Very moody BP - any insight appreciated

[Derteufel]

Perhaps it's how you are going in to get him. Or maybe you're waking him up and he doesn't like it. It could be that he's just become a grumpy snake, or maybe he has some internal parasites that are bothering him :/

Its not just when I reach in. Im not sudden though and I havent cahnged the way I do it since I got him. I guess I should try a different techniwue though just to see. At night when hes active ill walk over and he immediately gets offensive, but not everytime. Some times he just stops and then goes about it others (rarely) he winds up and hides. Sometimes ill make a noise up top and this grump old man face snake juts out.

Just a phase like a 13 year old? does that even happen? I know they usually mellow out when they get older but do I have a monster?

[Oxylepy]

It's entirely possible that it's a phase. Or perhaps he just thinks you smell bad. It could be anything, really.

[Derteufel]

I thought of that too, I showered. could be anything, I know but WTH one night hes a kitty cat and the next hes a zombie from 28 days later.

I use infrared and natural sunlight in the day and at night one infrared and one blacklight, just because I have the bulb. He has consatant clean water and I clean his cage, news paper and disinfect it every 2 weeks. He looks good and is a good size (weight).

Hes a very healthy eater, will only eat live. He spits FT out if he takes it at all. This might sound like hes starving but he will eat any time anywhere (on feeding day) as long as its not too bright. he likes very low light. He doesnt need warmup or gettin in to it. I pull the hide off him and within a minute hes ready to go CHOMP.

[Elise.m]

Do you have all the sides of your tank covered? Have you seen him actually soaking in his water bowl? Are you using an UTH, along with a dimmer or thermostat?

[Kaorte]

You need to give us a better description of your husbandy. Temps might be fine I you but they could be all wrong. What kind of thermometers are you using? How are you heating the enclosure? What kind of hides are you using? What substrate? How often do you feed him and what sized prey item?

It sounds like this snake is stressed out. How often do you try to handle him?

[Derteufel]

Elise, covered on 2 sides, 2 sides are open but its not see through, not glass or clear plastic. No UTH, hes off the ground off any surface for UTH. Ive seen him soak though he rarely puts his entire body in, at least from what ive seen.

Kaorte: What?, Infrared lighting for heat execpt for an occasional blacklight, news paper. Feed him once a week, not too big not too small. Used to handle him 5 days a week for 5 - 15 minutes a day. I left him a lone for about a month after the hard shed and the to let him alone after the first episode and now its hot or miss. For the last 2 weeks maybe 3 times.

I should add member of the forum, Brett, lives in my building and agrees things seem right. hes just moody.

[Kaorte]

that is precicely not helpful. What size prey item? Hopper, fuzzy, adult mouse, rat weanling, small rat. You could not be feeding him enough.

What kind of thermometers are you using and what do they read? What kind of hides does he have? Describe them.

What do you mean he is off the ground for a uth?

[Elise.m]

Well not using an UTH can irritate him if you handle him too soon after eating. Belly heat helps them digest their food, so if you're using a lamp he might take longer to digest. If you have a spare $45, I would invest in a UTH and a thermostat.

[Derteufel]

Hi Elise, I dont handle him for 26 - 30 hours after eating. He is warm all all times though (pick him up and hes warm) hes off the cold floor and the enclosure is plastic. Its not the money for a UTH its how Ive set him up. Hes very warm but well hydrated and its any day though he does seem to be least irritable the night before feeding. Ill need more time to confirm this.

Kaorte, what is your native langauge? maybe I speak it and we can talk, I dont think we are undestanding eachother. He eats small to medium size adult mice. He is a good weight for his lenght. The hides are bark. I dont remember what kind of wood but its not a scented wood. "What do you mean he is off the ground for a uth?" What do you mean what do I mean? Hes not on a flat surface, the enclosure is not on a flat solid surface.

[Derteufel]

Hey Elise, the temp is no lower than 80* at night and 95 - 98 max in the day. I might cut down the lighting and get an UTH to try but hes been this way for almost 8 months with no issues.

There was on thing that happend around the time... I live on the top floor 80 ft off the ground in an old office building built in the 00's. 1907. Had a mosquito problem. One night I moved him out of the loft and had it sprayed and came back 30 minutes later. There werent any fumes and I followed the procedures but could this have made him sick? mad? hehehe. this was in July about 1 - 2 weeks before he started goind insane.