So my ball python struck at me today when I was changing her water, seeing as she's never as much as hissed at me before it seemed odd. Her mouth was closed which tells me it wasn't a feeding strike. I handled her yesterday and she was fine, poking around doing what snakes do. Two things it could be.
I'd been trying for ages to get her to move onto rats and she finally took one last feeding. I guess I handled her too soon afterwards, normally 2 days is enough but she was jumpy and sat still and hissed. I put her back immediately and left her for another 2 days. Handled her yesterday and she was fine so I'm not sure.
This is poor care on my part and I'm setting it right immediately. I have a weird ass sleep schedule and keep my PC monitors on till late and often forget to open my blinds during the day before I leave. Could this have messed up her natural rhythm?
I could also be worrying too much. Sorry for the wall of text I haven't owned a snake before so I worry.
You're probably worrying too much.
Likely scenarios:
1) Your hand still smells like rat
2) She's gravid and thus pissy
3) She's about to go into shed and thus pissy
4) She didn't like you messing with her environment (reptiles as a whole get stressed out when you mess with their surroundings)
As long as snooter looks healthy, she's fine.
>>2040613
Thanks a lot. Thought I was but its reassuring to know. She has grown a lot so may well be due a shed. Didn't think about her being gravid, she did look big though. How do I know if this is the case? Do I need to do anything special? I was told I don't and I don't intend to breed so I wasn't planning to.
>>2040652
I should've specified that 'gravid' means pregnant, as in full of viable eggs. If you haven't breed your snake to a male, she shouldn't be pregnant.
Of course, if you got her from a pet store where co-habitation is common, she COULD be pregnant.
These are the signs of a BP being gravid.
1) Scale separation
2) Wrapping around the bowl upside down (belly up)
3) Going off feed
4) Unusual color contrast (her darker scales will seem darker, lighter areas will be lighter)
4) Unusually placid (stays in one spot, doesn't try to get out, et al)
5) Seeking heat more than usual
6) Unusually plump
If she's not gravid, then she's just ovulating and feeling pissier than usual. Snake PMS, basically.
>>2040665
Ahhh I thought gravid was snake PMS. Thanks for the information. I'll leave her be and hope she mellows out after a week or longer.
>>2040665
>tl;dr
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned
>>2040608
is that the box of an amd fx processor up there?
>>2040608
BTW, that's a lot of empty space you got going on there. BPs don't like a lot of open space, it makes them feel unsafe. Get some more hides, or plants, or logs, whatever.
>>2040677
Damn yeah nice spot, FX 8350
>>2040685
Yup, her other side has a plant, a log in the middle that makes a hidden tunnel to the other side, going to buy more plants soon. Tank was recently sized up and the plant doesn't cover what it used to.
>>2040688
Okay, cool! That could've been a reason why she struck you too: feeling unsafe.
>>2040691
Thought about that, but its not unknown for her to climb into my hand when I'm taking her out, it really is a sudden change in behaviour. I'll provide more for her anyway. She definitely uses her plant and log.
