silly snake

Ok so my BP has decided to make her own hide and now spends the large part of her day under the base of the climbing tree where she has made a little burrow. The problem is that I'm afraid she will get too cold. I took her temp and she was at 75 degrees which I think is too cold. I really want to avoid having to take everything out of her enclosure as this would be major stress but if I don't see her using her hot side more often I may not have a choice. Yesterday she did the same thing but moved to the hot hide in the evening.
What should the snakes body temp be at?

Well I decided to evict her and fill in her burrow, she was cold to the touch :( Hopefully filling in the hole with substrate will discourage her from trying that again. I had added 2 smaller hides to the enclosure on the weekend but she isn't using them so I shifted her hides a bit so they have a more private entrance. Snake is determined to give me a hard time.

sorry but im not sure on your experience.

Are you temps good? How are you measuring them? Are the hides a nice tight fit?

You could add some plants or just some scrunched up paper so they feel more secure in the enclosure.

Are you using a glass tank? As they could easily feel vunerable being visually on display all the time

Jim

Enclosure is glass and mesh but the sides and 1/2 front have been covered (we are having feeding issues) Tank was set up 1 month before the snake arrived and runs on auto-pilot cool side 75-80 (surface temp) hot side 85-90. Humidity 55-65%
There are plants and a climbing tree, large water dish a thin strip of cork board leaning against the back (like a lean to) 2 small flowerpot hides (these would be snug if she would bother with them) and a rock hide that is too big for her but she goes into it anyways. I am reluctant to take out the hide that is too big because I don't want to stress her out more than she has been, like I said feeding issues :(
I have pictures but don't know how to upload. This is my 1st snake and I have had her since Feb 28

there is a sticky thread at the top of the pictures forum that will show you how to post pics.

If your snake has good hides and the temps and humidity are fine then i dont know what to suggest. maybe she is happy and is just being a stubborn feeder.

How old is the BP?

Maybe the enclosure is to big for her and she feels uncomfortable in it!

If she just a baby might be worth swapping her to tub until she has grown on a bit.

75 is not rediculusly low. The hot side could be a little warmer. The problem with glass tanks with high side are keeping the ambient air temperature up and glass doesnt hold heat very well.

I would personnaly raise the hot side up to between 90-94 and see if that helps bump the air temp.

Other wise a simple desk lamp on top of the cage can help pick the temperature up a degree or two. But this will drop the humidity so may need to reposion the water bowl nearer the warmer end of the tank to compensate.

Jim

finally some cooperation! twisting the entrance to the hides seems to work she is in her flowerpot now :) now she can get to and from both her flowerpot hides using the privacy of the corkbark this way she doesn't have to come out into the open.
The temps are good and stable, this has never been a problem the temp of 75 was the actual temp of the snake who was burrowed under the coldest part of the tank and into the damp substrate. I just took her temp with the temp gun :)
Now it's hands off the tank till sat/Sun when I will make another attempt to feed her. hopefully the new tighter hides will boost her confidence and she will eat. she is only 6/7 months old and has had only 1 meal with me (march 10) since Feb 21 (last feed at the breeder)

:( now she is worrying me again because she has spent the whole day and night in her hide. She hasn't budged once. I can't believe the stress this snake is causing me! I read everywhere that they can go without food for well over a month at this age without any ill effects, but I still worry about her.

Heh heh,

She's supposed to hide all day anyway.

Don't worry about it yet.


dr del

Everything you are describing is completely normal for a new snake.

The first week or two after you get the snake, it will tend to "lay out" (not use hides). Then once it feels safe, it will start to use the hides all day and all night.

I only see my snakes out of their hides around feeding day.

Just leave her alone for a week or two and then try feeding her. She will not starve and she will not freeze to death if she is at 75*. If she needs to get warmer she will go where it is warmer.

I just got my BP to dude, she spends all her time in hides to. I see her out suuuper late night sometimes. But other than that she's a snake and thats what she likes to do.

So when we first got her she hid all the time then she became active at night. Then she started being active all the time and the feeding was an issue so I put in the tighter hides. Now last night I was up all night working on stuff and had a clear view of her tank. She has been in the cool hide for over 24hrs and has not moved. I know I'm just getting paranoid the thing is the snake was a gift to my 9 yr old snake crazy daughter who has been begging for one for 2 years. Now I am hooked on the little bugger too:) which is a good thing 'cause I'm doing all the work LOL!

She looks like she may have lost a little weight (at least the last time I saw the darn thing) her spine is visible now and she looks a little frumpy, but seriously how quickly can a 7 month old snake deteriorate?

OMG all of you please have a good laugh at my expense for being such a worry wort newbie dork! She MOVED!!!! yay she is hanging out in her rock hide now the question is this weekend should I try one more F/T (and have to wait one more week if she refuses) or just give her a live rat pup and get some food in her belly?

If she will take live then give her live. When was the last time she ate? a 7 month old snake could probably go a few months without eating and be fine.

She ate on Feb 21 at the breeders and March 10th with me. Then I offered again at 1 week and she refused and after that I was offering too frequently and getting refusals so I am holding off for a week (will be a week on Sat) to offer again. I guess the problem is I don't want her to get to the point of not eating because she has gone too long without food. Like I said she is looking more saggy than she did when I got her. But ultimately I have no clue what I'm doing LOL.

Here's an offbeat suggestion. Since you say you and your daughter both love snakes, get another one. I'd suggest a corn snake or a milk snake. Both of those are very easy to take care of, hardy, great eaters, tolerate being handled and will come out quite often so you can see them. It'll give you something to be distracted by while your python is settling into her new environment. :)

OMG I don't think i could handle another snake just yet! LOL I have a full house as it is...
1 snake
1 feral rescued dog
3 cats
1 eternal beta fish
3 kids
1 husband
Full time school (Dr. Homeopathic medicine 2011)

LOL I get the point though... Leave the darn snake ALONE LOL we actually haven't bothered it much it has been held twice for like 5 min since it came to live with us. I just mainly stare at the enclosure and fret, and worry, and fret some more :)