On the prowl

[soy.lor.n]

So pretty much every night (except maybe the night I feed her) Uli is always out and about, crawling up the sides of the wall and poking her head at the lid, trying to find a way out. For hours at a time, from when it firs gets dark, until the sun first comes up, she's always up looking for a way to get out, even when I check on her in the middle of the night (if I get up to go to the bathroom). Is this pretty normal? I know people say that it's normal for them to come out at night, I'm just wondering if she's trying to get out because of some problems she's having with the husbandry.

She eats fine, and spends her days in her cool side hide, unless I come in the tank to move stuff around or change her water, then she'll stick her head out to see what I'm doing. She pretty much never goes into her warm side hide (I've seen her in it once, after the first time I fed her) even though they're identical, and if anything, the warm side is more private with some moss/fake plants covering part of the entrance. I've had her about 2 weeks now, and she's been the same the whole time so far (I didn't handle her for the first week, although I did feed her after only 3 days or so)
the set up is
20 L tank with 3 sides covered and plexiglas lid (lots of holes in the lid including one big cut out for a 24 hr IR bulb)
cool side 77-82 (I try to keep it about 80, although it drops sometimes because I don't have my thermostat set up yet)
Warm side 89-92
humidity varies 55-65
aspen on top of carpet
some moss to keep up humidity
a pvc piece for climbing
med size water bowl
I think that's it...

[giaach]

Well based on your setup I don't think her activity is due to husbandry issues. Ball Pythons are nocturnal so seeing them active and crawling around is fine. And about the escape issue, I think snakes just enjoy trying to find a way out, even if their home is perfect ha.

[HanDiCaPd]

Im pretty much brand new to owning a ball python but I noticed mine will get restless at night when he is hungry. After he has been fed he stays in his hides for 5-7 days before he becomes restless again at night looking for food.

[soy.lor.n]

Im pretty much brand new to owning a ball python but I noticed mine will get restless at night when he is hungry. After he has been fed he stays in his hides for 5-7 days before he becomes restless again at night looking for food.

yeah she's out 6 nights a week, but I think maybe I'm not feeding her enough. She seemed to want more after her feeding last week. I gave her a f/t "adult mouse" but it was only about 25g and she's 370ish

[sneakerpro]

I feed both of mine every 5 days. The little one hunts the day before, and on feeding day. The big one stays in her hide a majority of the time, and comes out when I prescent. How often are you feeding?

[soy.lor.n]

I feed both of mine every 5 days. The little one hunts the day before, and on feeding day. The big one stays in her hide a majority of the time, and comes out when I prescent. How often are you feeding?

Well I've only fed her twice, once a week I was thinking about switching either to every 5 days, or to larger prey/more prey items

[soy.lor.n]

Also, I hear everyone saying that BPs will spend most of their time in the warm side hide, but like I said, I've only seen her in there once, and never during the daytime.
I'm just wondering what it means for the snake to prefer the cool side? Anyone else have a snake like this?

[Drew87]

Yes my spider loves the cool side i think it just depends on the snake some of my balls wont really leave the warm side and she just loves the cool side and before you all start yelling at me my temps and everything are what i would say as good as there going to get so im my opinion some snakes like it cool and some like it warm tho when she does eat she will go to the warm side to help her digest her food, hope this helps