my bp is aggressive all of a sudden.

Well, in preparation for his shed I need to change the aspen bedding to something more moisture holding one. So one way or another I have to take him out. I'll try feeding him today and see how that goes. If he doesn't accept it, is it okay to refreeze the f/T?

Hey guys. Some updates. I'm cleaning his tank right now. Switching his bedding, so I was cleaning out the aspen when he struck at me from under his hide. I had taken everything out other than the hide he was under. He just ate 2 days ago so I'm sure he's not in the "feeding" state. Any idea why? I looked at his eyes but they seem very clear. I doubt he's in the "blind" state yet. Any ideas what's going on?

maybe hes hissing at you cuz youre bothering him too much. it seems like he never gets a chance to just chill. i agree with everyone else that hissing is not agression. even the friendliest of my snakes will hiss if they just dont want to be handled. you said you were going to feed him while in shed. i dont understand why especially since you also said that he just ate 2 days ago. they only need to eat once a week and if he doesnt eat the f/t rat dont refreeze it. either put it in the fridge and try again within a day or two or throw it out.

bigballs you misunderstood me. He's not shedding yet. I think he might be getting into the "blind" state where his eyes become shadowy. I feed him once a week on mondays. I haven't handled him almost at all since Saturday which is when these aggressive symptoms started. I fed him on monday and haven't touched him since then till now. So I haven't been handling him too much really. Before I took him out, he struck at me or something (my hand was far from him) and went right back in the hide. Then I took him out easily although he did hiss slightly. Right now he's sitting in a little box until I clean up his tank.

First step, take a breath and be calm about this. I truly believe snakes pick up on stress hormones or whatever it is us humans project when we're nervous or upset.

Step back and reassess. Is this just a bit of hissing from a snake that's just not interested in being bothered at the moment? Is this the snake's reaction to something in it's environment? Double check every aspect of your care step by step. Temps, humidity, hides, etc. Make sure they are dead on.

I noticed you mentioning about how you clean his enclosure. Perhaps those wipes are creating a residue that bothers him. Changing the type of substrate for shedding isn't needed either, find something that will work all the time or just mist during shed or adjust his caging so it holds humidity better. Messing about with their home upsets these snakes.

You mentioned feeding once per week. How big is this snake and what exactly does it eat (prey type and size)?

Try to determine if this is just a behaviour that's occurring occasionally or if this is a pattern that indicates there may be a problem.

This is the first time it has happened. I'm changing the substrate (for the first time) from aspen to coconut husk since I couldn't keep the humidity at around 55% on average with aspen. At times I had to put in wet paper towels to keep the humidity at 55%. This is the first and only time I'll be changing the substrate. I also haven't cleaned his enclosure with Colorox or Lysol yet. This is the first time as well, and that's why I was asking whether it was safe or not.

The snake is 19inches or so, eating an adult mouse per week. He used to be on fuzzies, but I switched him to adult mice and he's been feeding and growing nice and big ever since. To be honest I think this is just something he's into right now and will grow out of it. I'm not really scared of him, I just don't want to injure him or stress him too much.

Another update on this. It's been almost a week since this behavior has been in him. Just now I took off the hide to pick him up after 4 days of not bothering him and he snapped into a striking position, and then while I was staring at him behind the glass he stuck at me like 6-7 times. I had to mist at him a bit for him to tuck his head away and I replaced the hide. Honestly I have no idea what to think. The temps are perfect, hides are there, humidity is at 55%, he has water, the tank is closed off on both sides and the back has a jungle background. I just don't understand why he is like this.

He definitely seems stressed. Just wondering - are you in a college dorm? Is it loud in the room or a lot of activity? This kind of thing will stress him out too. Honestly - when I clean out by bps enclosure and put all his same stuff back exactly the way it was, he still spends at least one night roaming around smelling everything before he calms down. Between putting him in a box and changing out the substrate he feels a little stressed. I just leave him alone for a day and he goes right back to normal. When my daughter went away to college and I didn't know what I was doing, he struck the side of the enclosure once. Since figuring everything out (temps, humidity, feeding, handling, etc), he's never been aggressive again.

I have a spitfire too. She is one of my '07 babies. She hisses, and would strike if I let her. I stop this by Gently tapping her head back with the nozzle of an empty spray bottle when I slide her tub open. She recoils a bit, sits there, and I pick her up by Not grabbing for her head, but rather, lifting her by her lower 2/3 of her body. I have an adult female who assumes the S position when her tub's opened, but she means business; she once struck, and coiled, on me. This was not a defensive strike; it was a prey strike! To prevent this, again, I tap her gently (NOT hard) in the nose with the bottle, and she recoils and seems to stop and think. I then nonthreadteningly, but confidently, lift her by her body, not her head area, and do not point her nose at myself or another person. She and my little bratty one both get more interested in me, my shirt, the table, etc. after removed.

I would also recommend consistency in his tub. Changing substrates and hides is going to stress him. I would stick to one type of substrate (of course, cleaning it and replacing it with new, same-type substrate when dirty!)