they might be picky eaters; some of them will only eat with
the lights out and some of them have to "hunt" their prey first,
although it is best to feed them killed, frozen prey to avoid injury or
parasite infection to your snake.
Ease of care: Average
Temperament:Sumatra Blood Pythons
do have variable temperaments however; while some can be quite calm and
docile, others are high-strung, nervous, and quick to bite.
Cage set up: At all ages, blood pythons require a secure well-ventilated
cage. A glass aquarium with a secure ventilated top (screen wire or perforated
metal) can make a satisfactory cage for a young specimen. Plastic storage
boxes, with numerous perforations for ventilation, also can be used to
maintain blood pythons. Some of the commercially available PVC, polyethylene,
ABS plastic or fiberglass cages probably best accommodate the large size
and bulk of adult blood pythons. We initially place hatchlings in a small
enclosure with about 40 square inches of floor space; we have found that
often, if placed in too large an enclosure, a hatchling may be insecure
and fail to feed. Once regular feeding begins, this species will quickly
require a larger space, and should then be moved to cages with 180 - 300
square inches of floor space. By two years of age, most blood pythons
will require a cage with 6 -12 square feet of floor space. One of the
most common mistakes made in keeping this python is to not provide a suitably
large cage for the adults.
Substrate: I keep mine on newspaper substrate
Personal Comments: An exciting and stunning snake, the Sumatra Blood Python is a breathtaking animal and a fascinating pet!
Sumatran Blood Pythons are large snakes – growing to an average of six feet long and topping off at around nine feet. Although they are not usually seen growing larger than seven feet, it is possible to obtain a larger size in captivity, so be warned. The Sumatra Blood Python is an awe-inspiring snake, one that will certainly capture the imaginations of you and your guests. If you aren't an experienced snake keeper, you may want to try an easier, more predictable species at first; the Sumatra Blood Python is a very large, and often aggressive snake that should only be kept by experienced hobbyists. You will want to raise this one from childhood. Capturing one or purchasing one that has lived in the wild is a bad idea, as the snakes may be excessively unhealthy or aggressive. If you get a baby, and raise it from birth, it'll be more likely to become handleable and get used to you than one taken from the wild.