Bloodletting basically means drawing blood, and it's the way sanguinarians feed, mostly. (Info for Donors)

Since there is always a possibility that a perspective donor could have a blood borne disease, it's important to get donors screened before feeding.

A common and practical way to feed is to use razor blades to make a small cut, as small as possible for it to bleed enough, which avoids scarring and drawing too much blood, which is wasteful. After a cut is made, the blood can be collected in something for the vampire, or the vampire can feed directly from it, though that is not recomended for reasons stated below.

The X Method

A good method to getting enough blood is to cut an "X". Using a sterile razor, (of course) cut an "X". It should hurt a little more making the second line of the "X", but making the second line is quite important. Suck blood directly from the middle of the "X" and you will draw the blood out. You should use mouthwash or collect the blood in a container to save yourself from infection. Most cuts close in about six and a half minutes, but an "X" shaped cut can last up to fifteen or twenty minutes without closing. This increases the blood flow, and you won't have to suck as hard.

Lancets/Bloodletters

These are the best way to get blood, but they cost money. They are safe, reliable, and do not scar. They are little boxes with three or four razor blades inside. It's spring-loaded, so when you press the button, the blades come down just enough to get about an ounce or two of blood. They cut about 1mm. deep. I've heard they look like cat scratches while healing.

Considerations and Dangers

When drawing blood, utmost respect and consideration should be given to your donor. If your donor is uncomfortable, even a little, stop. Not doing so will lose you a donor at best, and get you slapped with legal issues at worst. The largest consideration is the practice of sterilization. If you use a razor, lancet, or other device that breaks skin, you need to sterilize it by boiling the instrument for up to twelve minutes before it is used. Obviously, it should be cooled to room temprature and not touched before use. Before drawing blood, the area to be punctured should be swabbed with rubbing alcohol and a sterile gauze bandage, and after drawing blood the wound should be washed and covered to expidite healing and avoid scarification. When feeding from a donor, the amount of contact between you and the wound should be kept to a minimum for the sake of preventing infection. If you have them, wear latex gloves. If you don't, buy some. While feeding, remember that less is more. You will want just enough blood to satiate your hunger, it is not advisable to drink more than a shotglass full. (About one ounce.) Though the body has been said to be able to ingest a pint of blood before becoming ill it is not reccomended to go anywhere near this point. Finaly, while it is possible to get medical grade syringes and blood drawing kits, unless you have a medical degree and/or are a registered nurse who has taken blood before, the dangers of drawing blood this way far outweight any benifits.


Be sure to stay away from any arteries or large veins, like the ones in the neck and wrist, and try to keep any marks inconspicuous and small, for the donor's sake. A good place to try is on the upper arm, or places that are usually covered up by sleeves etc. If you the donor doesn't need to worry about people seeing their cuts other good spots are: the back of the shoulder, lower arm, top of the hand at the base of the thumb, top of the wrist, and thigh. If pain is a problem the skin on the elbow can be cut without producing much pain at all.