Why Does My Sweet Boy Go Into Striking Mode Only At Night When Someone Comes Upstairs

[Seviper]

Before I begin, he's kept outside all of the bedrooms upstairs on top of a large drawer.

Anyway, even if he's just eaten, if someone comes up the stairs, he'll be in the S-position moving towards whoever's walking past. He doesn't *always* do it, and when he's calmed down a bit I can get him out. If he's not completely calmed down, I can gently touch his neck, lift up his hide and then get him out and he's back to being sweet as hell. Never happens in the morning, only from 7PM onwards and he stops doing it after 10PM. I do know I'll get bit if I stick my hand in there, because it's happened once but he let go instantly then he was back to being really sweet. Also, if I just stay in my room and come out at any time he will never do it... ever. Only if someone comes up the stairs.

I know he isn't stressed, because he gets to be completely alone all day every day in silence to sleep because everyone is either at work or downstairs. His temps are fine, 78F on the cool and 90F on the hot, and the humidity of course is 55% on the hot side and 60% on the cool.

I asked my breeder about this, and he said he's just in feeding mode but I find it VERY odd that he's so eager to go after me even though I smell nothing like a mouse and I obviously don't have any mouse smell on me. Is this even true? I mean, he's an outstanding feeder and never refuses meals outside of being in shed. He's amazing at being handled and even goes up to my face all the time, lays on top of me while I watch TV, snuggles against my arm and hand..... I know he's not an aggressive BP and I know he is happy and well fed. So, why is he doing this S'ing thing? Is it really due to a feeding response and he doesn't think that it's just his owner walking past?

EDIT :: Forgot to mention, literally the moment I touch him, he snaps out of it and everything is hunky dory.

[rlditmars]

Before I begin, he's kept outside all of the bedrooms upstairs on top of a large drawer.

Anyway, even if he's just eaten, if someone comes up the stairs, he'll be in the S-position moving towards whoever's walking past. He doesn't *always* do it, and when he's calmed down a bit I can get him out. If he's not completely calmed down, I can gently touch his neck, lift up his hide and then get him out and he's back to being sweet as hell. Never happens in the morning, only from 7PM onwards and he stops doing it after 10PM. I do know I'll get bit if I stick my hand in there, because it's happened once but he let go instantly then he was back to being really sweet. Also, if I just stay in my room and come out at any time he will never do it... ever. Only if someone comes up the stairs.

I know he isn't stressed, because he gets to be completely alone all day every day in silence to sleep because everyone is either at work or downstairs. His temps are fine, 78F on the cool and 90F on the hot, and the humidity of course is 55% on the hot side and 60% on the cool.

I asked my breeder about this, and he said he's just in feeding mode but I find it VERY odd that he's so eager to go after me even though I smell nothing like a mouse and I obviously don't have any mouse smell on me. Is this even true? I mean, he's an outstanding feeder and never refuses meals outside of being in shed. He's amazing at being handled and even goes up to my face all the time, lays on top of me while I watch TV, snuggles against my arm and hand..... I know he's not an aggressive BP and I know he is happy and well fed. So, why is he doing this S'ing thing? Is it really due to a feeding response and he doesn't think that it's just his owner walking past?

BPs are nocturnal so that is about the time they are getting fired up for their day. Also, if he is used to being fed in that time slot, he is not smart enough to count 7 days. He just knows when someone comes up the steps and approaches his cage during that time of day, there may be an opportunity to eat and so he is ready for it. I am very careful when pulling tubs open in the late evening. I have been tagged good just for doing so with no scent or prey involved. Pavlovian response I guess.

[Warren_Booth]

I doubt this has anything to do with food. A defensive pose is very different than a feeding one. One is driven by stress, the other not. Given that ball pythons are crepuscular (primarily active at dawn and dusk), it is likely that the position of the enclosure is causing stress. So, the animal may feel exposed and threatened when alert, hence the defensive striking behavior.

Warren

[Seviper]

I doubt this has anything to do with food. A defensive pose is very different than a feeding one. One is driven by stress, the other not. Given that ball pythons are crepuscular (primarily active at dawn and dusk), it is likely that the position of the enclosure is causing stress. So, the animal may feel exposed and threatened when alert, hence the defensive striking behavior.

Warren

Not gonna lie, I doubt my boy really cares about being exposed or not considering the fact he lets me know he's awake every evening by laying his head out of his hide on the paper towel and doesn't move. And like I said, he will only do this between 7PM and 10PM. He wakes up around 5PM. It doesn't really explain why he goes into the S position only when someone goes upstairs, but doesn't care if I'm coming out of my room to say hi regardless of the time. He doesn't do it every night, just some nights. I got him on June 25th 2016 and ever since bonfire night (in the UK on the 5th november, we get a ton of fireworks going off due to some dumb tradition) he's been doing this.

It's just odd behavior. Ever since I've had him, he has never ever ever balled up from feeling stressed. He's not even remotely shy when being handled, he loves meeting new people because he goes over to say hi when I am holding him. He definitely doesn't feel unsafe and calms down the moment I touch his little head. And yes he does let me touch the top of his head without flinching.

[Seviper]

BPs are nocturnal so that is about the time they are getting fired up for their day. Also, if he is used to being fed in that time slot, he is not smart enough to count 7 days. He just knows when someone comes up the steps and approaches his cage during that time of day, there may be an opportunity to eat and so he is ready for it. I am very careful when pulling tubs open in the late evening. I have been tagged good just for doing so with no scent or prey involved. Pavlovian response I guess.

This seems to add up to what the breeder told me. He KNOWS it's me, because he lives in a RUB ( really useful box ) which is a plastic tub, yes, the easy way of taking care of a BP. The tub size is 12L and has been in there for a couple of months. Not stress related due to the enclosure. Do you really think he's just in major feeding mode and thinks the person coming upstairs is holding a mouse in their hand, hence why he follows me/whoever comes up in the striking position?

Regardless, if he ever does this, to get him to stop I just go in my room for about 3 to 5 minutes, come out and I can get him out with no issues at all.

[CALM Pythons]

Well you say he isn't stressed, you don't think its a feed responce either... So h*ll your guess is as good as mine hahhahaha.
Ive got some 6 month olds and some 3 month olds and there's no rhyme or reason why they start to spring around, they're are letting me/my shadow know they are not to be messed with... It's basically they're only defense besides rolling up in a ball and hoping... And like you said when I pick mine up also all that non sense stops. I see it as "all talk" so to speak

[Seviper]

Well you say he isn't stressed, you don't think its a feed responce either... So h*ll your guess is as good as mine hahhahaha.
Ive got some 6 month olds and some 3 month olds and there's no rhyme or reason why they start to spring around, they're are letting me/my shadow know they are not to be messed with... It's basically they're only defense besides rolling up in a ball and hoping... And like you said when I pick mine up also all that non sense stops. I see it as "all talk" so to speak

Yeah it could be just him being a weirdo, too. x3 He will bite if I put my hand in there which I did learn the hard way once but it didn't hurt at all and he let go immediately and like I said, it was all fine! I'm laying on my bed in my room right now, went to check on him - no movement. He only reacts to someone coming up (or down) the stairs! Nothing else. I don't really think it's not a feeding response, I'm just really not sure what it is! It COULD be a feeding response for all I know, or maybe he is just a weird snake.

[Seviper]

I'm such a dingus and I responded in the wrong tab. I wanted to say, thank you everyone for your responses! To the mods, sorry for being a half-asleep idiot! My bad!