My ball pythons hiss at me all the time-it is their way of telling me that they are not happy with being disturbed. I don't blame them...and I pretty much ignore them as they are nearly defenseless. The only time I have to worry is if they hiss and coil backwards with their head pointing directly at my hand as I go to pick them up (small possibility of getting a defensive strike/bluff), or if they are guarding eggs--in which case I will use something as a shield blocking their face until I uncoil them.![]()