suddenly aggressive BHP

[Julie-anne]

A few months ago we got a Black Headed Python from a friend of ours who moved overseas. Not sure of her age but she's approx 4ft long and apparently female.

The guy who had her before us was feeding her live and not handling her much (if at all). Since we've had her we've been feeding her frozen rats and getting her out about once a week. She was handling well and would only poo when out of her enclosure and on the grass. Her last shed was about 3wks ago

Since her last shed she hides all the time and has become super aggressive. She barely ever comes out of her hide and even brings her rats into her hide to eat them. She strikes out and head butts us with any attempts to handle her. The main problem being that she still won't poo in her enclosure but we can't get her out to let her poo on the grass.

Is there any reason that she has suddenly turned so aggressive? and is there anything we can do so she will poo without the stimulation of grass?

At the moment she's fed a large rat every 2wks or so. Currently she has no heat on the enclosure as she's in Darwin so her temps are always around 30, except at night. I've been told she's probably just hungry and needs feeding more (ie: every week instead of fortnight)?

[wokka]

That sound wonderful- A Blackhead that doesnt poo in its encloure. They are one of the messiest snakes. If she is headbutting just ignore it and take her out on the grass anyhow otherwise when she lets go you will find out just how messy BHP can be.

[cement]

Shes probably just flighty and not used to being handled. You'll know if its a food response!!
But check that she has all a snake could want in her enclosure. Hook her out onto your hand and carry her outside. Sometimes being outside freaks them out too. If your now in sydney with her she will need heat to digest food.

[Jungle_Freak]

You should have a warm spot on the floor for her
thats why she prefers to poo outside,
add a low watt heat pad at one end , have water bowl and hide at cool end,
then she will learn to warm herself up on heat pad then coil in hide and then travel back and fowards as she needs too,
this behavior is because you failed to provide enough heat,
heat pad should run at about 35c ,
keep heat pad on 24/7 in winter while she is growing,
if you want to breed her, just have heat pad on during day time in autum , winter , spring ,
in summer you can run it for a few hours daily , or on very warms days , no heat,

Roger

[Khagan]

Just a thought but if it has only started since last shed could it be possible she retained her eye caps?