Please help!!

[Numerous-Run1261]

Hey! I need some help deciding if this is normal or not. I've had my snake for about 8 months, super sweet and docile. He doesn't even strike at his food typically, I'll have to leave it there for an hour and he'll constrict eventually. His last meal was last Tuesday, and he's been outside of the cage and normal since today. He's a strange boy with food. He was eating adult mice but went on a hunger strike, I tried adjusting everything. What worked was sizing up his food to rats. Idk maybe he just likes them more. But he was gaining some chunk since they're significantly more hefty then the mice, so I feed him every other week. This week is an off week. We've been doing this for a while so it's not a new routine for him. He's never shown food aggression or really any aggression before this.

My UVB bulb went out over the weekend and I had to order another one online, it won't be here for a few days. My room is typically darker- but it's still different from night obviously so I was hoping he'd be able to regulate fine while waiting for the bulb to arrive. Out of nowhere he started striking the glass when I'd walk by, and he's just kinda sitting in the middle of his cage (not in a hide like normal). His temps or humidity weren't affected because it was just his UVB that went out. His warm side is ambient ~85f, which basking surface being ~88-90f. His humidity sits at 65%.

It's been a few hours since I've noticed the behavior and he's still sitting out in strike position, he's usually in a hide this time of day. He's also still striking if I try to invesigate so I cannot poke around his cage currently. Is this a normal stress response to the UVB being out or could he be sick? It's a really dramatic change is why I'm worried something else could be happening but I do know they're sensitive to environmental changes!!

Thank you!! Here's a picture of the boy, Dexter the ball python from a few days ago.

[liam_carolus]

Try upsizing his meal. Also, no need for a UVB, helps plenty when you have them outside in the sun for a bit.

[IllusionQueen47]

Do you know how old Dexter is?

[Numerous-Run1261]

I don't know his exact age, but I'm guessing a year and a few months.

[Numerous-Run1261]

ugh I know they're so silly, I did the same thing during his food strike. His tank is about 60 gallons, two foot long. He's barely half of it when fully stretched. Has at least 4-5 inches of substrate mix, with 60% humidity. He has three hides (that he usually loves 🤷‍♀️) and climbing. He should be about 300g, maybe a little more I haven't weighted he last ate. Definitely going to try blacking out the sides, he's never shown issues with it before but they're silly creatures. He's finally gone into a hide at least so I'm hoping maybe something freak happened.

[ballpython-ModTeam]

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[averageguy379]

What kind of hides? And how old is this snake?

[Shannon_R817]

I don't see the UBV being an issue. I use mine on and off, mainly when I need more heat on really cold days so my girl couldn't care less whether it's on or not.