BP is acting weird HELP!!

[OliveSprout]

My BP is acting weird, the temps are correct and humidity is at 60-70% (He is currently almost done with his shed) and he acts normal when I take him in my hands.

But when I let him down next to me or somewhere were I am not touching him he starts to hiss with an open mouth, But not at me! He would hiss at the wall and other random places for no reason.

Does this mean anything? Is he just stressed?

(Yes I know that I should not handle a shedding snake, I was cleaning out his terrarium and thought that handling him for 2 minutes would do no harm)

Edit: I haven’t fed him yet since he threw up last time, could that be a reason even though he did the same thing after a good meal?

[Pezz]

Did he possibly retain eye caps? It could be that he's currently blind so is over defensive right now

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[SDA]

Why are you handling your snake during shed?

[tttaylorrr]

after a regurge you need to wait two weeks before feeding as it is a very stressful event.

you shouldn't really handle your snake during shed. the shed process is a taxing and stressful process for the snake, and they'd prefer privacy.

what was the cause of the regurge? that seems like the bigger problem here IMO.

[Newbie39]

He is in shed he can't see. Leave your BP alone until shed is complete.

[SDA]

Make sure you avoid handling your snake the day of and for 2 days after feeding.

[bcr229]

What everyone else said. Your snake is stressed and not feeling well. If you need somewhere to stash him while you clean his enclosure, secure him in a bag or small bin so he feels secure. When you put him down next to you in an open area he feels exposed and will strike at any shadows or movement he perceives as a threat.

[JodanOrNoDan]

Sounds like he is stressed out of his mind. Double check all your husbandry. Leave him alone until he sheds and eats. There are some animals that nothing stresses out. I have some animals that I can let my kids play with in full shed or the day after they have eaten, whatever. Anything goes. I have others that will loose their minds if I reach in to change their water bowls. None of the psycho animals are ones I produced. I believe it has a lot to do with how they are conditioned as hatchlings.

[OliveSprout]

Thank you for everyones help! I’ll leave him alone for a few days, and no he shed his whole head piece with the caps so thats not a reason for him to be defensive, I also made a mistake of feeding him on the same day that he had injections for RI he’s better now but he probably just felt stressed after the vet.

[cchardwick]

You should post a photo of your setup. Do you have a thermostat on your under tank heater? Do you have a heat lamp on him? I suspect he may be too hot, you may be cooking your snake. Use an IR temp gun and check your temps, make sure you have a thermostat on all heat sources to keep them in check, I'd suggest a hot spot of 90F and an ambient of 82.

Usually when I have a regurge its when I handle the snake too soon after eating, even a short session can do it. I'd leave him alone for at least two days before handling after a meal. If he is hissing he is showing aggression, some ball pythons are just plain aggressive, with others it takes a whole lot of stress.

A regurge is tough, it can be a repeating pattern with that snake, I'd feed smaller meals less frequently at first, maybe one every two weeks. If you still get a regurge make the meal smaller. I have an Arizona Mountain King snake that regurges all the time if the rodent is too big, she eagerly eats it but it won't stay down, I think because she is sold old, near the end of her life. Several live pinky mice work for this snake, anything with fur is usually regurged the next day.