bp randomly became aggressive?

[sydjones98]

so about a month ago i learned that rats are way healthier for bps than mice. upon learning this i set out to feed my 5-6 year old BP her first small rat for her next meal. she took it like a champ, downed it, i was very proud very happy. she hasnt pooped yet. i read that some balls dont deficate after every meal so i wasnt too worried. so i fed her another rat 10 days later. it has been 8 days since her last feed and she still hasnt pooped yet + she looks like she is about to shed so i decided to hold off on feeding her. i also recently got some new hides and props for her inclosure, fake leaves, flowers and 2 new hides, one for her warm side and one her her cold side. since the redecoration and the new diet she has been very aggressive and defensive. before this she had never snapped at me and i have had her since she was probably 6 months, but in the past month she has not let me touch her at all, has hardly come out of her hide unless i force her (like for a meal), and has now snapped at my boyfriend and me. i am very concerned as she as always been so gentle and docile. any advice? im really worried and any help is appreciated!

[zina10]

Sounds like she is going into "feeding mode". Perhaps the more nutritious meals have set off a feeding frenzy (well, not frenzy..but you know what I mean, she wants MORE)

Could be that the additional hides and such are making her feel safer and "bolder" and she is hungry. Have you tried to get her out in the evening ? Or mornings/during daytime? When mine are in their "hungry months" they can be in feed mode every night, as soon as 3 days after a feeding. They will WAIT, ready to go, every evening.
If I need to handle them in the evening and while they are "primed" I just have to let them know that its not feeding time. No rats coming. I usually tap them on the head with a empty paper towel roll or something like that. GENTLY !!!! This is in no way a aggressive touch, this is just a tab, to snap them out of feed mode. As soon as I gently tap or move their head down, they know no food is coming, turn away and I can pick them up no problem.

However, it could also be that all the changes are stressing her out. Since she is still eating well, though, I wonder if she doesn't simply want more.

Can you shoot a short film on how you approach her and what she does ? Her body language?

Have her temps or humidity changed AT ALL ?

Why do you "force" her out for a meal, do you grab her and put her in another enclosure ?

[JodanOrNoDan]

If you can please provide a weight in grams and a picture of the animal.