The Hide...

Is it bad to lift my BP's hide? I only have a short window to feed her and I usually have to lift her hide in order to move her. I usually lift the hide and go away for a couple minutes so she won't be so worried. She really doesn't seem to mind but I don't want to ruin her only sense of security...

For most BP's...that's the only way you'll ever get to see them, is if you lift their hides up. So long as you're not pestering them all the time...it's fine.

Thanks Judy.

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Originally Posted by Dreamer

Is it bad to lift my BP's hide? I only have a short window to feed her and I usually have to lift her hide in order to move her. I usually lift the hide and go away for a couple minutes so she won't be so worried. She really doesn't seem to mind but I don't want to ruin her only sense of security...

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Are you lifting the hide to feed or are you talking about lifting hides in general? Ball pythons love to hunt from the security of a hide, so just leave everything in the enclosure alone when you are about to feed.

Yep what Daniel said. Just pop the food in there and they will come out for it and get it with no problems whatsoever.
As for lifting the hide just to check on them, I think most of us do that. Like Judy said if we didn't we would hardly ever see them. I know my older bp is so use to me lifting and checking he doesn't even flinch or look twice, he just keeps on chillin unless he wants to come out and play then he will come over to the side of the tub and crawl out on me.

Hmmm... I was always told to move the BP to another enclosure so they don't associate your hand with food. They associate the other enviroment with feeding. :confused:

A lot of owners feed that way and it's fine if that is what you want.
If you only ever open the cage to feed then they may associate the opening of the cage w/ feeding but unless your hand smells like a mouse or rat I wouldn't worry about them associating your hand for food.

I have been feeding my bp for over three years in his enclosure and no problems with him thinking my hand is food. Many members on here do the same.

It is ok to feed in his enclsoure unless you have some type of substrate that would not be good for them to ingest then you may want to take another look at it and go with a different type of substrate if that is the case.

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Originally Posted by Dreamer

Hmmm... I was always told to move the BP to another enclosure so they don't associate your hand with food. They associate the other enviroment with feeding. :confused:

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Nope - that's a myth. I feed all fifteen of mine in their enclosures and have no worries going into their enclosures any other time. I like that mine have the added security of being able to hunt from their hides.

If you set up routines, feeding on the same day, at the same time each week, they learn those pretty quickly and know exactly what day is feeding day and what days are not.

We feed 14 snakes (13 BPs, 1 BCI) weekly in their enclosures. Only the little Milksnake eats in a seperate enclosure simply because her home is very "busy" with cage decor so it's easier in the end to move her to a simple feeding box. Most of our BP's either hunt striking out from their hide, from on top of the hide or use it as cover and patiently wait for the rodent to wander by the hide before they dart out and nail it. As long as they are used to your hands in their home for other reasons than feeding and you don't smell of rodent...most are quite fine (some aren't and that's just how they are).