We, as owners, need to realize that our herps rely on instinct and pretty much that alone. They dont think and make cognitive decisions like we do as mammals. Dont take it personally. No matter how much we think they love us or how much we love them, they are still truely wild animals. They are going to do what is best for them and they are still going to act out of instinct to survive even though they are perfectly safe. But millions of years of evolution has programmed them to strike, hiss, coil, and run at certain times. He cant really see, so its more beneficial for his survival to be safe than sorry. He struck because he couldn't see. For all he knew you could have been a predator coming in for lunch.
The bottom line is our herps are wild animals, and we need to treat them as such. Having your snake strike at you for the first time is a bit scary, i know. And i have even caught myself being afraid of a snake that have tagged me a few times. But in reality these taggings were my fault. I either smelled of rat, grabbed him while digesting, or when to grab him from a box after cleaning his cage. We cannot really blame our animals. Everything they do is truly for themselves. Their instincts cause them to make the reactions they do such as strike at times, but we need to realize they want to survive and usually we were in the wrong.
Please dont take it personal. Not to break the bubble, but he is never going to love you, no matter how much you want him too. I love all of mine, but i know they dont love me. They are one of the first things id grab in an emergency, but i know they wouldnt grab me in an emergency:rolleye2:.