Ball Python hiding spot

[PrincessPeach]

A little less than a month ago I got a ball python and so far he seems to be doing really well! He's still a hatchling about 18 inches long and I've fed him three times without any problems. I have him in a 20G long terrarium and have a hide on both sides. He always uses his cool side hide, but never his warm side! When he's awake he'll travel through it, but never sleeps in there. There is a spot he loves to hangout at on the warm side, and when I placed the hide there he didn't go over to that spot for about two days, but once I removed it he was hanging out over there again. Right now he is wrapped around the bottom of a tree branch that is on top of the UTH. My question is should I get another hide for him to try out? He seems to be "happy" and I haven't had any problems with feeding or handling him (only have handled about twice), so I just want to make sure I'm doing what I can to keep him stress free. Any advice would be great

[OsirisRa32]

you should have 2 hides...one on cool side...one on warm side....

[royal constrictor]

Both of your hides should be identical because if they like one more than the other they will sacrifice warmth for their sense of security.... So make sure both ur hides are identical and make sure ur hot side is about 90 degrees and if both of those are correct I wouldn't worry about it... The snake will choose for himself where he wants to be

[SylverTears]

May I ask what type of hides you use?

[PrincessPeach]

When I got him the setup I bought had a hide which I keep on the cool side, and have a different small overturned box on the warm side. I tried to find an identical one, but couldn't as it was included in a setup I got. I'm planning on getting identical ones when he gets bigger and needs a new one. All my temps and humidity seem to be fine, he's been cruising around his habitat the past few hours though

[Inarikins]

If he's still little enough (and he should be), you can buy cheap plastic bowls for less than a buck apiece. I used plastic cereal bowls until Aradia was nearly 300 grams. If you're using substrate and not just paper, just make a little hole under the edge of the hide for the snake to get in and out of. Or you can make a hole for the snake in the bowl, just make sure you don't have any sharp edges they can catch themselves on. Identical hides are super important for ball pythons, because they'll choose security over any other factor, including warmth. (If you need pics of what I'm talking about, just let me know. I still have all my hides.)

[Aztec4mia]

what are your temps? it' quite possible he goes to both sides and just prefers the cool side, I catch my ball pythons on the cool side quite often in my rack and I don't give them hides. My big pastel female is in a 4ft melamine cage, she has a cave-ish hide on the warm side and one of those pieces of wood thingy's from petco I think(it's basically a bunch of pieces drift wood attached to each other) definitly not a typical "secure" hide, and I would say I catch her on that side of the cage about 40% of the time I see her. I keep my snakes a little cooler then most say; 89 on the hot side and try to keep the cool side 80+- a few degrees. If he seems fine and eats I don't see a reason to change things up.

[Inarikins]

what are your temps? it' quite possible he goes to both sides and just prefers the cool side, I catch my ball pythons on the cool side quite often in my rack and I don't give them hides. My big pastel female is in a 4ft melamine cage, she has a cave-ish hide on the warm side and one of those pieces of wood thingy's from petco I think(it's basically a bunch of pieces drift wood attached to each other) definitly not a typical "secure" hide, and I would say I catch her on that side of the cage about 40% of the time I see her. I keep my snakes a little cooler then most say; 89 on the hot side and try to keep the cool side 80+- a few degrees. If he seems fine and eats I don't see a reason to change things up.

A baby ball in a 20 gallon tank is definitely going to need two hides. Racks are almost like hides in and of themselves. In OP's picture, there's only one hide and not a lot of privacy otherwise. It could be a heat issue, or it could be that he's staying where he feels most secure and not caring about the heat. /shrugs

[Gpoop]

I just got a bp last week. He has 2 identical hides from reptile basics, one on hot side the other on cool side. I have a log that is split down the middle that gradually gets smaller and smaller, which is on the hot side aswell. I also have this piece of flat cork that's on the cool side. It's been a week, took him first meal last night and has yet to use the reptile basics hides. He prefers the flat piece of cork on the cool side. Point being? they'll go where they want too.

[Inarikins]

But you have to give them the choice. If you have two identical hides and perfect husbandry and they're always in one hide or the other or neither, that's their choice. Only giving them the choice between one hide and no hide doesn't actually give them a choice, as they will just about always pick the hide.