Always hiding in the cold hide

[Homebody]

Hello!
I've had Pretzel for about 3 weeks now and things seem to be going smoothly. He hasn't missed a meal and already had his first shed, and I hope this week I can try my luck at handling him.

The thing is he's always hiding in his cold hide, and at first I thought that he likely left to explore while I was alseep.
This morning, after weeks of worrying that he wasn't pooping, I finally found poop, but it was in his cold hide. Now I'm worried he doesn't leave that hide afterall.

The temperature and humidity seem ok, the hot side is around 88ºF and the cold side is around 78ºF.

Am I doing something wrong, or is this something I souldn't worry about?

Nope. BP's are shy. There's a saying. You've probably heard it. A hiding ball python is a happy ball python. If he's eating, then he's must be basking, which means he's leaving the hide when you're not around. In time, he may feel more secure and you'll see him out exploring more often. Three weeks is not very long. Be patient. You're doing great.