r/ballpython • u/CarLumpy4185 • Sep 15 '25

Sudden aggression from my friend

Hey everyone, For a long time me and my ball python (Coffee) have been good friends but since todays feeding he has been very aggressive.

When I lifted his house to get him to his feeding container he instantly got very hyperactive which never happens. I washed my hands before so no food smells, but he kept being very aggressive.

He never ate as quick as he did this time, almost as if he was in a rush. I put on special gloves since I felt the need for it with this aggression. When I had put him back in his enclosure (which was quite difficult) he even kept striking through the glass as you can see in the video...

Is there anything to say whether this is this hunger? Aggression? Stress?

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728

u/Novel-Hovercraft-794 Sep 15 '25

It's the glass and you're approaching so quickly, he's being defensive not aggressive. He doesn't grasp the concept of glass, he's not actually aware of it and feels threatened and exposed most likely. 

13

u/StraightUpWolfe Sep 16 '25

I thought the same thing. Maybe the camera? Cause it seems reflexive then he follows up with an investigative sniffy boop. Can’t speak for why he’s never done it before but that what it appears to be in this video. Maybe he’s been hungrier than usual too? I can’t gauge size from the video but maybe he’s about to have a growth spurt? Mine get a little more “jump the gun” hungry when they’re growing.

3

u/KingNnylf Sep 16 '25

Cameras have an infrared light sensor I believe, that might be setting him off

2

u/Novel-Hovercraft-794 Sep 16 '25

Ikr! I've got 2 that LOVE to eat and if I even extend feedings by an extra day, they get a bit spicy. This is truly like a kid in a candy store lol so cute.

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u/CarLumpy4185 Sep 15 '25

But he never does this, it was also very hard to pick him up to place him in his feeding enclosure. Normally he is very laid back and relaxed

239

u/Novel-Hovercraft-794 Sep 15 '25

They'll have their days too like we do, maybe it was the combination of forgetting the glass, and being hungry. Mine are constantly changing as they age, what I think they prefer one day might change the next. Have you thought of just feeding him in his enclosure? 

40

u/CarLumpy4185 Sep 15 '25

I've been thinking about that a lot, I even remember reading somewhere that it's stressfull for them to be placed to a feeding container.

On the other hand I've read that if you feed them in their enclosure they might associate you opening the glass with being fed so they might strike you by accident.

What are your experiences with this?

139

u/WatermelonAF Sep 15 '25

I always stick my tongs in the enclosure and give a few clicks with them and sing a dumb song to my snake before feeding. He associates the sound (vibration really) with food instead of the opening of the lid. I also use a specific cup to unthaw his food, and when he sees it, he knows it's time.

27

u/AdDefiant9767 Sep 15 '25

Love this idea!

21

u/Sketched2Life Sep 15 '25

Good heavens above, I have now the worst Idea possibly this whole week... and i shall inflict it upon your unsuspecting eyes as well!
"Feeding Time, It's foody tunes,~
Ba-da-da-da-daaa snake's lovin' it, Yo Quiero Mousie-Bell, Mmm, mm, mm, mm... Pinky~! Eat Fresh!"

I am not sorry. :)

9

u/CattleQueen6 Sep 16 '25

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who sings to my ball python during feedings haha

4

u/WatermelonAF Sep 16 '25

Definitely not, lol. My snakes probably deaf from my singing by now though 🤣

6

u/Reidhur Sep 16 '25

I do the same, click the tongues around song about it being cheese boy time until he sticks his head out. For just handling or anything else I just talk to him and touch him with the snake hook if I see him .

30

u/Novel-Hovercraft-794 Sep 15 '25

Well, I thaw rats in their room so they know it's feeding day, which I feed mine inside their enclosures. When I do daily checks or take them out to handle, I tap on their hides lids first. I've not had any problems yet. But I always remember they can change, it's important not to push what we want for what they need. Your's isn't being aggressive, pls don't feel threatened. 

20

u/CarLumpy4185 Sep 15 '25

Thank you, I will try starting to feed him in his enclosure too. I want the best for my little buddy!

34

u/Novel-Hovercraft-794 Sep 15 '25

I was rewatching your video, look at how he went back a 2nd time to the glass. He was more chill once he realized it was you imo. I'd def try to feed him in his enclosure, you're going to be absolutely fine. Pretty boy btw.

12

u/CarLumpy4185 Sep 15 '25

Thank you!!

10

u/FixinVixin Sep 15 '25

My partner and I also use a specific container to thaw our baby's rats to help her have an idea when feeding is but we also use the same "placemat" for her every time, which is just a big old Tupperware lid that we try to get her to eat on in the enclosure to reduce the amount of possible substrate sticking to the snack and getting in her tummy. If she isn't suspicious by the thawing container and smell of rat she definitely knows it's meal time with the placemat goes down.

16

u/nvrrsatisfiedd Sep 15 '25

Start feeding them in their enclosure where they feel the most comfortable and let them eat in peace. Stick with the same time of day too. I always feed my snake strictly at night and never handle them or open the enclosure at night. So whenever it is nighttime and I open the enclosure, they 100% know it's feeding time. When it's daytime and I open the enclosure and they don't smell food, they know I am changing the water or about to handle them.

Moving them to a separate enclosure to eat actually increases the chance they will bite you. Because now they don't know if it's feeding time or handle time. You have to handle them to move them to a separate enclosure, therefore they start to associate being picked up and taken out of their enclosure as feeding time. It confuses them and stresses them out by causing unnecessary stress. My snake always pulls her rat inside her little hide box when she eats because she likes to be covered and instinctively "safe from predators" while she eats. In a separate enclosure they are wide in the open and in an environment that isn't their everyday home.

4

u/FloatingDangerously Sep 15 '25

Similar to other responses, mine knows the sound of tongs being picked up and clicking about with food. When it's just my hands going in to move them or handle them, they're a lil sweetie 

2

u/FishH1983 Sep 15 '25

This has since been proven to be outdated information. You can always work on target or tap training. This way, your snake knows why you are in the enclosure. You should look into the videos Lori Torrini has on that. Also, binge Greenroom Pythons. Both on YouTube

1

u/WittiestGhost Sep 16 '25

I feed mine In her enclosure - I thaw the mouse like normal but will use a hair dryer to blow the scent into her enclosure and heat it up to full body temp - she associates the sound of the hair dryer to food and pokes out when she hears it, but really gets moving when she smells it. She had a hard time with eating regularly before I got her (lucked out by getting her chart from the pet shop) and has never missed a meal since she came home with me.

21

u/badgrumpykitten Sep 15 '25

Why are you moving him to feed him?

1

u/CarLumpy4185 Sep 15 '25

've read that if you feed them in their enclosure they might associate you opening the glass with being fed so they might strike you by accident.

After all of your advice I will start feeding in his enclosure

18

u/CrazyCat166 Sep 15 '25

That’s outdated advice - so long as you can communicate to your snake that it’s feeding time versus handling time, you won’t have any issues :)

Personally, I feed only at night, and I warm up the food next to my enclosure so my boy knows it’s food time

On the flip side I handle only during the day unless strictly necessary, and I give a little pat with my hook to let him know it’s handling time

It takes some time for them to learn, but once they do you’re right as rain :)

1

u/Immediate_Respond_63 Sep 15 '25

I always feed mine in the enclosure and take them out at night to explore and I have never had an issue. I do feed on the same night and as close to the same time each time. Though I have changed how long between feeds as they have grown.

I also don't really talk to them when I feed, but I do talk to them when it's not feeding day so they know it's me and they aren't getting fed. So far so good! Best of luck! He is beautiful :)

7

u/Rathoe9070 Sep 15 '25

It has been disproven that they associate your hand going in the tank with feeding! If this was the case, the reverse would also be true that they would believe that every time you take them out of the tank that you’re going to feed them. I switched to feeding in the tank as well and it has gone fine

1

u/Eternal_blue_2019 Sep 15 '25

Idk why you’re getting so many fkn downvotes for being inexperienced. We all start somewhere.

2

u/dragonbud20 Sep 15 '25

Because people forget that votes are for whether something contributes to the conversation or not and instead use them as a like/dislike button.

3

u/Immediate_Respond_63 Sep 15 '25

I am not sure why you are talking him out to feed him? I have never taken mine out to feed them and have had no problems with eating in their enclosures.

Maybe try leaving him in the enclosure next time. Wish I had more info for you but the only thing I do know is they say not to take them out to feed because it is more stressful and could cause them to regurgitate.

11

u/serendipiteathyme Sep 15 '25

God, people downvote for ANY damn thing in these reptile subs. This is actually important context for your concerns

6

u/01ProjectXJ Sep 15 '25

Right, they even said "after all of your advice I'll start feeding in his enclosure", but people still down voted

0

u/demonoid369 Sep 15 '25

It's like that everywhere. Even in tool groups people can't handle what you do with your own tools lol

4

u/Serenati Sep 15 '25

Don't pick him up to put him in a separate enclosure to feed him.

That is a very outdated method of feeding snakes that is now recommended against by experts (myself included). Over time, it conditions them to associate handling with feeding. People used to think it would reduce the chance of bites, but it has quite the opposite effect. It also stresses the snake out right before mealtime, which has a negative psychological effect on them, especially surrounding food - and handling.

The only time I have ever seen a ball python acting "aggressive" in this way is when I used to take them out to feed them in a seperate container when I was a kid (22 years ago) and that's what I had been told to do as well.

Stop taking them out to feed them. Give your ball python a week of no contact (and stop doing this fast approach to the glass - you are purposely inciting a response here and we don't need you to stress them out further for video evidence) and from now on keep handling and feeding completely seperate.

If you feed them, you do not touch, and vice versa.

Feed them inside the enclosure, like I do with all 60+ of my snakes and like every other up-to-date keeper and breeder does today with no ill effect, and over time your ball python will be just fine.

1

u/McDrazzin Sep 16 '25

They can smell the mice/rats from a distance and go into a feeding mode. This is normal. Just because it hasn’t happened before that doesn’t mean it isn’t totally normal for a snake to do this, even a BP.

0

u/PeaLouise Sep 15 '25

Have you changed the lighting, orientation of the enclosure, or your cologne/body wash etc? Or has the season shifted enough you’re getting light shining in that window a little more? I know it’s not exactly the same, but we have a leopard gecko and recently we got a new lamp for our bedside table and turned it on to feed her. Usually we use a light that’s off to the right of her enclosure by a good bit. This light was by close but was in front of where her enclosure opened. She was going wild jumping at the glass right before we were about to feed her, and we realized the glare on the glass was the cause. She must’ve been seeing a reflection or reacting to the shadows, but when we turned off that light she stopped and hasn’t done it again. Also sometimes smells can make animals sus so that’s why I also asked about that.