I think snakes just have a sense for when you are not in your normal state of being. My boyfriend has a ball python. When he was drunk one time, and i was not, he held her and she acted like she was going to strike him...then i would hold her and she would be fine and calm down. After a few minutes of him holding her, she did strike at him, but just as a warning, not to actually harm him and didn't make contact.