Normally docile snake being bitey

[OuterScience]

My BP, Spectre, was off of feed for a few months and refused to eat, and only recently started to eat once more. I've fed him a couple times this week to try and get him back up to a healthy weight, and just in case he decides he wants to stop eating again. He'll be fed again Sunday, and then just Sundays after that.

Recently, he's tried to bite me a couple times, once while I had him out on the bed to let him move around a bit, he ended up biting the blanket. And again today when I tried to move him inside his tank, because he has been laying on his log, and I do not want him to get too cold. I've had him for almost a year and have yet to be bitten, and I know I should expect this, but I'm not sure why he's being so bitey lately. He's around 3 years old and has always been pretty docile and tolerant of everything, and has had no major changes except the fact that he stopped eating until recently.

[Penultimate]

Is he going into shed?

[OuterScience]

No, he's not going into shed currently. Even when he was shedding, he seemed to be fine with me just generally checking up on him.

[OuterScience]

He seems incredibly irritable and bitey, and I'm not exactly sure why. I'm afraid to pick him up at this point. He was normally very docile.

[Albert Clark]

Are you sure your hands are not eminating a food smell? Do you have any other bp's in the house? Have you triple checked the enclosure he stays in? Are you sure he isn't sick?

[OuterScience]

He is currently my only snake, I've washed my hands before I try to touch him, and the enclosure he stays in is the same it's always been. Nothing has really changed at all. He doesn't seem sick. This is only a recent thing, he's been in the same spot for the past couple hours, and seems pretty much ready to strike at anything. He ate yesterday, so I doubt he's hungry. Just seems annoyed.

[Albert Clark]

Well, I would give him some space and not handle him at all. If you must, put on a pair of thick gloves to return him to his enclosure. Those are the most in possibilities that I could think of. I mean you had him for three years so I know you can read him pretty much right? Has he ever been bred to your knowledge? Personally , I would mainly leave him alone bc that is basically what he is saying. I know it's a shock but look at it like its a temporary attitude until you can get more of a clue to the etiology.

[OuterScience]

No, I haven't had him for three years. The person who owned him before me had him for a year, and I got him November 1st of last year. He never bit his previous owner, and has never bit me. He's pretty much been a very tolerant snake until now. He is in his enclosure and hasn't been moved from there. I won't mess with him out of fear of being bitten. Just been leaving him alone.

- - - Updated - - -

And no, he has never been bred.

[OuterScience]

He also seems to occasionally rub his face against his climbing branch..? He's been there all day and I've seen him do it a few times, but he isn't shedding, and likely won't shed until the end of the month, when he normally does.

[bcr229]

What size prey is he taking?