Won't use his warm hide!!!

[kurtkoils]

Okay, I've had my bp for over 2 weeks now. Just when I had everything under control, temps and humidity and substrate, etc. ... I fed him, he ate, was hiding all the time, etc. Now he's acting all stressed out again.

I let him be for 3 days after he ate, and he hid like a happy snake on the warm side (my temps ARE correct, that's not the issue). After 3 days, I took him out to clean up the paper towels in the tank, and I replaced his larger hides with some nicer, tighter ones. The problem is, now he only hangs out in the hide on the cool side. The temperatures ARE correct (82-84 cool, 92-94 warm) but he will just NOT hide in the warm box. He spends almost all day on the cool side in the hide.

I tried directing him toward the warm one. He explored it, but now just rests with half of his body on top of it instead of going in.

The most confusing thing is, the hides are IDENTICAL. Why doesn't he like the hide? How can I get him to use it? He spends all day and night either in the cool hide, or not hiding, and I don't want him to get stressed out.

[Kaorte]

Thats the point of having identical hides on each side, so they can choose between the warm and cool side. There is nothing wrong with the snake only using the cool hide when he hasn't eaten recently

[GoBoilers]

I'd try putting his old hides back in and see what he does...maybe he's a guy that just likes a little more space?

[SixSnakes]

I wouldn't worry too much. During the day, my ball pythons (most of them) are on their cool side. I used to think they were never on the hot side, but I have woken up in the middle of the night to find them there.

As long as everything is all good, I wouldn't stress. Just watch to see if their behavior is normal and they are eating readily.

Are you using a glass tank? I had a younger bp in a 10g who seemed really stressed in that environment! She has a humid hide, normal hide and hot hide. She stopped using all hides and would just huddle in the corner. She was obviously stressed. I resolved this by hanging paper on all sides of her tank and slowly removing it once she seemed more comfortable. She is totally fine now.

[kurtkoils]

Yeah, the problem is that I'm up at all hours day and night (don't sleep much) and he's ALWAYS on the cool side. He's in there right now actually. He can't possibly be comfortable exclusively on the cool side. And 3 sides of the tank are covered with foam insulation.

[SixSnakes]

When did he eat last? And how many days ago did you switch the hides around? It may be because the change was so recent and he is still relatively new to that home as it is.

I would probably leave things as they are now... You could try adding a climby branchy thing and propping them over the warm hide to give the impression of more security? But I wouldn't move the hides.

[Kaorte]

Yeah, the problem is that I'm up at all hours day and night (don't sleep much) and he's ALWAYS on the cool side. He's in there right now actually. He can't possibly be comfortable exclusively on the cool side. And 3 sides of the tank are covered with foam insulation.

Many ball pythons, including some of mine will stay on the cool side until feeding day, move to the hot side for two days, and then move back to the cool side for the rest of the week. If he is there, chances are he is in fact comfortable there.

[kurtkoils]

Thanks. Haha. I think I'm just reading into his actions a bit too much.