I have a Ball Python that is approximately 21/22 years old. I have had him/her for 18 of these years. He was having a few respiratory issues lately since I was having much trouble keeping humidity up. I have since fixed the humidity and his respiratory noises seemed to have subsided.

Here is where my concern lies, he is always coiled and ready to eat (I do feed him live rats since that is what he ate when I got him). When I feed him, he strikes all over the place. It is as though he is disoriented and has no sense of what he is trying to get. It still doesn't take him to long to get the prey, but he will even strike out at himself before getting the rat. After he is done coiling, he will reposition to begin eating, but then he has trouble relocating his kill. He always finishes his task, but the way it goes down is very unnerving. Does this have anything to do with his age, or do I need to look deeper? I fear that he is going to hurt himself.