What if my BP wont use his hide container??

[jayray]

A friend of mine left for the coast guard and was gonna have to give his snake away, so lucky for me I got my new Bp two cages and all the extras for free.
I have had him 3 wks, within the first week he already ate, has pooped normally, and shed..and i have been told by a few people that have owned snakes for years that he is more active then a normal Ball. although he will not use a hide container.. every type i put in he flips over, gets on top of, or drags around.
any suggestions??

I already know that as soon as I can afford it I will be gettin him a bigger cage. but I want him to be as comfortable as possible until i can

[mooingtricycle]

Some just dont use them. If he prefers not to have it, give him some sticks and driftwood to crawl under/over or hide next to.

[jayray]

think itll work?? this is def my first snake and the friend who had him didnt have a lot of knowledge of snake care. Which makes me feel awful bc monty *I also did not name him* is 2yrs now, and never had a hide hole, was on the floor in my friends room with no dark cover for the tank and open view from all sides.. he constantly was scared of everything. it only took him a few days but i have him so only the front of his cage is open to ppl everythin else is solid, and keep a black out cover on it at nite... he seems a lot more at ease now. I just want him to be the most content he can, and most everyone has their own opinions

[rishnack]

your lucky mine hardly ever come outa there hides unless its dark
i would leave one in there and just add some fake leaves or plants so he can hide behind em and feel safer or "hidden"

[Argentra]

Ahh, that explains it.

That snake doesn't know that a hide is safe. He probably thinks they're traps or bad places. If he lived in an exposed tank, he thinks everything is exposed.
The BPs I've gotten from my trusted store were kept, necessarily, in open enclosures with no hides, and when I got them home they didn't use the hides for weeks until they saw that it was safe.

Make sure you give two identical and DARK tight hides and just be patient with him. Also, for snakes like him, bigger isn't always better. I would say that until he learns he's safe with you, keep him in a nice snug and dark enclosure. Of course, size depends on him...and pics would help.

[jayray]

he's 3ft. finally got an accurate measurement of him yesterday. his tank is only 2'x1'x1' which isnt horrible, but i would want a bigger tank if i were him so he's gettin one..ha

he's actually really comfortable with me, or i like to think. he has a wicked good feeding response, already shed, poops normally, if others hold him he comes right back to me. if im holdin him he romes anywhere but usually ends up next to me,be it for the warmth or the familiar smell. I just really would like to get him a few hides he likes, altho it was wicked funny to watch him flip it over and 'play' with them. haha

[Argentra]

Good to hear he's settled with you at least...you're his safety.

Hmm, a 20long or a 30breeder would be a good tank for him. Not too big, but not as tiny as what he's in now. Make sure to cover the back and both sides, insulate, and give him plenty of vines or low branches to hide in if he still doesn't like his hides.

Good luck with him!

[BMorrison]

I hear ya about it wanting to come back to you around other people. Furio seems to trust nobody but myself.

[Texas Dan]

My Spider BP sits in his warm hide all the time, the temps are perfect on both sides, I think he just likes it better. A lot of the time though, he doesn't use his hides, he just likes to slither around under the aspen.

One of my cats likes to sit under the tank and watch him.

[jayray]

I went out today got a 20L tank, a corner trunk hide *altho the store only had one in stock at the moment* a heat pad for under the tank and they told me to keep the light on the top a white light not red. with a very light layer of bedding the heat pad doesnt seem to be workin to heat thru it at all, just thru the glass on the immediate spots it touches.

but the good news is.. he actually went straight for this hide! bad news is i finally did find out he has an infection.. was weezin when i first got him but stopped within two days, just two days ago started again, so im thinkin he didnt get 100% better. i keep his tank at 85+ at all times, but anyone know any vets that take snakes in the Queen city, NC area???