I wouldn't worry, he looks (& sounds) to me like he's in a shed cycle. They typically lie low (hide) for days at this time. You might want to make sure his humidity is at least 60%-70%, or if you're not sure, offer a humid hide. Drinking more water suggests he might need higher humidity right about now. Once he sheds, make sure to check the shed skin to ensure that his eye caps & tail tip came off all the way, & if not, give some gentle assistance. Leaving any old skin on causes problems, & only gets harder to remove.
As far as telling when a snake is in shed, the longer you keep snakes, the more obvious it becomes. Time between sheds will vary a lot- they shed when they grow & need to shed, so don't worry. Eyes are usually the most obvious clue, but the overall grayish or pale look is typical, also just the way the skin folds on their neck looks very different before they shed compared to afterward. They usually prefer the cool side-hide when in shed too, & typically refuse meals if shedding soon.
When you find the shed skin, assuming you find it fairly soon after he "disrobes", it will feel moist. That's because a snake secretes moisture between the old & new skin to facilitate the shedding process. If you're really careful, it's fun to unroll the shed (especially if it's intack) & flatten it out- you can see all their scales etc. The shed skin stretches a bit though, so it's not a perfect size measurement of a snake's length- the sheds are a little longer than the actual snake. (An easy way to help open up the shed is to blow air into the "mouth"- without actually touching the skin with your lips of course.)
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