BP acting a little defensive?

[SCG]

Good evening everyone,


My fiancé and I are new snake owners, we have had her for roughly 6 months. She has been great since! She eats properly, handling her is a breeze. We have put sufficient hides, she has a heat lamp as well as a heating pad (not used simultaneously). And her tank has always kept at good temperature, and is kept clean, and her shedding has always been clean and successful, no complications. Same with her poop, well maybe not clean lol. However, today after we fed her (no change in brand, or type of mice, we upgraded her from a small to a medium a few weeks ago, and she has been doing fine) she ate, and usually we pick her up and set her back in her tank. However, she was being awfully defensive and kind of agitated. We did not know what to do, but give her some space and try again later. She refused to be picked up, and looked as if she was about to strike. We held the box over the tank and let her find her way into the box.

Once in the tank, she drank a lot of water (which we always make sure she has plenty of, and we changed it before we put her back) We assumed maybe she needed fresh water and perhaps was acting this way, but we do not want to take her out and make her more upset. Alice -- our ball python is such a sweet heart, I am unsure what is wrong or if we did something wrong. Hope to find some help from more experienced snake care-providers.

Thank-you.

[Herpo]

She was almost certainly defensive because she was fed outside her enclosure. My python did the same when I fed him that way. They just don't like to be moved, or to move much at all for that matter, after eating. You'll observe that a snake seeks out a nice, cozy and warm spot to digest after eating, and stays there for a little while.

Next time, feed her in her enclosure. She will almost certainly calm down. Just leave her be for 2-3 days after feeding. Also, you may have been told that snakes may associate your hand with food if you feed in an enclosure. Well, that is bull. Snakes rely mostly on smell to hunt, and therefore can tell the difference between a rat (food), and your hand (not food). So unless you previously handled a rodent or prey item, you should be safe.

Good luck and hope this helps,
Herpo

[M.P.C]

Also there is no reason to switch between the heat mat and the heat light.... Heat pad is only giving you a hot spot and does absolutly nothing to the temps of the tank thats all up to the heat light and the temps of the room they are kept in

[treaux]

It is normal for them to be defensive after eating. I usually make sure to leave well alone after they eat. Having to pick them up and put them back in their tank is needless stress and there is no reason to feed them outside of their enclosure. I usually just remove a few obstacles and let them eat right in front of their hide.

I've had a couple of my snakes that are usually very calm actually strike at me just from changing their water bowl after they have eaten. They can't move fast to escape with a rodent in their belly so they have to act scary if they feel threatened.

[Mr. Misha]

How big is the BP and how much does she weigh?

A lot of people will jump to the conclusion that she got agressive because you feed her in a seperate enclosure, but most of the time that's not the case.

I feed live so I do feed in a seperate box for saftey of my animals and personally, I don't have any problems with "aggression" after feedings. With that said, if you are feeding F/T, there's really no need to feed outside the enclosure because dead mice aren't going to attack your BP.

Don't foeget that your BP is a wild reptile and will act like it. It happened once in 6 months so I wouldn't really call it a concern. Maybe you smelled like food. It could have been something else.

At the end of the day, feed your BP how you want. People will have their own strong opinions but do what works best for you and your BP.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Feed in the enclosure, trying to move a snake in feeding mode is not a good idea and feed more she is 6 months and only get medium mouse that is likely your problem.

Hatchling take hoppers out of the eggs and move to adult in a matter of weeks.

Also make sure your husbandry is optimum focusing on security and temperture.

Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk

[Albert Clark]

The reptile is still young and that is one possibility why he got a bit aggressive. I say aggressive over defensive bc the guy was still in feeding mode and was probably expecting another rodent. After feeding they are still in feed mode and it doesn't get turned off right away. I agree with everyone who says to feed in his enclosure for the best results and avoid a accident or add to the stress of the reptile. Good luck.

[Kokorobosoi]

One thing I might ask... did you handle the feeder with your hand, then go to pick up the snake with the same hand? Its hard to tell without seeing, but at that age, with only that size prey, it may not be quite enough. Does the girth of the prey match the girth of the widest part of the snake? It could still be hungry, and you smelled like food.

As said above, if it only happened once in 6 months, then I wouldn't worry. Snakes aren't domesticated. Some are tolerant, but we cant expect tolerance all the time. If you have to feed out of the enclosure, and you are concerned about getting tagged, I would suggest a hook. But moving a snake who has just eaten can run the risk of a regurgitation- and that is not fun.

Disclaimer: I feed out of tank with some, feed inside the tank with others. I let the temperament of the snake dictate how I feed.

[ECechoHO]

Hmmmm, i feed my snakes out or their enclosure and in a glass tank all the time BECAUSE::: 1-I don't like having to clean their enclosures of rat droppings and urine<-- which is very toxic every time i feed them and 2-gives them a easier eating plans oh yeah and 3-(Don't want my snakes swallowing any substrate from their enclosure, better to be safe than sorry..)

[PitOnTheProwl]

I would guess undersized meals but photos or weight could help more.