Hide preference

[vangarret2000]

sometimes when i am looking through forums here and elsewhere some people say they think their BP just seems to prefer one hide in their enclosure. People recommend to get identical hides to stop this. I was just wondering if it is a big problem if a BP is only using one hide in their tank and what, if any, complications can arise from it? I know my BP prefers to just be in his one hide. When i first had him I had two different hides and i noticed her just used the one, so I bought an I dentical one and he still only use the first one. If I leave it on the hot side he stays only on that side and if I switch the two hides so the one he prefers is on the cool side he just moves to that one and only stays on the cool side. The only problem I could think that would come from this is he is never changing his temperature if he is never leaving that hide, but I just wasn't sure if this would be a problem or not. I can fix this by just keeping the one hide on his hot side so he gets his basking temp in the day and turning the UTH down at night so it isn't too hot for him in the evenings if it's that important for him to cool down at night. I am not worried by him only using the one hide I am just checking to see if i should be worried or not.

[mrshawt]

They thermoregulate as they please, most of the time I don't even notice when my bp switches.
My recommendation: keep both hides as he will eventually use it too.
I would not change the temps as they don't need something like that.

Maybe a cleaning of the hides could be in order? One could smell different. Or it could be haunted. I hear snakes don't like ghosts.

[vangarret2000]

They thermoregulate as they please, most of the time I don't even notice when my bp switches.

Maybe a cleaning of the hides could be in order? One could smell different. Or it could be haunted. I hear snakes don't like ghosts.

I know they are supposed to move to control thier own temp, but mine only stays in his one hide. That's why I was wondering if this is ok or not and how to change it if it isn't. Staying in his one hide just leaves him in his basking temp all day and night.

Also I did clean both hides recently too.

[mrshawt]

Then it's cool. I'd still leave both in there just in case, he may find the other one in a nightly cruising. The basking temp won't hurt him, even for a while. Changing something against his preference is just likely to stress him out.

[cinderbird]

he may be moving when you aren't looking. Keep that in mind too. If the two hides are identical, it shouldn't be an issue.

Dont turn down the UTH at night, young snakes don't need this and if it goes too low he could get sick and get a respiratory infection. If the UTH is the right temp (hot spot of 90-94ish) on the hot side, he can't get burned. This is the reason thermostats are so highly recommended.

Did you say what your enclosure temps were? (cool, warm, ambient and humidity) and what you were using to measure them? Perhaps the enclosure could be too cold overall and that is why he is staying on the warm side if he truly isn't thermoregulating.