my ball python has become very aggresive why??

Question

just recently he has become very aggresive! he is fairly small and we never had a problem with him till recently?? we havent changed anything so it just seems odd ,we cant even touch him with out him striking at us??? help!! help!! about ready to have a snake cook out!!! ha ha ha

Answer 1

Has he reached sexual maturity and wants a mate?

Answer 2

5 weeks is not that long when it comes to a ball python missing meals. These guys are beyond picky and finicky. My male went 9 weeks without eating before and though it stresses you out to the max your snake is just being a typical ball python. A few suggestions ~~ You didn't mention his set-up. Do you have a temp gun?? Measure the temps at each end of your enclosure and in his hides. If you are not using an under the tanker heater (heat pad), you might want to invest in one. Check the humidity and make adjustments as needed. Does he have two different hides, one on the cool end and one on the warm end of his enclosure?? It's amazing what tiny adjustments will do to your snake's appetite. As I'm sure you already know these snakes require an ambient temp of 80-83 degrees, basking spot at 90 degrees and a cool spot of 79-80 degrees, humidity should be maintained at 50-60%. Fall is here and the change in the outside weather can have an affect on your snake. Good luck. Just keep offering food every 5 days or so and he should, eventually, take what you offer.

Answer 3

I work as a volunteer in our local zoo and I learned about snakes .Maybe is just his agressive respond to feeding.Your snake normal behavior is like this:
Reticulated pythons have a reputation of being aggressive. Because of their large size alone this animal should be given great respect. They are relatively non-social animals, as are most snakes, and prefer to be solitary. However, reticulated pythons have an aggressive feeding response, not aggressive behavior and are not generally confrontational. Wild caught snakes have a hard time adjusting to captivity and often bite to avoid interaction, leading to the misinterpretation that this is an aggressive animal. Also, mistreated captive animals or those that are not handled regularly are often referred to as being aggressive. However those reticulated pythons which are captive born and raised properly show no signs of aggression (McCurley 1999).

More about

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Python_reticulatus.html

Answer 4

let him go for a little, my red tail had an attitude with me for a week or so, and it turned out to be a tough shed for him, he stayed blue (that opaque milky color they get before shedding) for longer than usual. Make sure his temperature and humidity are correct, that he has a proper hide box to feel safe in and feed outside of his tank if you don't. I feed live stunned prey to my animals, and they've never seemed to be more agressive for it. I always feed outside of the tank with a pair of hemostats, so that my hand is never associated with food. its classic conditioning, the cage top opens and they expect food.

Answer 5

mabye he is hungry..when was the last time you fed him...if u fed him recently then it is probably because he is trying to digest his food and is agitated because you are bothering him..another reason is that his cage may be too hot or it doesn't have enough humidity. the last thing i can think is that it is about to shed. and some bp's get agressive when they are about to shed. if its eyes are cloudy then it is going to shed. and if thats so then you will need to increase the humidity in its tank and jus leave it alone for a couple of days..

hope it helps

Answer 6

You need to be handling the python a lot more. If they only associate you being there with food they will strike out.

Answer 7

ball pythons are usually really mellow and I don't know why he would act that way. He's just a snake and so he may not know the difference between your hand and a mouse.

Answer 8

Dozens of people have been asking this question this week...It is their breeding season...through november. Change up their cage furnishings a bit, he/she will be territorial until the end of november. In the meantime, stand back and wait it out!

Good Luck!

Answer 9

ive had snakes and i tell you from experience when they get AGGRESSIVE its time for them to go before they hurt a child or even a pet.we forget that snakes are wild animals NOT meant to be in cades.they are meant to be in the wild as nature intended.Find him a new owner with NO kids or animals, or take the shovel to it before it hurts someone , probably a small child or pet, thats just NOT even remotely close to cool.

Answer 10

do you feed it in the tank that you try to touch him in because your not supposed to feed snakes in their normal habitat because then they get aggressive like yours has

Answer 11

How long have you had him? Hes either getting ready to shed or you havn't fed him in awhile and hes hungry