unusual behaviour - really need advice please!

[Tingya]

I have had my BP for 3 years now.
I used to handle her very often (several times a week). I never had any problems picking her up, she never was jumpy or never seemed nervous.

About 7 months ago (in May, i think), I had to go out and I carelessly forgot to put her back in her tank. I came home 4 hours later and found her behind the door of my apartment. When I picked her up to go rinse her, she made really sudden moves that were really unusual. I put her on the couch and her tail was twitching, her body would curl up and twitch very suddenly. For the next 24 hours, her body would just be twitching every 20 seconds. She could not stay in her hide because her tail was twitching so much. You could tell she was not controlling it. The twitching eventually stopped. That's when she changed behaviour.

I then moved her to a new terrarium, 6 months ago - the original one was 30cm(L)x30cm(W).
The new terrarium she's in now is 90cm(L) x 45cm(W) x 55cm(H).

She'd be twitching again once in a while, at the beginning but i think it stopped a month or two after being in that new tank.

I used to feed her in a tall cardboard box in which i just threw live mice in. Since I moved her in the new tank, i also changed her feeding ritual. I mean, i would just put her on the floor and grab a mouse from its tail, using tongs, directly feeding her (i was told that throwing the mouse in the box was too dangerous, it could harm her).

Since her behaviour changed, she's had bad sheds (about 3, the third was the worst, she retained a lot of skin). So I've been handling her less to not give her too much stress, but a month ago I picked her up for the first time in a month and she struck me (like a feeding strike) and would not let go, it was my first bite. I waited till she let go and put her back in the tank. Fed her once after that, but did not handle her. A week ago I picked her up, she did not strike right away but slowly crawled and calmy opened her mouth to bite my wrist and coil around it like she was feeding. She did not let go (i thought she would realize i wasn't food... but...).

I am sorry for the extra details that made this post so long, and i don't know if they are all related, but I would like to know how I should handle this situation because I can't handle her anymore, she'll just try to bite me. How should I feed her now ? What caused her to become so aggressive ?

Thanks

[Homegrownscales]

Well it sounds first of all that you have poor humidity. That can easily be fixed with spraying warm water into the tank. Winter months are always a little dry in my area. As well as covering any open screening.
Secondly totally stop the moving her for feeding. That's a garbage myth that's gone around for years. Feed her in her cage. Just drop the food in and observe for any issues. If she doesn't eat it take the food back out. Also your feeding an adult female, mice? How many how offer? Do you know her weight? Do you know the weight of the prey? Prey should equal 10-15% of the snakes total weight. Personally I'd try small rats. Most of my adult girls can chow a couple weanling rats or a medium small adult rat.
I think what you could be seeing is a female who's coming into a building cycle. I have a few females that are ravenous here. They're preparing to breed and whether you breed her or not she can still cycle herself. Try giving her more space and upping her prey.


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

[Zombie]

Not sure about the twitching issue, that sound neurological. Sounds like she is hungry. If you are feeding mice maybe she isn't getting enough food. How big is she?

As far as the shed issue, why did you have to rinse her off when you found her? Did she have something on her? If not, I am guessing your humidity in the larger tank is low and needs to be boosted. How are you measuring your humidity?

[Homegrownscales]

I didn't address the twitching, it could have been stress related if she stopped doing it I wouldn't worry about that.


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com