Ball python wedged inside hide, cool side after eating?

I adopted my first ball a little over a week ago, and set him up in his enclosure. I went to a local breeder and adopted on a day he was fed and so he spent the first couple nights in his warm hide. I got a stump shaped plastic hide and put it on the cool side with some cardboard underneath to create a hide.
I noticed it was hollow (down into the tiny root like branches on the hide) before I first put it in and stuffed the inside with rags and topped it off with substrate.
The baby found his way into the thing and pushed all my rags out of the way.
I left him alone until the day came for his first feed, and I tried to lure him out with a live rat fuzzy. He didn't respond and so I left it in overnight. Didn't take it the first night so the next night I tried again and he obviously came out and ate it, but he retreated back into his cold hide. I left him a day assuming that he would need heat but he still hasn't left and I'm worried about his digestion.
Should I try to remove him? My hand won't fit I'd probably have to take him to a vet or something... I'm not sure. I'm worried his warm hide just wasn't secure enough and now he is sacrificing his own warmth for the security of being wedged in this weird spot. Smells like he might have even urinated or deficated in the log. Also I've been having a hard time keeping the cool side warm enough because it is the middle of winter and my roommates keep the house coooold so advice there helps too.
The warm side sits around 91 with UTH, cool side is around 75.
He hatched in July if that info helps.

The first thing I would do is be sure he has multiple hides so he never has to decide between security and proper thermoregation. Also, I wouldn’t worry about moving him to a warmer spot. As long as he has a temperature gradient available, he will instinctually go where he needs to go in order digest his dinner. My little scrub python often spends the couple days after a feed in his cool hide instead of basking and he has the fastest metabolism of any serpent I’ve ever seen!

If you’re really worried and he only has one hide right now, you could always just scoot the hide into a warmer spot. He’s still acclimating, so he’ll definitely go wherever you move the hide. Lastly, I would like to discourage you from leaving live prey in your snake’s enclosure unsupervised, especially overnight. I know it was a fuzzy and highly unlikely it could harm your pet physically, but it could definitely stress him out.

in any case, congrats on your new friend and keep us posted!

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Originally Posted by Team Slytherin

The first thing I would do is be sure he has multiple hides so he never has to decide between security and proper thermoregation. Also, I wouldn’t worry about moving him to a warmer spot. As long as he has a temperature gradient available, he will instinctually go where he needs to go in order digest his dinner. My little scrub python often spends the couple days after a feed in his cool hide instead of basking and he has the fastest metabolism of any serpent I’ve ever seen!

If you’re really worried and he only has one hide right now, you could always just scoot the hide into a warmer spot. He’s still acclimating, so he’ll definitely go wherever you move the hide. Lastly, I would like to discourage you from leaving live prey in your snake’s enclosure unsupervised, especially overnight. I know it was a fuzzy and highly unlikely it could harm your pet physically, but it could definitely stress him out.

in any case, congrats on your new friend and keep us posted!

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It was mentioned that multiple hides were provided however the snake chose to retreat back to the Cool hide. A snake Will Sacrifice security over proper temperatures which is why we always have to make sure our temperatures are within the 77-91 window and that hides are exactly the same. If you give them a Open 1/2 Log on one side and a RBI hide on another they are going with the darkest & securest no matter what the temps.
Get rid of those decorative hides that can be dangerous and sharp and get the RBI style that are simple and easy to sterilize and easy to lift off the snake in case you need to remove him.
I would lower the UTH to 89 also as all thermometers can be off by 3°.
If the cool side is to cool move the hide he is in over to the uth until you can lure him out of it.
http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes

I also would remove the tree hide as soon as the snake comes out of it. The snake will grow and the hide will not.

Using anything that's hollow like that is a bad idea. Once the snake is out, definitely ditch it for proper hides. You can use cheap cereal bowls, Tupperware, plastic take out boxes, etc... for cheap, easy hides. Or spend the money on a few proper plastic hides. Better for the animals as well as your sanity.

He still hasn't come out and I don't know if he ever will! Any suggestions on luring him out so I can replace the hide?

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Originally Posted by Miluvly

He still hasn't come out and I don't know if he ever will! Any suggestions on luring him out so I can replace the hide?

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If you have some time to sit around and monitor the snake, I would just take the hide out of the enclosure and set it on it's side or something on a table where you will be. If you're sitting at a desk, just set the hide on the desk. If you're watching tv, set it on the coffee table, etc... eventually, hopefully he'll get cold or hungry and come out to find warmth or food