It might BE because she knows you're there, watching. Snakes fear being preyed on when out in the open- many hold their ground & rely on camouflage to stay hidden when anything is nearby that might see them. OR, it's also because they are 'ambush-predators'- waiting for prey to come within reach.
Now, just to be clear, I'm not suggesting you leave the cage open, go away & not watch- that's a great way to have your snake truly disappear. But not all snakes are good at voluntary exploration. If you want a more adventurous snake, get a bull snake (or gopher, or pine snake- all very similar)-this is because they actively pursue prey and they're also diurnal & not very shy. Ditto for racers, or garter snakes, or most rat snakes. It's not quite fair to compare your BCI with Homebody's Children's python- they have very different personalities.![]()