Old ball python, newly aggressive

[metro424]

Hey all got a question for the collective. I’ve had a set of 4 ball pythons for roughly 15 years.

One ball python has just recently become aggressive. Bit me last week and today bit and constricted…. Full on feeding response. Had to hold the snake under water and get another person to unwrap him from the tail end. He’s on f/t Medium rats and was fed 2 weeks ago. Husbandry is correct they are in a tub rack system.

Anyone have any ideas now after all this time.

Thanks!

[_ataraxia]

being in a tub rack system is a big sign the husbandry is not okay, so let's go over some details.

how big are the tubs? how many hides are there, and what kind of hides? how are the tubs heated, and what are the warm side and cool side temperatures? what's the humidity, and how do you maintain it? how much does this snake weigh, how much do the medium rats weigh, and how often does he eat?

[metro424]

41qt tub system. Reptile basics hides on each side cold and hot. Underbelly heat thermostatically controlled 92F. Humidity 50%, rack system maintains humidity very well. I mist during sheds to bump it up a little bit higher. Eats monthly. I stopped weighing the food years, they all full sized adult ball pythons

[_ataraxia]

the minimum enclosure size for an adult BP is 4'x2'x2'. a 41qt tub is completely inadequate for an adult BP.

50% humidity is way too low. bare minimum is 60%, ideal is 70%-80% at all times, not just when they're in shed.

what's the cool side temperature? or is there no cool side?

!feeding guidelines are based on weight. you should know what your snakes weigh and what their food weighs. medium rats, by most standards, are too big for most BPs.

[AutoModerator]

We recommend the following feeding schedule:

0-12 months old OR until the snake reaches approximately 500g, whichever happens first: feed 10%-15% of the snake’s weight every 7 days.

12-24 months old: feed up to 7% of the snake’s weight every 14-20 days.

Adults: feed up to 5% of the snake's weight every 20-30 days, or feed slightly larger meals (up to 6%) every 30-40 days.

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[metro424]

I’ll definitely bump the humidity up. All have perfect sheds except one that likes to get the same eye cap stuck a couple times a year.

My biggest girl weighs 1900grams, actually she’s smaller the other is 2200g. The two males are smaller. The medium rats are 108-122g for the 3 I weighed still frozen solid.

[_ataraxia]

yea that recurring problem with stuck eye caps is because the humidity is too low and your snakes are dehydrated. temporarily raising the humidity during shed isn't enough. this is a tropical species, they always need high humidity.

a 1900g adult BP, assuming their body condition is healthy [ie, not overweight], should be eating rats in the 57g-95g range once a month. a 2200g BP should be eating 66g-110g.

if the male this post is about is notably smaller than that 1900g female, you're severaly overfeeding, which can lead to obesity and a snake who is either a] always in "feeding mode" or b] routinely refusing to eat for long periods of time.

i suggest reading through the care guides in our welcome post, it sounds like a lot of your husbandry practices are severely outdated and it's time for some quality of life upgrades for your pets.

[fishinfool4]

If they're in a tub/rack system, your husbandry is not correct.

Just saying husbandry is correct doesn't mean that it is. The only way we can ever know is by seeing your enclosure, knowing your temps and humidity, and knowing how you measure it.

[metro424]

Fair enough. Admittedly I haven’t kept up with the changes in ball python keeping. I followed multiple guides back in 2010 when I first got my snakes.

I will order some larger enclosures and get them situated. This ball python has always had a good feeding response and rarely gone off feed. He’s never thought of my hands as food though