HELP! My Ball Python is acting oddly aggressive

I was hoping someone here could help me out a little bit. I've owned my ball python Mustafa for about 4 years now, and when I bought him I was told that he was a little over a year old. He's always been really friendly. I've kept him well socialized, and he's never bitten anything but a mouse. He WAS the sweetest snake I'd ever met (and I've had a few).

PROBLEM- the other day I went to go change his water, and I picked him up to say hi and he snapped at the air! That totally freaked me out. I put him down, figured "maybe he's just in a bad mood?" (this has NEVER happened before) and thought "I'll just change the water tomorrow"... well it's been a few days now and every time I get close the cage and talk to him like I always do, he feels the vibration and gets tense and snaps at the air!! I have a very bad feeling that he's sick... this is not like him at all. :(

I would really appreciate any input at all. Or any tips on how to change the water of a snake that seems to have gone crazy.


Thanks in advance everyone!

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...75608_9015.jpg

Any signs of RI? When is the last time he ate?

RI= respiratory infection? If so then no, he hasn't been making any weird noises or acting strangely otherwise... so I don't think so. He last ate about two weeks ago, I normally feed him three mice every three-four weeks. When he starts looking like he's hungry/like he's looking around for food I feed him. This is different though, he's never just snapped at the air (when there wasn't a mouse around).

Its usually defensive or feed mode. Sometimes when they are in shed they can get real defensive because their vision and sense of smell are greatly reduced making them paranoid. Try taking a spray water bottle (with just water of course) and spray him so he balls up or retreats and then pick him up.

Also how many mice do you feed him? One mouse is not enough food for an adult and he could just be real hungry. Try feeding him a small rat or several mice. Starving snakes will snap at the first heat signature they pick up and if its your heat signature he will snap.

I feed him 3 mice every 3-4 weeks.

Thanks for the water bottle advice! I really hate the fact that I haven't been able to change his water it is almost gone and looks dirty. =( I was given advice to put him in a plastic bin in a dark area to let him chill out and destress, so I might just do that while I change his water. I'm also going to clean out his tank because it needs to be cleaned and maybe that will help his mood?

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Originally Posted by ScantilyClad22

I feed him 3 mice every 3-4 weeks.

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Every 3-4 weeks? As in about once a month? That is not nearly enough. Try offering food every 10 days instead- you might find that he is just very hungry!

Also, try laying a dishtowel over him when you open his cage- then you can grab the water bowl without getting struck.

Thanks for the advice I'll start feeding him more. He has been looking a little bit skinny lately. =( I feel like a bad mom.

He is probably just hungry. I would feed him 3-4 mice or one small rat every 7 days for a while and then slowly retreat to every 10 days.

Feeding him 3-4 mice every 3-4 weeks is just like feeding him one mouse per week, which is what 2 month old snakes eat.

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Originally Posted by unspecified42

Every 3-4 weeks? As in about once a month? That is not nearly enough. Try offering food every 10 days instead- you might find that he is just very hungry!

Also, try laying a dishtowel over him when you open his cage- then you can grab the water bowl without getting struck.

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I agree, I would feed every 7-10 days.

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Originally Posted by ScantilyClad22

I feel like a bad mom.

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I would consider u a bad mom only if u didnt fix it. There is a difference between knowing and not fixing it and just not knowing.

Once u know and u fix it ur golden in my eyes. Not every1 knows everything :gj:

Thanks! I'll be headed to the pet shop after work to get him mice, as well as home depot to get a plastic tub to make into his new home so that he's less stressed out and that he has better humidity. Thanks everyone!

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Originally Posted by ScantilyClad22

Thanks! I'll be headed to the pet shop after work to get him mice, as well as home depot to get a plastic tub to make into his new home so that he's less stressed out and that he has better humidity. Thanks everyone!

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You got a uth right? Tubs are WAY better. tstat (or dimmer) a uth and tub is all u really nead :)

Sounds like he's just hungry. Don't be afraid that you are going to over feed him. I offer my snakes feed every 3 to 4 days. The larger ones ( over 2500 grams ) I offer 2 mice. Some will take them some won't. Some will feed some days and not other days. Snakes differ from one to other just like people. Even my big girls (4000 grams + ) will refuse feed if they are not hungry. and sometimes will only eat 1 mouse in a week or none at all. But the main thing is she is slowly gaining weight in ratio to her length. If you had a scale it would of made watching his weight easier. My most aggressive eaters ( the ones that come out 18 to 24 inches mouth wide open head going side to side when I slide their tub open ) handles great after I hook them and pick them up using both hands. So if he's stricking while your holding him, he's most likely hungry or very stress.

Yes, I've got a UTH but it's not very big, only takes up about 1/4 of the tank it's in.... I just went out and got a plastic tub that I'm going to drill into a clean, and then stick the UTH on with duct tape as I saw in a tutorial. Any tips on how to make sure it won't melt the plastic? Other than a thermometer which I plan on getting a therm/hydrometer tonight at the petshop if I can find one.

And I'm going to feed him, of course. :D:snake:

You need a reptile thermostat to safely use a UTH with a tub. The reptitemp 500r is the cheapest reliable thermostat for single setps. It is hard to find them in stores so you might be stuck ordering online.

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Originally Posted by ScantilyClad22

Yes, I've got a UTH but it's not very big, only takes up about 1/4 of the tank it's in.... I just went out and got a plastic tub that I'm going to drill into a clean, and then stick the UTH on with duct tape as I saw in a tutorial. Any tips on how to make sure it won't melt the plastic? Other than a thermometer which I plan on getting a therm/hydrometer tonight at the petshop if I can find one.

And I'm going to feed him, of course. :D:snake:

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Well when u put the uth on the tub it NEEDS to be hooked up to a dimmer at least. A thermostat would be BEST.

Reason is like the zoo med uths get 120* that will burn ur snake. If u hook it up to a dimmer and dim it 50% say the max temp would only be 60* (not exact just an example) But a thermostat would be best.

Make sure if your using a thermostat you tape it outside the tub to the bottom of the uth so the snake cant move it off the uth, And if your buying the acu rite hygro/therm put the probe inside the tub on the uth to measure how hot it gets :)

*Note* If im wrong about anything here guys dont hesitate to correct me :P

Moving him to a new home will add stress and he may not eat for a week or two! I would leave him be, just feed more and see if his behavior improves!

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Originally Posted by seeya205

Moving him to a new home will add stress and he may not eat for a week or two! I would leave him be, just feed more and see if his behavior improves!

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But if his temps are off, doesnt feel secure in his current home moving him to a new home would add stress but wouldnt it relieve some stress due to now hes in a place where the temps are what he likes and feels secure?

I fed him three mice last night, he was very happy! Sadly I moved him earlier than I had wanted to... got a note on my apt. door yesterday saying that they are spraying for bugs today so I had to bring him to my parents house in a smaller tank that I have from when I owned a baby king. =/ But he's comfortable, drinking water, and not snapping anymore! I still plan on setting up the plastic tub that I drilled holes in as his new home, I'm going to start setting it up tonight and figure out how to best adjust the temperature and humidity before I put him in there.

Thanks everyone again- so much! Moose will now be eating every 7-10 days and will have a new home to make sure he's as comfortable and happy as possible. :D

Your ball python needs to be fed a small to medium size rat every 10 days. small rats x 2 every 10 days medium rats x 1 every 10 days will suffice.

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Originally Posted by BP2015

Your ball python needs to be fed a small to medium size rat every 10 days. small rats x 2 every 10 days medium rats x 1 every 10 days will suffice.

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The thread is shy of 6 years old.

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