Aggression

My ball python has been very sweet and easy to handle but for about the past week or two he has stared to get more aggressive and today he struck at me. What should I do?

P.S. he is not in shed and I feed him in a different enclosure then where he lives

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Originally Posted by ewelch

My ball python has been very sweet and easy to handle but for about the past week or two he has stared to get more aggressive and today he struck at me. What should I do?

P.S. he is not in shed and I feed him in a different enclosure then where he lives

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I should add that he is only about 5 months old

How big is his enclosure?

What are your temps and humidity? How do you measure them? (digital or analog devices)

How often do you handle him?

What are you feeding (prey size) and how often?

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Originally Posted by Deborah

How big is his enclosure?

What are your temps and humidity? How do you measure them? (digital or analog devices)

How often do you handle him?

What are you feeding (prey size) and how often?

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He is in a 40gL breeder with three hides. His temperatures range from 98-78 (they are measured analog), I handle him about 4-5 days a week, and I feed him live jumbo mice every 5 days.

I think your handling to much and I think your temps are all over the place.
First snakes dont "like" to be handled, they tolerate it. Second your ambient temps should be around 75-80. Your cool side should be around 80-82 and your warm side should be 90-91.

Also as an observation, I see more people post about aggression who keep there snakes in Tanks and that use heat lamps.... weird.

I use a rack set up with Flexwatt and I never expierence any kind of aggression what so ever.

Ok downsize to a 15 quarts tubs, get a DIGITAL thermometer/Hygrometer (analog are far from being reliable), provide 78/82 on the cool side and 88/92 on the warm side, and no more handling for a while.

The aggression is stressed related the cause can be found in your husbandry and happened over time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ewelch

He is in a 40gL breeder with three hides. His temperatures range from 98-78 (they are measured analog), I handle him about 4-5 days a week, and I feed him live jumbo mice every 5 days.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by ewelch

He is in a 40gL breeder with three hides. His temperatures range from 98-78 (they are measured analog), I handle him about 4-5 days a week, and I feed him live jumbo mice every 5 days.

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I suggest getting a smaller tank, also 98 is pretty high for a hot side for a bp. Id shoot for 90-91 for hot side, 80-82 for cool side. How much does the snake weigh?

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Originally Posted by Monster Dodge

Also as an observation, I see more people post about aggression who keep there snakes in Tanks and that use heat lamps.... weird.

I use a rack set up with Flexwatt and I never expierence any kind of aggression what so ever.

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I'm taking a shot in the dark here, but I wonder if that's because of the clear glass vs. "frosted" plastic. Even though they don't rely on their eyesight as much as some other senses, maybe it's enough for them to tell a difference between the two and since BP's typically like to "hide", it makes them feel more threatened, so they are more aggressive? I know they say to cover 3 of the 4 sides when they are babies a lot of the time to help them be less stressed. I know this may be totally off base, but it's a thought.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Monster Dodge

I think your handling to much and I think your temps are all over the place.
First snakes dont "like" to be handled, they tolerate it. Second your ambient temps should be around 75-80. Your cool side should be around 80-82 and your warm side should be 90-91.

Also as an observation, I see more people post about aggression who keep there snakes in Tanks and that use heat lamps.... weird.

I use a rack set up with Flexwatt and I never expierence any kind of aggression what so ever.

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I included the basking spot in the temperature (its 98) his worm side is 86 (dropping to about 83 at night) at the moment and his cool side is 78 but it usually drops to 74 or 75 at night. I noticed that he started to get more aggressive when I made his enclosure more secluded (I covered the sides of his tank with black construction paper) before that he wouldn't even S-up at me.

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Originally Posted by yeroc1982

I suggest getting a smaller tank, also 98 is pretty high for a hot side for a bp. Id shoot for 90-91 for hot side, 80-82 for cool side. How much does the snake weigh?

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I'm not sure how much he weighs but I would guess no more than 200.

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Originally Posted by ewelch

I included the basking spot in the temperature (its 98) his worm side is 86 (dropping to about 83 at night) at the moment and his cool side is 78 but it usually drops to 74 or 75 at night. I noticed that he started to get more aggressive when I made his enclosure more secluded (I covered the sides of his tank with black construction paper) before that he wouldn't even S-up at me.

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TOO hot, enclosure TOO big he needs a much smaller enclosure as mentioned above, and the only move in the 40 gallon when full grown.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Ok downsize to a 15 quarts tubs, get a DIGITAL thermometer/Hygrometer (analog are far from being reliable), provide 78/82 on the cool side and 88/92 on the warm side, and no more handling for a while.

The aggression is stressed related the cause can be found in your husbandry and happened over time.

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I just ordered a digital thermometer/hydrometer with duel probes, I will house him in a smaller tub that I have (although I won't move him till tomorrow to give him some time to calm down after striking at me today.) I will decrease his basking spot temp(I have a smaller bulb I can use). Hopefully he'll be the sweet snake he once was in a couple of weeks :) What do I do about feeding? Tomorrow is his normal feed day and he has been feeding fine even after he started getting aggressive. Should I wait a few days to feed him? He's moved enclosures before and has been fine with eating even the same day after moving enclosures (I had him in a 10gL tank for a few weeks before I got the 40gL for him).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ewelch

I just ordered a digital thermometer/hydrometer with duel probes, I will house him in a smaller tub that I have (although I won't move him till tomorrow to give him some time to calm down after striking at me today.) I will decrease his basking spot temp(I have a smaller bulb I can use). Hopefully he'll be the sweet snake he once was in a couple of weeks :) What do I do about feeding? Tomorrow is his normal feed day and he has been feeding fine even after he started getting aggressive. Should I wait a few days to feed him? He's moved enclosures before and has been fine with eating even the same day after moving enclosures (I had him in a 10gL tank for a few weeks before I got the 40gL for him).

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Problem is that stress does not always translate into an animal not feeding, it can also translate into aggression and sometimes both.

Once he move I would give him a week to settle before offering food, no handling for a week or two and than limit your handling to about twice a week and see how he does.

In no time he will be back to a normal behaving BP I am sure ;)