# Ball Pythons > General BP's >  BP keeps trying to escape

## Candice21

Is it normal for them to want to get out of their tank a lot? At night when mine wakes up she constantly tries to get out. It may have something to do with the heat I'm not sure, it stays the same temperature all the time so I'm not sure what it could be. Unless she's just curious and really wants to get out

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## Skittles1101

Well if I had to guess, she might not feel very secure. I'd suggest blacking out the sides and back of the tank (I use black adhesive Con-Tact paper from Home Depot $6.00) and moving that log hide so that the back is against one of the sides.

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## deftones2015

> Well if I had to guess, she might not feel very secure. I'd suggest blacking out the sides and back of the tank (I use black adhesive Con-Tact paper from Home Depot $6.00) and moving that log hide so that the back is against one of the sides.


I agree. The tank looks really open for a ball. Try some more enclosed hides. One on the hot side and one on the cool side. Also, make sure you have one end that is on the warmer end of the temp. gradient and one side that is on the cooler end of the tem. gradient. I keep my hot side around 90-93 (basking spot) and cool end 75-80.

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## vangarret2000

It is normal for them to try to get out. They will do that. Make sure your lid is secure so that he can't actually get out.

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## Kymberli

I agree that you should black out the sides of the tank. One of my BPs is still in a tank because I want it to gain more weight before moving it to a tub (since moves can be stressful and cause fasting), so the tank it is in is blacked out on three sides and the top, and has no wide open spaces. This seems to be perfect for my BP, mostly hides and doesn't "search" for a way out anymore.

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## psychophobia

she look stress,like my bp when i was buy her.it normal,maybe she still new with the environment or like they said,cover the side of the tank.sometime it because your husbandry,make sure it ok for you bp.

this is what i do,i dont know what other do,when i see my snake do like that,i will try to handling it n let her explore outside the tank for about 5 to 10 minutes until she go back near the tank.look like she want to climb back into his hide.then i will put she back into her tank.i do this for a bout a week now n she seem to like it n know when i will bring her out.she like 'take me again to explore this world"

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## Kinra

> It is normal for them to try to get out. They will do that. Make sure your lid is secure so that he can't actually get out.


I have to agree.  BPs are nocturnal, so night time is when they are going to try to escape.  They also happen to be escape artists so you really need to make sure the lid is secure.

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## seeya205

You need to check your temps and the tank is too bare for a ball python.  You need two hides(one on cool side, one on warm side) and they need to be just big enough for the snake to fit in and needs to have only one small opening so it will feel secure.  You really need to replace the half log as they are not very good for a ball!  New snakes will do this for a few weeks but if it goes longer then it is a security issue!  Follow everything on this care sheet and you will have one happy ball python:  http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

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## Candice21

Thanks everyone. It's been about a week since I've checked this post. She's been doing fine, we fed her day before yesterday so she's been sleeping that off. I have noticed when she's really active trying to climb to the top of the tank we've taken her out and played with her for a bit and put her back and she's fine after that. But still when I wake up in the middle of the night I see her still at it, I keep it completely dark where she is other than a small plug in night light. I'm going to try the suggestions, look into getting another hide and black out the sides to see how she reacts and go from there   :Very Happy: 

(Plus the pictures I have on here are a few months old, we've changed things since then so it is a little different)

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## Pyth

> Thanks everyone. It's been about a week since I've checked this post. She's been doing fine, we fed her day before yesterday so she's been sleeping that off. I have noticed when she's really active trying to climb to the top of the tank we've taken her out and played with her for a bit and put her back and she's fine after that. But still when I wake up in the middle of the night I see her still at it, I keep it completely dark where she is other than a small plug in night light. I'm going to try the suggestions, look into getting another hide and black out the sides to see how she reacts and go from there  
> 
> (Plus the pictures I have on here are a few months old, we've changed things since then so it is a little different)


She might be hungry.  Mine becomes quite the escape artist when she's ready to feed.

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## kitedemon

Check your temps, she maybe be looking for cooler/warmer temps. 

Is the activity lazy just poking into things or is it full of fast movements lots of forward and back head movements and constantly. Frantic like movement, as apposed to relaxed?

A snake that is active at night can be stress (heat stress usually, security stress is often trying to get under things and find a deeper darker corner) Or it can be just curious and inquisitive some are some are not. It is the pace of activity that is the clue.

Check the temps inside the hides very carefully as it could easily be heat related.

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