BP roaming?

So my bp has been hiding pretty much constantly since I last fed him (Friday) but tonight he's being super active in his tank and looks like he's trying to escape. I think his temps are okay, 89 hot side, 80 ambient and 78 cool side. I dunno, he's acting like the first day I got him, is it normal for them to be this active at night or am I doing something wrong?

Mine usually cruise around after they've pee'd or poo'd. Unless you've changed something like their hide or enclosure size... When was the last feeding? Weight of snake? Type of prey and size?

What is the weight of the snake and the what size prey was eaten?

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

What is the weight of the snake and the what size prey was eaten?

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I still don't have his weight and since the bigger prey has yet to arrive he's still on pinkies, he ate 3 on friday

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Originally Posted by Ditto

I still don't have his weight and since the bigger prey has yet to arrive he's still on pinkies, he ate 3 on friday

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I assume you mean pinky rats. He might just be hungry. But hard to know without the animal's weight. If it's pinky mice, then most likely hungry.

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Originally Posted by Ditto

I still don't have his weight and since the bigger prey has yet to arrive he's still on pinkies, he ate 3 on friday

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Ok, sorry, so many threads I kinda forgot who's who sometimes.

Based on your current situation I would guess your snake is still hungry. I wouldn't worry, it'll likely solve itself once your prey arrives and your snake is eating better meals.

If it helps I had the same situation. Im a new BP owner. I ordered my little Francis online as well as her rat pinks. When I got her I put her right in to her home. Didnt bother her until I fed her a week later. When I fed her it seemed that the rat pink was a little small. I handled her a few days later for the 1st time and that night and for the next couple days she was all over the place. Checked temps, humidity etc... So I wasn't sure if she was stressed out because I handled her or if she was hungry. In the mean time I got an appropriately sized fuzzy rat. I fed her a day early and for the last few days she has just been chillin.

I feel like she was just hungry. Obviously all situations are different. Hope this helps.

Please check back in here and update us on how its going.

So he ate an adult mouse really early yesterday and he's still roaming. His temps are the same and I haven't changed anything about his enclosure, he was hiding for most of the day yesterday but now he's up and about again

I hate to ask, but have you checked him for mites? I do hope he's just hungry but you'd better make sure.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I hate to ask, but have you checked him for mites? I do hope he's just hungry but you'd better make sure.

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Yeah, I checked the first day I got him, he's clean. What should I do if he's just still hungry?

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Originally Posted by Ditto

Yeah, I checked the first day I got him, he's clean. What should I do if he's just still hungry?

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Can't hurt to double check. Especially if you're new to the hobby and aren't too sure what to look for.

Personally, I'd check again...you could have missed something...they get on & off, & keep multiplying. Just saying...

How soon after eating does he defecate?

Okay, should I do that now? I'm not sure what the protocol is since he just ate

Usually a few days

While it's better not to handle a snake after they eat, since he's active anyway (& not barfing his meal) it shouldn't hurt for you to handle* him gently-
wipe over him with a slightly damp white cloth or paper towel...look closely in his cage too (water bowl especially for "specks"). *Do keep his head
higher than his body though, that helps his meal "stay down".

OK, that sounds pretty normal. I ask because I've actually had a rescue (temp. 'house-guest') that defecated about 24 hours after I fed him- he had
lots of intestinal worms that were "helping" him digest at warp-speed. :( I de-wormed him... Internal parasites could certainly account for a restless
(uncomfortable) snake, that's why I asked.

Okay I just checked, no mites :)
What should I do now?

Does he have at least 2 hides (one on warm side & one on cool side)? and what kind are they? how big are they compared to the snake (if he was curled up)?
Most snakes prefer a snug feel...only one doorway that's not too big, just enough room for snake with a meal-bulge to fit thru. Hide shouldn't be too tall either-
if you look at House Beautiful magazine, homes w/ big dramatic front doors & high ceilings...snakes want the exact opposite. ;) If he's roaming it's possibly
because he isn't finding a place he feels safe to settle in. Be sure the surface temps. INSIDE the hides are ok too, not too hot...heat can build up.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Does he have at least 2 hides (one on warm side & one on cool side)? and what kind are they? how big are they compared to the snake (if he was curled up)?
Most snakes prefer a snug feel...only one doorway that's not too big, just enough room for snake with a meal-bulge to fit thru. Hide shouldn't be too tall either-
if you look at House Beautiful magazine, homes w/ big dramatic front doors & high ceilings...snakes want the exact opposite. ;) If he's roaming it's possibly
because he isn't finding a place he feels safe to settle in. Be sure the surface temps. INSIDE the hides are ok too, not too hot...heat can build up.

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He has a bigger hide (not too big, just a standard black plastic hide) on the hot side with a toilet paper tube inside in case he needs extra security, and two TP tubes on the cool side (and he has hid in them before so I know he fits), he fits snugly in the TP tubes and a bit loosely in the bigger hide. Also I check his surface temps pretty much hourly with a temp gun so I can make sure he doesn't get too hot again
Sorry this reply took so long, by the time I'm typing this he's hiding again lol. He still has his face sticking out though :rolleyes:

I'm glad you checked on temps.- you shouldn't need to check hourly though, are you not using a thermostat?

What you might do in the larger hide (instead of the TP roll, maybe take them out): loosely crumple* a couple paper towels & stuff them in there. He'll be able to smoosh himself in really well & I've found many baby snakes (of all kinds) seem to like how that feels. I have a feeling he tried the tubes but they aren't quite the right thing.

*Another option with paper towels: layer a couple towels & tear/shred them into strips, then toss strips into a jumble, & use inside the hides as before. Snakes love to move thru and hide in things in the wild...grasses, leaves, crevices & holes.

When you use paper towels in a hide this way, they can freely move thru it but everywhere they go they feel 'surrounded', which to them = "safe". It also shouldn't impact the temperature too much (as long as it's not packed in like insulation).

Oh I'm using a thermostat too, I just had his temps up way too high when I first got him and now I'm kinda paranoid lol
I'll try paper towels, thanks! :)