Normal Behavior? Newbie

[DustinB]

My BP only comes out about an hour after I turn the light off at night. Then he just kind of roams around as well and tries to find a way to climb out or hang out under the night lamp. Completely normal behavior. Mine didn't come out for a few days when I got him, then I noticed him finally coming out at night.

[frankykeno]

While it's a good thing for a ball python to use it's hides a lot you want to allow the snake to find the right balance of being in it's hides versus it's natural need to move around and to move for proper thermoregulation. A 40 gallon glass tank is a pretty big, open environment for a very young BP.

Some issues you will likely have to deal with is regulating temps and humidity properly to achieve stability. If that tank has the typical all mesh lid that will be a big challenge for you but it's not impossible - just challenging for a new keeper.

Also you may want to have more than the typical two hides (one on the warm side, one of the cool side). Put in a couple more placed so that the snake can move from one end to the other and have those hides to get into if it feels exposed. Perhaps add in some plastic vinery making sure that it's reptile safe and has no exposed and sharp wires or that the pieces could be easily pulled off the main vine. You might want to enclose the back and sides with either dark backing or a decorative glass tank backing found at most pet stores (or print something nice off the net if you have a photo quality printer). Basically fill up a lot of the open spaces. This will allow your young snake to feel safer and encourage it to move about as it should.

[jblaze]

Does the snake fit snugly (on all sides, including the top) inside the hide?

You might try offering two identical tight fitting hides and see how that works for you.

Do you think that the shoebox may be to big for him? There is a lot of space in it, I might try a pot saucer and see if he prefers a smaller hide.

[frankykeno]

Do you think that the shoebox may be to big for him? There is a lot of space in it, I might try a pot saucer and see if he prefers a smaller hide.

A snake hide should just barely fit the snake in a coiled up position. It's entrance shouldn't be too large, just enough to fit the snake in with a full belly. The hide should be dark and it's easiest for you and more sanitary for the snake if it's constructed of a material that does not absorb feces and urine and is easy to clean/disinfect.

Normally a shoebox is made of cardboard so it's likely not only too big but it's going to get nasty fast in the humid environment of a BP enclosure with a snake that is likely to use it's hide sometimes for a toilet.