When to feed/handle

[Eric Alan]

It's definitely a feeding response (Is that considered a form of aggression? It was in my neuro courses.) not fear.

I don't consider a feeding response aggression towards the keeper. That's the difference I'm getting at.

My BP has a history of getting aggressive around food and towards hands reaching into her home. I could see the potential for her to get very snippy and tank-aggressive if she weren't used to hands coming in there and messing with her.

Is it possible that someone misinterpreted a feeding response for aggression and then they themselves were hesitant to feed your snake in its previous home? From experience, this can lead to a snake with a good feeding response that is regularly hungry due to a nervous owner. Not the best combination when trying to build a relationship between keeper and snake... I've seen this be quickly "tamed" by experienced keepers and a regular, appropriate, feeding schedule (not sure tamed is the right word, as a snake with a strong feeding response is an amazing thing).

Is there evidence one way or the other, like a study or something, or is it mostly anecdotal?

You'd be hard pressed to find any scientific evidence. After all, we're talking about ball pythons here - who's putting up research money for very many behavior studies on these guys? The move-related issues are real though, and so are the bites that can come from being in feed mode (albeit at different levels for different animals). Similarly, the misinterpretation of feeding response for aggression towards the keeper also happens (more so with newer hobbiests).

When it comes down to it, I always recommend simplification and that's what feeding in their own enclosure does. If my snakes are well fed and happy in their homes, who am I to mess with that?