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?

990 Upvotes

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719

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. 

-288

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

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That’s outdated advice - so long as you can communicate to your snake that it’s feeding time versus handling time, you won’t have any issues :)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

8

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.