So I've just had a very unsettling experience with my adult male BP. I've had him about 5-6 years and I would place his age around 7-8ish or so. I got him as a subadult.

Anyway, of all the snakes I own he is usually the sweetest, most handleable snake I have. I never worry about a raging feeding response or aggressive action when opening his enclosure. Any time someone wants to hold a snake I hand him/her Mr. Stippey.

Today I went and did my daily snake check. Stippey last ate on 1/3/08, started turning pink on 1/12/08, completed his shed today 1/22/08. I took him out of his enclosure, gave him a lookover to check for any retained eyecaps, generally just making sure his shed was clean and he looks good. I put him back into his enclosure and all hell breaks loose.

He starts thrashing, flipped over his 10" dog bowl of water like a fry cook making pancakes. I'm stunned, as my normally docile snake has just turned into a maniac. I'm terrified he's going to hurt himself, and he certainly knows what's going on because he's following my heat signature in strike position between thrashes. He's on a mission to get out of his enclosure and take off a finger in the process. I throw a towel over him and pull him out and put him in a pillowcase and tie it off, thinking he's less likely to hurt himself that way.

He settled down after being in the pillowcase, but thrashes again once I touch and/or pick up the pillowcase.

During all of this, all I can think is of how strong such a "small" constrictor is and how I'm glad it's a ball python as opposed to an angry burm, retic, or conda.

Anyway, I'm shocked that there is such an abrupt and drastic change in his behavior, a VERY good reminder that they are wild animals.

We have a great vet nearby, and if he is like this tomorrow morning I'm making him an appointment.

Any thoughts on what could have triggered such a drastic change in behavior? His environment/enclosure has been consistent for 6 months or more, which was when I moved all my snakes into a dedicated room. Been feeding regularly, and was observed locked with one of my females on 1/8/08.

I'm puzzled?!?!??! It's like someone turned on a light switch of fury.