Ankh
The blood python is found throughout most of the lower elevations of Peninsular (Western) Malaysia, southwestern Thailand, Sumatra east of the central dividing range of mountains, Bangka Island and other islands in the Straits of Malacca, including the Lingga islands, Riau, and Pinang.
This is a very heavy-bodied snake. Large adults may have a massive girth. The head is long and broad, wider than the neck; the tail is short. Most adult females measure 50"-66" in total length, most adult males measure 40"-56" in total length.
Temperature
As a general starting point, blood pythons seem to do best if kept in the low-to-mid 80s degrees F. We keep most of our blood pythons at 80-82 degrees F in the day and 78-80 degrees F at night. Most of the time our blood pythons do not have a basking spot available to them. When we do provide a heated basking spot, it is 86-88 degrees F.
Housing
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 we then move them to cages with 180-300 square inches of floor space. As adults, 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.
Bedding
Our recommendation for bedding is bark or reptile cage carpet. These beddings are easy to clean and are more appealing to the eye than other beddings.
Food
Blood pythons will eat rats all their life. One appropriately-sized rat per week is an adequate feeding schedule. In the fall, before the breeding season, older and larger snakes may eat two or three rats. Large specimens may eat one small rabbit a week. Many adults will not eat during winter months.
Hatchlings will start feeding on either live pink rats or live small mice (just weaned, 4-5 weeks old) for their first meals. Once they commence feeding regularly, most youngsters will eat medium or large mice, until they grow large enough to consume small adult rats. Most juvenile, subadult and adult blood pythons readily accept dead food, either thawed or fresh-killed.
Cleaning and Handling
The terrarium should be cleaned as necessary. Any fecal matter should be cleaned out several times a week. The bedding should be completely changed once a month and fresh clean water should be provided at all times. The inside of the terrarium can be cleaned out with an appropriate reptile cage cleaner, we recommend Natural Chemistry’s Healthy Habitat. Always wash your hands before and after handling them.
