Maybe I'm just being a worry wart but...

Alright, Hissy has been spending ALL of her time in her cool hide lately! I mean there is not a single moment that i see her leave the cool hide, day or not, lights or no lights. Even after i handle her & put her back into her tank, she goes right back to the cool hide. Her warm hide is the exact same thing as her cool hide. Her temps & humidity have remained the same as always. Should I be concerned or should I just have faith in the fact that she will be smart enough to thermoregulate herself as needed? I am gettin a little nervous with her spending so much damn time on the cool side cuz i don't want her to get sick. Some one calm my fears or tell me what to do at least please!

No worries man she knows what shes doing. My herps do weird stuff like that all the time but I just chill out and say well they know what they're doing. I mean its not like they can't move over to the hot side if they want to. Just put a little trust into the fact that they know what they're doing and you play your part as the provider LOL and all should go well.

For some reason all of mine spend 75% of their time on the cool end also ;)

rex stays in his cool hide the whole time to.

Actually I find that my snakes are usually enjoying the hot side when i'm sleepin'. When I awake from my disorganized slumber I like to look at them in the dark and they're usually on the hot side of the tank.

It is starting to feel as though she just wants to be in a hide at all times regardless of what side it is on or anything else. After I wrote that post last nite I picked up her cool hide & set her back down in the tank right in front of her warm hide. She want into her warm hide & has been in there ever since now. I am kinda gettin concerned that she is just constantly worried & just wants to be in hiding. I never see her explore anymore & I am always up late at nite with the lights off hopin to see her cruise around.

Is she placed in a high traffic area of the house cause that could result in putting undo stress on the animal thus all she'll do is hide out.

My hubby worries about as much as you lately Mr. Bob hasn't been in hiding and he is worried about him.

Well, she is right in the living room but it is just Nanci & I here & we aren't here an incredible amount. We don't walk by her cage all the time. I am starting to think that I am in a difficult situation with her because the walls & floors & ceilings in this apartment are really thin. My upstairs neighbors are youngins & they are LOUD!! I am worrying that she is put under a great deal of undo stress because of them being so heavy footed. This puts me in a tough spot cuz there is no place that I can put her where their traffic will not effect her. Any ideas on how I can reduce the stress for her???

Realistically no I'd have to give it some thought. Unrealistiacally you could A) Shoot the neighbours. or B)Sound Proof your apartment. :D

also, stop handling for like a week, don't do anything but change the water and see if behavior changes - too much handling stresses snakes out too - just something to try! :)

it's all definitely your first assumption eddie, you're a worry wart. :)

Worry wort. BPs are not ribbon or garter snakes so don't worry about it. Just make sure that you have your temps right and everything should be fine. Have you taken her to a vet yet?

Eddie I know that feeling Ozzy use to live in his cool hide ALL the time and I use to worry but after the vet visit he said he was healthy I didnt worry besides like eveyone says they will move if hot or cold.
Ozzy now has started to spend more time in his hot hide ( yes I am worry wart like you and wonder why) but he looks healthy and eats good and has good sheds so I am going with the thought all systems are go.
I doubt your neighbors are to loud and it is bothering your Bp, heck my neighbors above me sound most time like they are playing B-ball above us.
Your bp knows both hides are there and will move as need :)

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Originally Posted by iceman25

Have you taken her to a vet yet?

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I have only had her for a little more than a month & a half now (feels like MUCH longer) but yes, I did take her to the vet. I took her to the vet at the end of March & the vet said that aside from being under-fed by the douche bags at the petstore, she was in great health. She was just a little thin. Like Jotay said though, she eats well, her last shed was perfect, I don't notice any problems with her breathing so I just have to assume that she is fine. I am gunna let her be for a few days though because I do handle her probably once a day (other than for 12 hours before & 48 hours after she eats) so maybe she is just a bit tired of that. I also decided that because she is in an all glass enclosure that I am going to put sumthin across the back & one side of the tank to give her a little more privacy. We'll see if that works.

It's just odd. I know that people keep saying that she is probably drinking & exploring when I am asleep but she is always in the same hide every time i see her unless I do what i did the other nite & lift one hide out & set her in front of the other. It just really seems as though she never leaves whatever hide she is in other than when I move her. Her inactivity seems great even for a BP. This is part of why I feel like she never drinks too. I dunno. I am as big a worry wart as there is when it comes to her care because I know that she was cared for poorly by the petstore from which I got her & I want her to trust me & to have a long, wonderful life.

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I am worrying that she is put under a great deal of undo stress because of them being so heavy footed. This puts me in a tough spot cuz there is no place that I can put her where their traffic will not effect her. Any ideas on how I can reduce the stress for her???

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Put the enclosure up on some rubber feet - it will dampen the vibrations a bit - you can snag em at Wal-Mart usually hanging next to the eyehooks and nuts and bolts and chair coasters (oh my!). Remembering apartment life (and having 3 kids who run all over the upstairs of our current house) I know it is the vibration as much as if not more than the noise audible to us. Make sure if you can that the cage isn't on a hard surface (conducts sound/vibrations better) and buffer it with the rubber feet. Jonah having studied music and audio might have some unique suggestions.


On the warm-hide cool-hide, def trust the judgement of your snake. If you notice they are spending ALL their time on the cool side and NEVER go to the warm you may want to retake some temps on the warm side and do a surface check (use a temp gun if you have one). We have one that stays on the warm side about 95% of the time, 'Suki who is usually hangin out in her cool hide, and the "twins" who just chug back and forth between hides all day long.