Well that was weird.

[yourstruely_rachel]

So I was handling my baby ball and she seemed sort of cranky so I didn't keep her out for long and put her back in her cage. As I was pulling my hand away she turned and struck at me rather viciously. Lucky for me it was a miss. She's never been aggressive towards me before, but i may have gotten my hand too close to her head which she hates. I didn't break any rules that I know of. (she has not recently eaten, I was gentle, It's night time and she was already awake,) But even after I put the lid back on she got majorly pissed and in strike position and all tense and everything and wouldn't chill. That was like 15 minuets ago and now shes sitting in her little nest but still looking around all wound up and angry. I draped a blanket over the cage so she could get some privacy and chill.

I've had her about 8 months and this is also my first snake so I'm not very herp savvy. Any advice on how I can help her feel better and not let that happen again?

And slightly off topic, iv been having this reoccurring dream a few times that she bites me on the hand or forearm and its scary and I scream and stuff. i've never actually been scared of getting bitten before but now I might be unless i figure out what made her mad. What do you guys think?

[Mike41793]

What do u mean crawls back into her little nest? Describe the setup you have her in, including how youre heating the cage.

[hucklecookie]

Have you cleaned out her enclosure recently? Mine has striked at me before after I cleaned it or added new stuff, etc. because she loves to explore her new home. Mine has also taken a strike because she was about to shed. Maybe she is just feeling mello today and wants to be left alone. I wouldn't be too worried about it, you seem like a pretty practical keeper.

Added: I've had dreams about my ball python before too. At least 3. So I wouldn't be worried about that part. You are still learning the ropes.

Joey

[Daybreaker]

How is your husbandry? If it's up to par and the temps are right sometimes snakes just have their "moods" (snakes can be unpredictable; I've had sweethearts give me attitude once in a blue mood before too). As for getting bit, it's no big deal with the smaller ones: a paper cut hurts worse IMO. I wouldn't let the possibility of getting bit get you nervous/scared. And next time she strikes at you and gets huffy puffy I wouldn't put her away right away: keep her out a little more so she knows that that behavior won't fly. This is what I'm doing with one of my bloods

[yourstruely_rachel]

Thanks for the advice everyone.
And to answer questions, her little nest is this area shes dug out for herself on the cool side between a plant and the glass wall. She sleeps and hangs out there a lot when she doesn't want her warm hide.
My husbandry follows the rules of the care sheets on this site and all the others I've researched, and nothings been changed recently.
She's not in shed that I can tell.
I guess it's just a bad mood and nothing too serious after all. Thanks again for the help.

[hucklecookie]

You're welcome and don't forget, we are all a little moody sometimes LOL.

[The Serpent Merchant]

Thanks for the advice everyone.
And to answer questions, her little nest is this area shes dug out for herself on the cool side between a plant and the glass wall. She sleeps and hangs out there a lot when she doesn't want her warm hide.
My husbandry follows the rules of the care sheets on this site and all the others I've researched, and nothings been changed recently.
She's not in shed that I can tell.
I guess it's just a bad mood and nothing too serious after all. Thanks again for the help.

What are you using to heat the cage? I have seen a lot of threads where a BP didn't like the hot side and was aggressive... most of those threads ended with the discovery that they were using a unregulated heating pad that was way too hot.

Check out this thread:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...04#post1845904

Do you have a hide on the cool side as well as one on the hot side?

[Bushido]

I haven't been bitten yet, only because I have had her for a week. But I believe every snake owner has been bitten before once or twice (probably more..) At the end of the day, it is a snake, a predator, etc. It's bound to happen in other words.

[DooLittle]

She should have a hide on both sides. And like others have said, temps need to be right on, heat pads need to be regulated, and if all husbandry is spot on, maybe just a bad day. One of mine gets really pissy before a shed, and its always before she fades or goes blue, so you don't have a clue why she is being such a peach until a few days later.

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