is this behaviour unusual?

[Lee leekingston74]

My 4 month old pastel has eatern a medium mouse each week since ive had her but missed the last 2 feeds. This has coincided with her being very active and almost looking as if she is constantly looking for a way out. Searching all over the viv and climbing the sides and glass front. When I offer food using the tongs she moved straight past and tried to escape out the door.
Ive left the mouse in over night but not touched. Its not so much the missed feeds that I find odd as I realise there are many possible reasons for this. Its the energetic constant roaming that is odd and her persistance to try to escape.

Any thoughts? Is this behaviour and missed feeds related? When she was eating consitantly she spent most of her time hiding in the warm spots in hides which is typical behaviour

[theoremofgoats]

Lots of activity from ball pythons is a sign of stress, and so is refusing meals. The most I ever see mine move is when I take them out, or at most, couple times a week for a little bit during the evening (usually the days before feeding). What are your temperatures at?

[BCS]

I have a male kingpin ball python that does this. He is ALWAYS roaming around particularly the front of his tub. I use snake racks. I have had him now for over a year and he has always done this. He took F/T for maybe 6 weeks after getting him and then he started to refuse. After two months he lost over 100g (being 500 something grams when he started refusing). At that point I gave up and started feeding him live and he has eaten every meal ever since though he still refuses F/T). He still roams the front of his cage. I am not saying this is the exact same thing going on with your snake and whether it is stress or not I do not know. But my male Kingpin is very healthy, friendly and I like that he greets me every time I open his cage. He is breeding now and he does not act like this while he is in the females cage. Kind of a mystery.

[SRMD]

What are your temps?

Do you have 2 secure snug fit hides?

Have you been handling your BP much? if so how much?

Hiding Ball Pythons are happy ball pythons. The only time I've saw my BP out in the day time is for a drink, or a couple years back.. when he was stressed out because he escaped the night before.

[Lee leekingston74]

I have digi thermometer with 2 probes under the substrate ontop of the glass floor (the heat mat is under the viv under the glass floor). This morning the hot end was 100f on top of the heat mat and the cool end was 68f by the glass at the front. I realise that these tmps are a little off ideal but when the probes are on top of the substrate the temps are perfect....73f cool end and 93f hot end. She doesnt burrow much so the temps on top of the substrate I believe are ok ?????
I handle her about 20mins most days but not after feeding for at least 48h. I have only handled her once since she stopped feeding.
Behaviour during the day is normal in that she stays away in her hides but its the evenings and night where she is so active and constantly looking for a way out

[BCS]

I have digi thermometer with 2 probes under the substrate ontop of the glass floor (the heat mat is under the viv under the glass floor). This morning the hot end was 100f on top of the heat mat and the cool end was 68f by the glass at the front. I realise that these tmps are a little off ideal but when the probes are on top of the substrate the temps are perfect....73f cool end and 93f hot end. She doesnt burrow much so the temps on top of the substrate I believe are ok ?????
I handle her about 20mins most days but not after feeding for at least 48h. I have only handled her once since she stopped feeding.
Behaviour during the day is normal in that she stays away in her hides but its the evenings and night where she is so active and constantly looking for a way out

Beong active at night is normal. These creatures are nocturnal. They hunt at night so being active at night is fine. Your temp is too high. The prove touching the glass should only read 90f. the cool end should not be less then 78f.

[Dexterune]

I have digi thermometer with 2 probes under the substrate ontop of the glass floor (the heat mat is under the viv under the glass floor). This morning the hot end was 100f on top of the heat mat and the cool end was 68f by the glass at the front. I realise that these tmps are a little off ideal but when the probes are on top of the substrate the temps are perfect....73f cool end and 93f hot end. She doesnt burrow much so the temps on top of the substrate I believe are ok ?????
I handle her about 20mins most days but not after feeding for at least 48h. I have only handled her once since she stopped feeding.
Behaviour during the day is normal in that she stays away in her hides but its the evenings and night where she is so active and constantly looking for a way out

Is your heat mat on a Thermostat? If not unplug it before your snake gets burned and go get one right away. 100 degrees is too hot. Check the glass right above the heat mat with a IFR temp gun (more accurate then the thermometer probe)

[SRMD]

Stop handling so much, until your BP returns to hiding all day.

Do you have a thermostat to control the temps?

How do you measure the temps?

You really need to get your husbandry issues sorted out

[Lee leekingston74]

Thank for info everyone. The heatmat is on a thermostat set to 90f. Im not sure why there is such a difference in temp between the front and back of viv. Its only a 2ft x 18" viv and has 3 secure dark hides in the hot and cool ends. She does spend most of the day usually curled up in the warm end hides and ventures out to climb, explore and lots of frontglass climbing after about 5pm . I read the post about natural behaviour in the wild on here and there seems to be a lot of logic in changing the positioning of the decor and more frequent cleaning. I plan to completely clean out the viv on sunday and alter her decor set up with new substrate. This will also enable me to check the temp probes for accuracy.
Handling... ive only handled once in the last 2 weeks since she stopped eating but she is i a fairly high traffic area of the house so may move hef upstairs to quieter room

[SRMD]

You should take some time to, clean.. and try and clutter the viv as much as possible! you not being able to see your BP will make it feel very safe!

Sort all of your husbandry issues, then put your BP back in, don't handle for about a week then try and feed see what happens!

Goodluck