Does he sense an intruder? HELP!

[ae88weaver]

I just got a new male normal ball python yesterday (Erikson) and last night when I went to play with Freud (my Butler garter) he went nuts and spazzed out on me... He was flailing all over the cage and didn't want me near him or to touch him... It was actually freaky because he is usually very mellow... I though it might be that he was hungry because it was feeding day so I just let him be and gave him an earthworm. Then today I tried to change his water and he did the exact same thing! He went crazy on me! I though he might break his back by the way he was jerking all around! Do you think he can sense I brought home a new pet or is something else the matter? Nothing else has changed... No temperature changes, no food changes (he's still eating the same), no relocating... HELP!

[zooplan]

I´m quiet sure:
He needs vitamin B1...

fast!

[guidofatherof5]

How does he act if you are not trying to pick him up or mess with him?

[ae88weaver]

How does he act if you are not trying to pick him up or mess with him?

He's fine if I don't try and pick him up or open his cage up...

[ae88weaver]

I´m quiet sure:
He needs vitamin B1...

fast!

I feed him a mixed diet of frozen pinkies and worms, his last meal was a pinkie...

[guidofatherof5]

He's fine if I don't try and pick him up or open his cage up...

Were you handling the BP before you tried to pick up Freud?
If so, try washing your hands before working with Freud.
You say this all started after purchasing the BP.

[ConcinusMan]

Good idea. I'm 100% sure that your garter can smell your BP and perhaps he perceives the BP as a threat.

I have garters that are as loving, tame, and calm as can be. If certain people try to hold them, they flip out and musk, try to get away, or even bite or threaten to bite, as soon as they "sniff" that person.

I chose two baby concinnus for chantel (kibakiba) that were two of my most calm and handling tolerant babies. One of them proved to be just the opposite with her. I have a snake or two that were just impossible with their previous owners but are as calm as can be with me. They can smell things so subtle we can't even imagine. Obviously, your snake smelled something on you that made him perceive you as a threat. The BP might be a good guess.

Perhaps in time, your garter will grow more familiar with the smell and won't find it so threatening. Sometimes just the "newness" of it will cause that reaction. Case in point - a garter in a new home, even if still in the same enclosure, will at first be uneasy due to the new smells.

[zooplan]

...perhaps he perceives the BP as a threat.

I would agree it it was a milk snake or king snake.
Vitamine shortness could be caused by some kinds of amoebiasis too!

[Stefan-A]

Any scent that's out of the ordinary can put them off. It doesn't have to be the scent of a predator.

[ConcinusMan]

Exactly. It can be something as simple as a new deodorant, cologne, after shave, laundry detergent, etc.