Diamond all of a sudden aggressive

[JackTar]

I have an adult male diamond who is normaly very very placid and shy and takes ages to get interested in the food I give him but over the last couple of months his appetite has increased an awful lot, he takes food pretty much as soon as I put it in the enclosure and whenever I go into his enclosure he tries to bite me. Not only is he trying to bite but as soon as he sees someone near the enclosure he comes close and if the enclosure is opened he will try and come out.

I don't know why this is happening all of a sudden, also if I keep feeding him he will keep eating. I gave him three large rats over two nights a little while ago and he demolished them all where before he wouldn't eat more than one a week sometimes less.

Does he need more food or is there something wrong with him? Can you feed a snake too much?

 

[JezJez]

This is weird! I've been having the exact same problem with my adult diamonds! 2 females & 1 male all are extremely placid & have never even attempted to bite until the last month or so..
I've noticed they are extremely alert whenever I approach, very quick head movements and pressing up against the enclosure glass. Eat like machines & still always seem hungry (hang from branches in strike position)
Nothings seems to be different (temps, feeding, etc)
I've found once out of enclosure they settle down a bit but still have a look about them like they're ready to bite
Anyone else had this happen to them or know what causes it???

 

[Treg92]

you can overfeed snakes, they get fat. has there been any changes to his enviroment,?
what are his temps, (hot and cold end)?
how often is he handled and how? (hook, glove, hand)
also, you feed in the tank? try taking him out and feeding him in a tub rather than in his enclosure, that way he has different triggers for his feeding responses
sorry for all the questions but all of them could affect it's behaviour

 

[JackTar]

Temps no different, mind you in saying that it is obviously hotter during the day at the moment being summer and all. He is taken out and handed without a hook and he has always been fed the same way (in the tank) but it used to take him anywhere up to an hour to get interested in the food so even if there was food in there you would still be able to take him out if you wanted to (not that I did), he is very very alert and active when someone goes near the enclosure just like it sounds JezJez snakes are, it is very odd.

As for over eating don't they know when to stop? If they can be over fed wouldn't there be thousands of wild snakes dieing from over-eating?

 

[Treg92]

they dont die from overeating, the just become overweight and slow, and possibly get fatty liver problems. in the wild they actually don't eat heaps as the more they eat, the slower they are as they have extra weight. while saying that, they are also oppertunists as they don't when they will get their next feed. I am no expert on pythons by any stretch of the imagination, this is what i have heard from fellow herpers. the only thing i can sugesst is try feeding him out of his cage, so he is no longer triggerd to eating mode by the opening of his door.

 

[Sutto82]

I've noticed my snakes are a lot more active and feeding really well. I just put it down to summer and the warmer days and nights, doubt it's anything to stress about.

 

[JezJez]

I thought it might have been something to do with the temps initially as I'm on the sunshine coast where it gets a quite warm, however my diamonds are in 6ft enclosures with a divider in the middle to create a hot end & a cool end and they still spend all their time under the heat (set at 32 for 8hours per day) so they seem to be comfortable?

 

[amy23l]

i have a 3yr old male who is showing the exact same trates... use to be super loving & now its like he has turned into a very aggresssive little boy, he wont let me handle him, he almost flinches his body when it is touched by my hands or by he hook, he is extreamly active inside his enclosure at the moment & when i did manage to get him out he bit me for the first time
he rubs himself against his enclosure & guards the glass sliding doors of the enclosure by moving very quickly from side to side. he is making it hard for me to even feed him
i really dont know why he has changed temperament & i dont know what actions i can take to rectify it

 

[Venomous_RBB]

they dont die from overeating, the just become overweight and slow, and possibly get fatty liver problems.

They can die from overeating, as mentioned at the end of your sentence, they can get fatty liver problems which causes them severe problems, if not treated, they will die.

To the OP and others about Fiesty diamonds:
All of my snakes have become extra hungry, it's just because of them coming out of winter/brumation and they are quite hungry, just keep feeding them, they should calm down soon, it is just a "survival response".

 

[cools2036]

The diamonds metabolism increases in warm seasons, this making the need to feed more regularly as a result.
Over heating diamond pythons is the equivalent to under heating centrals. Its not natural for the snake and dose cause harm wether its fatal or irreparable.
Our job as keepers and carers is to mimic and replicate the reptiles natural environment. This means the conditions of where it is from.

 

[FAY]

Diamonds may not eat for 5-6 months, they are just building up their reserves until they stop eating again. It is all normal..