My hiding baby burmese

[CALM Pythons]

my aquarium is 3ft long 17 inches high. i took out the hide and in the middle put a nice big chunky log with branches and at the bottom has plenty of cover/shelter for him if he does want to hide. problem is as others have stated i know i need to take him out daily and get him accustomed to being held but the problem is he even as i am writing is hidden down deep in the coco bark bedding and has been most of the five weeks i have had him except when the hide was in there which he was always in there. so if i am going to daily hold him then i must either take my hand or use the long hook and carefully dig down in the bedding to find him hid and bring the little guy out and hold him then. i guess he will be scared and then try and bite me. or i guess just keep letting him stay burried deep in the bedding until he finally comes out no matter how long he stays there. as others stated he is acting like a baby burm but there is a balance as to how long to keep letting him hide like that and trying to get him in a position to be able to take him out and hold him for a few minutes.

Im speaking from experience and even though I know you understand what Im saying you keep going back to the wrong way of thinking. I want to help you so that you can help your Burm, but in order for that you have to stop saying “he is buried down in the substrate” hahahaha. First of all you should not have enough substrate in there so that he can be missing in action. When using Wood/Bark substates they should be 1/2”-1” deep. You must have a lot more than that as even a new born Hatchling is 1” in diameter.
Also your saying “ maybe I should let him stay buried until he decides to come out”... this is again totally wrong. You have read what we all suggest but your going to have to decide to use the info or not.
Your not supposed to leave a Burm alone until he decides he wants to interact. They are Wild Animals, they will never choose to interact and you will end up with a Burm that you are looking for a home for because he will get worse. If you cant handle him now you haven’t seen anything yet.
Im pretty sure I’ve given you all the suggestions i can.
What I would do is use Newspaper or Butcher Paper instead of Bark substrate for the time being so that he can not burrow, or only use 1/2” of substrate so he can not burrow. Then get your Hook out like you need to for the entire life of him, stroke him with it, put it under his neck and use it to keep him from trying to strike at your other hand as you pick him up. Wear gloves if you need to. It sounds to me like your nervous more than anything else, and thats ok so do what you need to so that you can start working with him. Otherwise find someone that wants him before he is older and nasty from not being handled.
Read my thread: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ing-The-Basics