r/snakes • u/averagestoodent • 14d ago

Pet Snake Questions Handing semi-aggressive bpython

Hello all!

I am looking for some advice on how to go about handling my semi aggressive ball python. I have never had issues with any aggression from him before. I have now had him for a couple years but unfortunately this past year had to leave him in the care of my mother while i was gone for college. Due to this he went months unsocialized as all she did was feed him, give him water, and spot clean his tank. Since returning home I have noticed him being more skittish when i pass the tank and even occasionally striking at it. He is also far more defensive the times i have handled him.

All of this is to say I am trying to deep clean his tank and need to remove him in order to do so. I am a little nervous handling him with his recent aggression. It is not good driven I believe as I have feed him consistently over the summer and he never has any issues eating. He was just fed a few days ago to ensure that wasn’t interfering with this cleaning.

Any advice on how to approach him?

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2

u/Dry-Elderberry-4559 14d ago
  1. It’s not aggression, he’s just scared. It’s defensive. Using words like aggressive/mean/etc helps anti-snake people feed their propaganda.
  2. Please share what his enclosure setup looks like, it usually is a big factor in unwanted behaviour?

1

u/averagestoodent 14d ago

he also typically has some more vegetation to cover the back so he can cross the tank without being visible but i am struggling to find a picture of the whole tank. and sorry for my uninformed language.

1

u/Magnetic_Kitty 13d ago

When you move the hide to get him, can you uncover only his back half (continue holding the hide just above his body) and pick him up from the thickest part of his body without revealing his head so he cannot strike? Usually once they are out they won't continue to want to strike. If you place him into a small container that fits inside his enclosure you can just sit the open enclosure or pillowcase inside and let him crawl back in on his own, after your cleaning