Please Help! Is my cage set up right? What are these red markings on my BP?

[B.P.Crew]

I got my BP morph about 2 and a half weeks ago he has ate 2 x alread 7 days apart. I havent handled him other than to move him and clean. (Everywhere I researched said not to handle your new BP until they have ate at least 2 meals so you know they arent stressed out) He is in a 40 gallon breeder tank. He has a stick he can climb up on that sits under the heat lamp but not very close to it. the floor temps on the hot side during the day are 85-90 changes with the time of the day and the cool side stays about 80ish. He has a hide but does not like it at all doesnt matter if i use a diff hide or move it around he NEVER uses a hide he either sleeps on his stick or beside the water dish. I have never seen him soak in the dish tho. He will lay fully stretched out sometimes to either on the stick or floor. I have been misting the forest floor bedding (This is what the lady was using when i got him) daily to keep the humidity up. He had a moss log i made him but he wanted behind it and i was afraid he would get stuck under it so i took it out. He acts normal and happy. I did notice tonight tho he had some redish color under his scales in random places also the white seems a little bit of an off color. Ive never had a BP with white scales so is this normal when they are going to shed? IDK if he is in shed yet as there has been no signs of shed unless the white changing to a dull white is a sign. My real concern is the red markings under some spots of his scales. Before anyone has anything bad to say I have looked everywhere for an answer! it is a Saturday night and tomorrow is Sunday NO local reptile vets will be open until Monday. So id like to know if this is urgent enough to make a several hour trip to a weekend reptile vet (if i can even find one) or if this is something that should go away on its own or what? Also I took him out and got some pics and a short video I cant get the pics to upload and im currently waiting on youtube to finish uploading the video can email pics and the video. and i also removed his stick and cut off all parts that i thought might be sharp enough to hurt him i had already done so but after seeing the scales went ahead and cut off the dull spots to. Thanks for all your help!

[B.P.Crew]

https://youtu.be/IQrW2HsRhHI

Sorry its kind of blurry I didnt notice it until after he ate last night so I took a very quick video today so i wouldnt stress him out after he just ate the night before.

[chrid16371]

Bp will be off color when they go into shed just like any other reptile. Idk about those red dots though. Have you checked for mites? Idk for sure but if he has them maybe there leaving those red marks from irritation but that is just a guess bc idk what else it could be. I would check though, they are so small they can be hard to see unless you really examine. I'm sure someone else will be along soon for better advice. As for him not using hides that is really strange. Maybe he doesn't think any of the ones you have tried are secure enough. Have you tried reptile basics hides? They are really dark and secure. It looks like he would fit in the medium size. Two of them are only little over $20 including shipping. You could buy 2, one for hot side one for cool, and if he still doesn't use them you could buy another bp so you have something to use them for

[Slim]

Do you feed live? What color is your bedding?

[B.P.Crew]

Thanks for the advice! I will check better tomorrow for mites (I did a quick check when i had him out and didnt see anything like i said didnt want to stress him after eating) I owned two normal BPs when i was 14 (years ago lol) so i remember what the mites look like so hopefully if they are there i can find them easy! I have use diff types of tree hides but i will buy the one your talking about and give it a try! maybe he feels secure enough to not have them? hes in a corner of the room and has a background to his cage so only two side of the cage can be viewed maybe this makes it less scary ? we will see what happens with the new hides! And if he dont use them well I am getting a banana spider paradox (sp?) so looks like Sunshine(banana BP) will have a lot of hides if Cali (Calibee i already have that his post is about) doesnt like any of them. Also i dont think he had them in his old home the lady sent me pics of him in his cage and there was no hides at all? Maybe this is also a factor ?

[B.P.Crew]

Do you feed live? What color is your bedding?

I tried thawed and he wouldnt eat it. He was eating live before i got him. I do not leave him alone and watch the whole time to make sure he doesnt get hurt. It could be from the rat claws? but i dont think it is because of some of the stops locations (by tail and lower half of body) the rats never got close to his lower half as both times he fed he was wrapped around the rats middle where the back claws couldnt reach him (if that makes sense) and i use the forest floor bedding it is a cypress mulch bedding and is brown

[B.P.Crew]

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/show...hp?i=53725&c=3

I got a picture to upload the red under his scales is to the right side of the line marking he has going down his side and to the left of the two round markings he has on his side. (My made the markings look brownish in color but they are actually a redish pink color)

[chrid16371]

In the pic it looks like it's about the same color as your bp but the video definitely shows it. I'm not to sure it being a from the live prey either but I guess you never know. I hope someone else is able to give some insight, I really want to know what it is. But yeah maybe your snake is use to not having hides. When you get the reptile basic ones try showing your bp, like put him down with his head right in front of the entrance. That is how I always showed mine new hides. At least you will have them for another snake and when you get your new one he or she will feel very secure in them.

[B.P.Crew]

In the pic it looks like it's about the same color as your bp but the video definitely shows it. I'm not to sure it being a from the live prey either but I guess you never know. I hope someone else is able to give some insight, I really want to know what it is. But yeah maybe your snake is use to not having hides. When you get the reptile basic ones try showing your bp, like put him down with his head right in front of the entrance. That is how I always showed mine new hides. At least you will have them for another snake and when you get your new one he or she will feel very secure in them.

Yea the flash changed the color a lot lol. Hopefully we can both get an answer and some advice on what this could be! Will order the hides tomorrow if i cant find them at a local store Fingers crossed he likes them ! If not my new BP will have so many hides he wont know what one to hide in lol At least Cali is eating great and with no problems other than he wont take thawed rats. I watched a video on youtube that said to put the rat in a pillow case and swing it around so its dizzy and dont hurt the snake? Idk how well this will work or if he will eat it if its not moving but is worth a try if the rats are what is making the red marks (again dont think so as ive not see the rats scratch at all and the redness is more under the scales not some much on top of them or on the actual scales) Thanks again!

[Slim]

I watched a video on youtube that said to put the rat in a pillow case and swing it around so its dizzy and dont hurt the snake?

This is an incredibly BAD idea. Do not put a freaked out rat anywhere near your snake. THAT'S how snakes get hurt.

Honestly, your snake doesn't need any help killing rats. Your snake is actually designed to do it.