Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a male ball python about 4 feet. recently he has become a bit more aggressive than usual. He used to be gentle but now is starting to snap at me. He was given to me by a friend who was moving and couldn't take him with him. It is my understanding that he wasn't handle very much with his previous owner and lately I have been getting busier at work and have not been able to handle him much other than to move him to his feeding cage and that is starting to become more difficult. I live in Tampa, FL. and am looking to maybe find him a new home or just some suggestions as to what I should do. If you have any ideas please email me at robertbrouillet@yahoo.com if you have any advise.

Thanks

Have you changed anything recently? Substrate? Temperature? Number/placement of hides? The primary reason I have found my BPs will suddenly get aggressive is because they feel insecure. A little extra clutter in the tub and they calm right down. You could also try fleshing out their meal times a little more as well. Maybe chase the rat with a mouse to finish things off.
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Lincoln, NE
0.1 Pastel, 1.0 Pastel het Pied, 0.1 Pied, 0.1 Cinn, 1.0 Black Pewter, 1.1 Normals, 1.0 Thayeri, 0.1 Thayeri X Alterna, 0.1 crazy cat, 1.0 husband

If your only handling him at dinner time, he could be associating the opening of the tank and handling with eating and maybe he thinks you look yummy...If you've ruled out hunger, temp changes, and kind of change that may make him feel insecure, you may want to think about a vet check up to rule out health issues. Also, at four, he would be sexually maturing and could be wanting love, but I don't know enough about breeding to say if that would have anything to do with it.

Good luck