Ball python very defensive/aggresive

[BrendEn1200]

My ball python is about 11 months old. About two weeks ago my ball has been acting very strangely, everytime i get near the cage to mist and he sees me, he shoots out from his cave in a striking pose. I cant even get him out anymore with out him striking. Last week i fed him and i went to put him back in his normal cage and he almost got my hand. today i fed him in his normal cage and he still is striking pose everytime i get near the cage. He eats evertime i offer food. I feed him about 1 large mouse a week. I even tried to increase his feeding to two mice today. He ate both. Still seems mad.
Hes most recent shed was July 26th while i was on vacation. Heat is about 90 during the day humidity around 50% average.

Anybody have any ideas what he could be aggressive about?

[Danounet]

Are you feeding on a separate enclousure? Dont do that if thats the case. Some BPs get stressed out from that.

Other than that, I cant think of anything else. Maybe someone with more experience will pitch in.

[Samantha07]

It could be the time of season. Most of my ball pythons are extremely aggressive and always hungry. They will start calming down in a few months then I know to start putting males with females.
This is my observation and happens every year around this time.

[mfkelly]

I have one Male BP that can occasionally get a little fedding aggressive in his tub. I use a rack system all 3 of my ball pythons are tong fed frozen thawed... "Maybe" can get a little agressive if I don't handle him between his weekly feedings. Use something to distract him while you pick him up from behind or use a snake hook to take him from his tank. With maybe I used a cover from a sterilite tub in front of his face and if he struck he hit that which made him think twice the next time. As for tub feeding(feeding outside his cage that is something you can try, it might stress him in the beginning but he will quickly get over it when he realizes that tub means food! Always use a long tong to feed and ALWAYS wash your hands before you handle him. Scent is one of their strongest senses. Heat(from your hand) combined with any mouse scent( or other mammal scent, as in cat, dog ect.) could cause an accidental bite. Probably not but better safe than sorry. Good luck. Also check his cage size ect.. What size is it and how many hides ect.. he could be feeling threatened.

Mike

[Kaorte]

Can you tell us more about his cage size, hide types, and temps? It could be stress related. Or he could just be in a bad mood

[greghall]

some hiss & strike some don't thats what they do!

[BrendEn1200]

The cage size is an exo-terra 36x18x18. I have two hides, one on the cool side and one on the warm side. I have been feeding him in a seperate cage(10gallon) ever since I have had him (10 months). Ive been using cage carpet and just switching it out every month. i have two sheets and wash and reuse them both.

[oswhiteboy]

snakes are weird like that sometimes. My friends Burm use to be sweet as hell over time his attitude changed and he became more defensive.
When you feed him don't move him from tank to tank. That method holds no water and causes more harm than good. Also don't mess with him for a day or two after feeding. If that doesn't work over time then I guess you just have an aggressive ball on your hands.

[NorthernRegius]

Late summer, as fall approaches, BPs are in full swing, feeding wise. Make sure you are feeding at the correct size & interval... this is the time of year they would naturally "feed up"- before the winter fast.

[Bitis_Gabonica]

How often do you open the cage (regular handling, water changes, cage cleaning, feeding, etc.)? Your snake may be having feeding responses that can be fixed by feeding him in his own enclosure and opening his cage atleast once a day for water change and handling.