Male behavior change during breeding season?

I put this question in the breeding section, but it might also be suited General BPs.

My male spider has started hissing at me when ever I go to pick him up. I ignore him and he's fine once I have my hand on him, but this is a recent change and I'm wondering if it is related to breeding season. My rack is setup so that I have 6 rows of tubs and that are two wide. My spider male is right next to one of my breeding females tub, but I haven't been breeding him. I have no plans for him this season, but he is my largest male at a little over 1000g.

I have been doing a night drop and I'm wondering if that combined with being next to a breeding female is causing this change. Before I started doing the night drop and pairing he never hissed at me and I don't think I've been startling him unless he's constantly thinking about how to get out of his tub and into hers and didn't notice I was opening his tub. :P

I'm not worried he's going to strike at me, but it just seems odd that he would suddenly start hissing at me every time I go to pick him up. I've had him since Feb and he's a little over a year old now. He's one of my most handled snakes too. Any insight into this sudden change is greatly appreciated. :)

Breeding season brings all type of personality changes for me. Yesterday I went to feed what I would consider a mediocre eater and she literally backed me away from the rack. As soon as I opened she struck right at me, I tried to distract her with the f/t rat but she was already focused on me. I dropped the rat in her tub and gave her a couple minutes because she had struck at me over 6 times and was hanging half way out the tub. I know now its because she was hungry, once she found the rat she pounded it and was ready for more. She is 1200g and ate 2x 150 gram rats. Not the norm for her at all. On to more weird stuff, my best eater refused to eat last night despite the fact that she looked like she was starving.

I have noticed only an eating change in my males (not wanting to eat) and my spider male who is a year old this month and at 800gr just started wanting to breed. So, I put him in with my 2 females and sure enough great locks on each one (separate times). Anyway, my Spider male I have noticed that the very little white he had on his sides has turned to a yellow. Not sure if that is because of the season (heard some tend to change color or something) or if its because he got older (fires brighten up, lessers tend to brighten, pastels (depending on line tend to brown).

Now, my FEMALES are a whole new issue. My female that had a URI in September/October is now all better. She didn't eat for those 2 months. Beginning of November I moved her back in collection (after eating only 2 small mice) and after a couple days, placed her with my fire. They locked instantly and stayed locked for 16hrs. After that, I removed her back to her bin and tried feeding her the following day. I opened her bin and in all seriousness, she came out like one of those Cobras you see dancing up out of pot/vase. It was scary/beautiful both at the same time. Anyway, she ate a JUMBO F/T rat! That was last week, this week she ate a Medium Rat (she is a breeder and I tend to offer food only EVERY OTHER week for my adults/breeders). She was sick and didn't eat for 2 months so I am feeding her every week this month. She is up to weight to breed at 2093 gr. (Proven breeder since 2003). I'm choosing to feed her to get her nutrition after that 2mo. fast.

Anyway, basically males I really haven't noticed a difference in behavior except for the norm (feeding refusal), however, females I notice are a lot more aggressive feeders. Also, with my females, when I stick my hand in the bin to change out the water, they look at my hand right away like "Try to touch me, you'll be sorry!" kind of attitude. I try not to hold them as much during the breeding season.

Thanks for the responses, but they don't really answer my question.

I know females change behavior during breeding season. I have one that has been eating like a tank and smaller ones that want to pound. Everyone talks about how females change behavior but no one real talks about how it affects males, outside of them going off food.

None of my males are off food yet, which is good because I'm breeding my enchi and he's on the small side, but as I said my spider has started hissing at me whenever I pick him up. He's definitely ready to breed but none of the females I want to pair him with are large enough.

Since this change seemed to come about in conjecture with breeding season, I've been wondering if they are related or if there is something else going on, such as maybe he sick. I haven't noticed anything out of the normal with him except for him hissing at me, so I've been leaning more towards it's related to breeding.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kinra

Thanks for the responses, but they don't really answer my question.

I know females change behavior during breeding season. I have one that has been eating like a tank and smaller ones that want to pound. Everyone talks about how females change behavior but no one real talks about how it affects males, outside of them going off food.

None of my males are off food yet, which is good because I'm breeding my enchi and he's on the small side, but as I said my spider has started hissing at me whenever I pick him up. He's definitely ready to breed but none of the females I want to pair him with are large enough.

Since this change seemed to come about in conjecture with breeding season, I've been wondering if they are related or if there is something else going on, such as maybe he sick. I haven't noticed anything out of the normal with him except for him hissing at me, so I've been leaning more towards it's related to breeding.

---

I would say it is seasonally related. In spring he will prolly be back to his sweet self. Like the others here my females are the ones that have the attitude during season, and my males are generally the same old sweet boys. Allthough recently my 1400g pastel male has been looking at my hand like its dinner everytime I go to move him or something. None of my pythons are talkers (hissing), even tho some have come out of the tub at me. I even got walloped on my forearm by a big girl halloween night. I wouldn't worry about him hissing, especially if you are confident he isnt going to strike or bite. Maybe just handle him less during season to not add any stress. Good luck!:gj:

I have not had any aggressive behavior from any of my males. But in the beginning of October I started dropping the temps at night. Within a day or two my male Spider started acting really weird. He was super active in his cage and always looking at me whenever I was in the room. He normally doesn't act this way. So I just assume he knows its breeding season and wants to get with the ladies.

I have an 800g male who is also very active at the moment, which I'm hoping is him wanting to breed, though he has also been off food for a while too - anyone else had this happen?