Young Ball Python Not Hiding and Refusing

[soapdog]

So I posted a thread here when I first got my ball and noticed some strange behavior and got some good answers, but now I have some more questions. Sorry in advance for the long post but I want to describe this thoroughly so there don't have to be as many followup questions.

The problem I am having is that I have had my python (estimated around six months old) for 12 days now and I have not observed him using his hides AT ALL throughout the entire time I've had him. I have tried to feed him twice (on the fifth and tenth days) and he was completely uninterested both times. What he does instead is spend half the day laying around outside of the hides, and during the more active times of day for him he slithers all around around but mostly by the front wall of his enclosure alternating between looking out at about mid way up the wall, and poking his head around the lid. He does not seem like he frantically wants to escape or anything, and I even see him flicking around his tongue sometimes as he does this. I have heard it is normal for them to explore and look for ways out, but he spends practically his entire active day slithering around and casually doing this.

Please let me know if this is completely strange, a little strange, normal, etc.

I can only think of a few husbandry issues but I didn't think they were all that serious. One is that my ambient temperatures fluctuate a bit, but never out of safe levels. Here in Vegas the days are very warm and the nights drop in temperature quite a bit and the room temperature follows this, so his ambient temperatures are anywhere from probably 75 at the rare coldest to an average of 80-85 throughout most of the day and night. The warm side measures at 90-93 inside of his hide. Humidity is always around 60%. Originally his hides were homemade and too big for him but I went out a few days ago and dropped some money on some nice, snug exo terra hides and he still refuses to use them. I am constantly checking the temperatures inside with a temp gun and its been consistent in the hides at 80 cold side 90 warm side. He crawls in sometimes so I know he's aware of the temps in there but he usually just crawls back out a few minutes later and never settles in.

The other issue I can think of is that his enclosure is in my bedroom. This is hardly a high foot traffic area most of the day but it also isn't his own room with total privacy. When I've fed him it has always been at night where I put in the mouse (f/t) right before I go to bed and check to see if he ate it in the morning. It's nice and dark and quiet; we're in the room sleeping but there's no significant noise or anything. I thaw the mouse on the counter for an hour or two and then put it into some warm water for a few minutes to warm it up and then put it in on a paper towel inside the enclosure. The mice are the same size as he eating before I got him (and I know he was eating because he pooped one of his first days here).

He's a very friendly snake, he hardly seems like he's been scared of me at all from day one. I'm not sure if I should just give him a few extra days to acclimate or if I need to make some kind of change.

There's no hissing or striking, balling up in fear (except when I am doing something major in his enclosure like putting in the new hides, messing around with the bedding, etc), or any other signs of hesitation I'm noticing. As far as I can tell, he seems pretty happy. He just won't use his hides and has refused twice. I'm stumped.

[gameonpython]

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[jrabbit]

Maybe he's still adjusting to his new surroundings. Do you offer him the mouse completely wet? Because my bp is pretty picky when it comes to wet prey items.

[Albert Clark]

Sounds like the husbandry is on point! I would agree with jrrabbit with the acclimating possibility I am not so sure about the wet prey item being a big factor. What was he being fed by the person you brought him from? Did he come from a breeder or was he store bought? It is unusual for a bp to not want to stay or at least visit his hides. However a roaming bp is a hungry bp. Why don't you give him another week to ten days to acclimate and don't handle him at all! Only go into the enclosure to spot clean and change water. When you find out what the other people were feeding him make a decision on whether to stay f/t or try a live feeding. I think he's hungry but wants something different. He's young so be prepared to give him what he is used to for now. Track his weight too! Stay in peace and not pieces.

[anicatgirl]

Are any of your sides covered with paper or anything?

[soapdog]

He was from a reputable reptile pet store. When I got him, the guy at the store (who I trust) gave me a bag of frozen mice which he claims are the exact kind he had been feeding him, and that he was a good eater and was guaranteed for 60 days if he refused.

I don't think the mice are excessively wet. I soak them in the water but then I let them sit again for a minute on a paper towel and gently blot the mouse with another paper towel to get the rest of the water.

The tub is transparent on all sides but is against a wall on one side. He seems to stay near the front facing clear side most of the time anyway. The lid is actually mostly "frosted" though with only a transparent line down the middle. Perhaps he feels secure under this lid and that's why he doesn't hide? That just leaves this issue of roaming. Since my original time posting I have noticed him calming down a bit more but he has not stopped this roaming behavior totally. Maybe roaming 75% as much as when I was originally concerned.

[anicatgirl]

You can try covering the sides and part of the front. Not so much that you couldn't see him, but enough that the high traffic maybe isn't a disturbance.

[Rickys_Reptiles]

Please post pics of your setup.

[200xth]

You can try washing the hides. I bought some once and put them in the tub. Snake wouldn't use them. Ran them through the dishwasher, put them back in with her and she was fine. No idea if it was some sort of chemical residue on the hide, or just coincidence, but it's worth a shot.

[blue roses]

You say you put the prey in hot water, then let it sit and pat dry. maybe the mouse is too cool by the time you give it to him. try warming the prey to 105 degrees in a plastic bag, then offer it. It will cool off a bit during transfur but if just a short distance it should still be a degree or 2 of the prefurred temp of 100 degrees. Also try using tongs and dance the mouse around a little to tease a strike. This is what i do and it seems to work.