How to help an overly shy snake

So my little BP is about 7-8 months old now. He’s eating well, a small mouse about once per week, had a really good shed for me a couple weeks ago, and all his tank heat/humidity levels are maintaining well. He used to be bolder and explore a bit more, especially at night, but I’ve noticed for a while now he rarely ever comes out of one of his hides. At night he pokes his head out, but keeps his body inside. This started about a week before his last shed, and I didn’t think much of it because I knew he was in shed but I thought afterward, he’d go back to normal. The problem with this hide is that I canNOT get him out of it. It’s like a hollowed out rock and I can’t get my hand all the way inside to get him out. I don’t want him to get used to not being handled and make it more difficult to handle him later. I want him to get used to me, and I don’t want to teach him that if he’s in that hide, then he won’t be handled. But I also don’t want to stress him out too much. Anyone experience something similar? And what were your solutions?


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I'm still new to owning ball pythons but we have two now and one or ours is never out of her hide even at night untill it get closer to feeding day every 14 days around day 10 she starts to get more active but other then that the most she moves into go from here hot hide to her cold and back she eats very well. Then our other one is the complete opposite comes out of her hide very night around 11pm and roams around for an hour and back to a hide I think as long as your animal is eating and shedding good all is fine from the sounds of it though you can't get into the hide to remove your animal from the hide I may be wrong but that doesn't sound like a good hide some one correct me if I am wrong

I'm wondering how you'll be able to clean inside that hide when the need (& excrement) arises? But in general, I wouldn't worry about your snake "learning to
avoid handling by staying in the hide"...it's truly more important that snakes DO have a place to feel safe & secure from the world of predators (they're ruled by
instincts, remember?). They may go off feed if they don't feel secure, & if they go off feed, their immune system may suffer in time...see where I'm going? :snake:
It's normal & healthy for snakes to want...to need...to hide...especially ambush-predators like BPs. But I'd probably replace that hide with one that can be lifted-
just buy a new hide & next time your snake is out, replace it with the new one. Avoid forcing a snake out of their hide.

Most snakes get comfortable with handling in time, when we're patient, & most importantly, when we hold them close us so they feel as if they're hiding. They
are naturally more nervous when out in the open, as predators (like birds of prey) can swoop down & grab them.