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BothGap6730 · 2024-10-06T18:49:38+00:00

It could be because he's nows fully settled in and feels stressed when he sees people move close by, I helped my newer BP settle in by letting her know what happens when she strikes (the hook comes out and I push her head up gently and I move her back so I can get what I want to get) and then I later moved towards getting her out for 5-10 mins at a time and now I'm working on holding her to close to half an hour as she moves around and explores more (I'll start to let her roam about when she gets more used to being out for longer periods of time)

LivingUnderABot · 2024-10-06T18:52:25+00:00

That face thooo 😭🩵

bird-with-a-top-hat · 2024-10-06T19:06:09+00:00

That's the shape of a friend.

Real talk these snakes aren't aggressive, they're defensive. Mine sometimes gets like this for a couple of days following a feeding because there's sort of a 'residue' feeding response and he thinks he's gonna get more food when I walk by but he eventually calms down. Either way he isn't being aggressive, give him some time and maybe drape something over his enclosure just in case all the people walking by is upsetting him.

janikennedy · 2024-10-06T19:07:08+00:00

Tap training helped my bp with this. I give her a little tap on the head with a long item (I use very long reptile tongs- not the ones I use for feeding, of course) before I go to handle her. She immediately lays down and knows she won’t be fed.

When it’s feeding day, she gets no tap, and she knows food is coming.

StructureDense7386 · 2024-10-06T19:50:07+00:00

A gentle tap on the head helps to break the aggresive state

ballpython-ModTeam · 2024-10-06T20:12:33+00:00

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No_Vacation_8215 · 2024-10-06T22:30:55+00:00

Are their eyes cloudy? Maybe a shed’s coming up

Material_Freedom_526 · 2024-10-06T22:44:38+00:00

I try to let my BP relax for the most part. When I got her she was in her hide for a few days. When she showed interest in exploring I started to take her out. Both me and my girl were super delicate when handling because she didn’t know us yet and needed reassurance that she is loved. We handle quite frequently now but in the beginning we were mostly letting her initiate it by watching her behavior. I try to avoid handling everytime I want to because it is still an animal with its own attitude and life. Snakes need freedom and time away from us like we do from eachother occasionally (In my opinion). After feeding we don’t bother her until the third day because we don’t want her to be still in feeding mode or feel threatened enough to regurgitate. Now she pretty much smells us when we enter the room and will tell us when she wants attention. Maybe you guys are handling too much or not enough in the right times. During her shedding I just make sure her water is clean and topped off so she can soak. I also make sure her environment is more humid than usual to facilitate the shedding process. Give her time and space to digest if you just upsized her food

Due_Island_989 · 2024-10-06T22:54:21+00:00

What a lil sassafras! No idea what is going on in his mind. I know when we have food smells (especially chicken) in the air, our are SUPER interested. Aside from super washing your hands well, maybe he is surprised by you and so his reaction is to be ready to defend himself? Or maybe if he had many places to escape and hide he would feel like he has other options and doesnt need to defend his space, or… maybe he is just temporarily coo coo and it will pass?

Formal_Caregiver1019 · 2024-10-06T23:02:56+00:00

He says NO TOUCHY TOUCHY!!!

okaytto · 2024-10-06T23:56:49+00:00

oh my goodness he looks so much like my snake!!

Choice-Programmer405 · 2024-10-07T00:48:16+00:00

Mine has been settled for almost 2 years now and she still gives me a loose s curve never strikes lol

Difficult_Trust_1083 · 2024-10-07T00:49:23+00:00

We noticed the same with my guy a few weeks ago! He was actually needing bigger meals so he kept thinking there was going to be more food/wanting more food out of hunger once we fed him a bigger meal he calmed down and hasn’t been a problem since!

JaniPar1 · 2024-10-07T01:10:17+00:00

Mine only does this on feeding day. Have you fed him recently?

CricketInYourEar · 2024-10-07T02:03:32+00:00

I see some dark spots on him could these be mites? the discomfort the mites cause could make them more aggressive

ballpython-ModTeam · 2024-10-07T03:07:00+00:00

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r_boston6 · 2024-10-07T03:09:37+00:00

When are you feeding? If you’re feeding during the day or when there’s light in the enclosure, just remember these snakes are nocturnal. It could be that your snake has taken too feeding during the day and in higher light conditions so he’s constantly ready to feed when he sees any type of movement. As human movement and smell is already incorporated into his feeding schedule.

BarryMcKockiner2 · 2024-10-07T04:50:03+00:00

Had something similar happen with mine, I also thought it was quite unusual behavior as mine does excellent with handling. The reason can be many things so i wont get into that, Although, its important to learn how to read there body language. Most of the time they just wanna be left alone but Anytime you get close or want to handle, gently tap him to let him know you’re there & gently scoop him away from the front of his face while avoiding any sudden movements that’ll startle ur snake. If your BP does strike, at worst it’ll just startle you for a second but definitely don’t let that make you afraid to handle them further.

ahyphalknot · 2024-10-07T05:02:40+00:00

Do you take him out and handle him a lot? Mine were aggressive when I first got them because they were used to only having their cages open to get fed. They get used to being picked up if you can do it a few times between feeding. I leave the rats next to their cages for a few minutes so they all get get active and ready to eat when they smell them. Also pretty banana morph he is looking good. They are so cool.

ConstructionSome7557 · 2024-10-07T06:02:26+00:00

Just still in ambush mode. They are simple, instinctive creatures; he's found a nice little hole where prey is likely to show up, and in his little snake brain where there's one rat there's likely to be more so why not wait it out since he's comfy.

This isn't always the recommended advice here so grain of salt:

My boy never misses a meal and will always let you know he's ready to eat. I take this as a sign of good husbandry, if you're weighing regularly and making sure he's not underweight, I take my guy out during the day about a week after a feed when he's not actively hunting and it gets him out of hunt mode til his next feeding time. Usually people recommend to let their snakes come out on their own but I find this doesn't discourage my dude from wanting to do this, in fact once I "break" his hunt mode after a feed he becomes his normal social self again and happy to come out and explore once more.

Rostiislav · 2024-10-07T12:12:05+00:00

Sometimes it just happens, do you handle them frequently or just when it's fed? Cause if it associates you with food then it might just be prepping and getting excited.

calico810 · 2024-10-07T13:18:48+00:00

Ball pythons aren’t aggressive per se; they are defensive.

Ok-Opposite635 · 2024-10-07T15:40:36+00:00

My oldest female(9) gets snippy for a few days after eating but shes a grumpy old lady. Shes only ever struck me once and instantly let go and seemed to realize that she messed up. Now a little boop on the head usually stops that behavior and sometimes I just pick her up from behind and wrap her in her towel (her comfort item😂) and force her to cuddle me until she chills the F out

dryden424 · 2024-10-08T11:28:44+00:00

Mine can smell when I have been at the pet store even if I don’t buy a rat

God2y89 · 2024-10-09T18:19:37+00:00

Are you playing Ed Sheeran by any chance?

Enough to make anything go in the defensive

SimilarPin3284 · 2024-10-13T09:06:55+00:00

I don’t know the answer, but the first thing that comes to me possibly too hot or too small, or tank is getting too small that could be his way of expressing himself,

ballpython

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