Ball bython struck at me behind the glass

[Vizibl3]

Hey, I just got a baby/juvenile snake today from "snakes at sunset". This is my first snake ever. He's been with me a little less than 10 hours. He's a bit longer than 12 inches but i really haven't had the chance to accurately check. His tank is 20 gallons with a screen top. I keep his humidity around 65% but it goes from high 70's to 55% depending. I keep the hot end at about 95F and the cold at 79F but the cold end can get to 76F when i open it. I cover the top with a wet towel for about 75% of the cage and put the heat lamp wrapped with tin foil around the rest. I put my humidity gauge under the lamp so i can make sure it doesn't drop below 55% in what i guess to be the driest part of the tank. I gave him two hides. One that might be a bit too small for him on the cold end and one that should be plenty big enough on the hot end where he has been staying. I have bits of "lizard litter terrarium moss" around the cage to keep it humid. he has one large water dish in the middle towards the colder side of the tank and the two hides have 3 smaller dishes (2 on the larger one). I keep a large spray bottle against the glass on the hotter end and he puts his head between the bottle and some moss where his head is covered but the rest of his body sticks out. I can take pictures if my description is too confusing/not enough.

Now with the description out of the way i'll explain the events that lead to him striking at me inside the tank. I have sprayed down his cage twice with him inside. Once to keep humidity up and once after i put in the bigger hide. I went out and got the bigger hide just an hour ago and put it in his tank on the hot side. I set it down very close to him but he has only climbed on top of it. He has not gone inside either of his hides that i have seen. I have gone over to view him a few times as he explored the cage looking for a way out and he usually freezes up until i hold still for long enough. He was exploring his tank for maybe the 3rd time and he was climbing on top the the humidity gauge. I was watching him and called my dad over to watch. i was sitting and my dad was standing. My dad walked away and then the snake fell a bit later. I Looked over at him worried and he had his tail wrapped around the wire for the temp probe for the temperature controller. Me and my dad thought we should get him some real sticks from outside for him to climb on and as i stood up from sitting in front of his cage i heard a thunk in the cage. I looked over and his head was coiled to strike. I looked at him for a second to try and figure out what happened and he struck again at the glass with a closed mouth. As i am typing this he is back to exploring his cage but he sat there in the smaller water dished with his head coiled for a long time after i left. Eventually he went back to his moss-spray bottle cover. Is this normal? is this because of too much stress? He was shipped from Florida to Nevada so maybe he's stressed out. I also want to make sure i have his cage set up correctly so let me know if there is anything i should change. Maybe putting in the new hide was the problem? should i avoid touching his cage at all for a while and just spray through the screen? Should i cover the side that has view of us? Should i move the bottle so he tries the hides? I just want to make sure he's comfortable.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

First your hot spot is way too hot to start with 92 is the most I would recommend especially for a young animal. Both your hides should be TIGHT, like a shell fitting a turtle tight.

As far as a young BP striking it's normal they are defensive by nature and see you as a predator, expecting a young BP not to strike would be like expecting a puppy not to have an accident on the carpet.

Leave it alone for a week offer food and once it's start eating start handling starting with sort sessions, young defensive individual will grow out of it with time as they put on some size.

[Vizibl3]

Cool i'll turn down the temperature now. I'm really not sure how big or small these hides are. I'll send pictures asap just to make sure i don't do anything wrong.

I don't expect him to not strike. I'm ready and waiting for him to tag me when i spray his cage. I'm glad to know it's normal and not because of too much stress.

and for leaving him alone do you mean stop watching him? He's setup next to my computer so i can monitor the temperature and humidity easily. Should i move him to a less active area? Or cover the glass so he isn't bothered by me moving? I was planning on trying to feed him in 3 days since i don't know when he was last fed by the breeder but i'll do it in a week since you think that's the better option.

And thanks for the answer.

[Vizibl3]

Here are the pictures.

http://imgur.com/a/QwhYF

Any feedback/critique is welcome.

Sorry that i couldn't get better pictures of the hides inside the tank. I don't want to bother him any more than necessary.

edit: Also i forgot to mention the heat mat i have side mounted on the cage. it's what i originally used to try and heat the tank. Haven't taken it off yet because of laziness.

[rock]

Snakes at Sunset is my local shop and I am there every Thursday to pick up feeder rats and to see what's new. I also purchased my first two BPs from them last year.

I believe the snakes they sell online are in tubs in the back, instead of on display in the store, so I am sure your enclosure is something new for your snake and something it needs time to settle into.

[Craiga 01453]

Drop that temp and start reading the stickies on this forum.