I purchased a 6-month old female BP back in April from a breeder and she was immediately very defensive once introduced to her enclosure. I thought this was probably due to stress from shipment and that she would calm down once she settled in. This was not the case. Any time I came near her enclosure, she would lock onto me and strike, despite being 2-3 feet from the cage. She has always accepted meals and I minimize stress as much as possible. She has a hide-box where she spends the majority of her time. I moved her during the summer into a rack. She still continued to exhibit defensive/aggressive behavior in this new environment without fail. Cleaning her cage is a very stressful ordeal. I have to carefully maneuver myself so that she doesn't lock onto me and begin striking. Even while being held, she assumes a strike pose and I have to carefully position her head as I hold her away from my face or arms so she won't bite. I avoid having any other people/animals in the room when handling, but no matter what I do, she just does not seem to relax if she is aware of my presence. I have 4 other BPs in identical conditions and they are all calm and easy to handle. Now a year old, I wonder if she will always be this way. I worry about taking a bite from her as she get bigger and older. Any advice for what I can do? Is this snake just innately aggressive? Again, I can't identify any stressors the animal may be experiencing. She eats and poops just fine. It does not seem to be a feeding response, as she is aggressive even while being handled. Thanks for any advice!