Hiding 24/7 (stress?)

Spirit · 01-30-05, 09:29 AM

I brought my bp home last monday night and he ate tuesday night. From monday until wed/thursday morning he did nothing but criuize the tank, but I haven't seen him since. I disturbed him last night for a short handling session, but that's the first time I handled him since I brought him home (I wanted to give him lots of time to adjust to the viv and of course to also digest tuesday meal - which was done around thursday). He was VERY calm when I had him out.

I expected to see him roaming around again by friday or even saturday, but no luck yet. Now the problem is that his tank is currently on the floor (I'm waiting on a stand) and that one of my cats like to lay beside it and look in. He didn't seem to mind this at all the first two nights he was here, but could this be causing him to hide?

How active are bp's generally? He's just under 5 months old and I bought him at a pet store where a friend of mine works... she would carry him around wiht her on her shift so he's VERY used to being handled, people, noise, etc... and it's really quiet here (with this cat staring in all the time).

Tonight is feeding night so I'm HOPING he eats (if he doesn't I'll know it's likely stress), but I was just wondering if this behavior is normal.

Thanks!

smeagel · 01-30-05, 10:00 AM

Ball Pythons are active at night not during the day. And yes your cat is probably stressing him out.Mine hide all the time during the day, I hardly see them until night time.

Spirit · 01-30-05, 10:31 AM

Well I'm up most of the night and I don't see him at all... but it's still a new home so I'll give him time. The cat only lays beside the tank during the day (when he's sleeping/hiding).

But is hiding a normal behavior for balls?

Nicky · 01-30-05, 10:42 AM

during the day it is, I never see my girl out except for the odd time. If you want to see him at night you can always just use a night bulb.

dave68 · 01-30-05, 12:23 PM

Yes it's normal to hide but, what size is your tank? Too big a tank will likely cause more stress to your newbie than your cat. At it's age it shouldn't be in anything larger than a ten gallon tank, preferably a rubbermaid shoebox actually, as they are very shy snakes that need to feel secure in order to be stress free.

Dave

Spirit · 01-30-05, 12:41 PM

No, the tank is fine. It's a 40 gallon, but lots of hides, paper towel tubes, plants, etc.

My snake is more than used to being out in the open and handled a LOT (not by me) so he's rather fearless. I've been handling him for 2 months now (just brought him home last week though) several times a week and I have yet to see him ball up. I got lucky I guess... I got the least shy ball python I've ever seen. I was just hoping it might be husbandry related so I can fix it is all... Maybe he's just shy HERE.

This is a good thing, I know (the never balling up thing I mean), but dammit I want to see it. LOL

marisa · 01-30-05, 01:12 PM

"so he's rather fearless."

No he isn't. He is simply aware of you and that you haven't hurt him yet. Moving around and constantly on the go is sometimes trying to get away. Snakes do not "like us"

HIding is normal. All Ball Pythons are hard wired to do nothing but hide. It's in their nature.

Marisa

dave68 · 01-30-05, 02:45 PM

A 40 gallon tank is way too big for a five month old ball python, in my opinion.

Dave

zero&stich · 01-30-05, 03:51 PM

When I have my balls out, and return them to their home, they do move around alot but settle down.

I usually don't see them poking their heads out a little until almost midnight for me at which case, I leave the comp where the cages are at and head to bed. Who wants to stay up til 3 in the morning? lol

HumphreyBoagart · 01-30-05, 04:57 PM

This is very normal, like marissa said it's in their nature to hide. I'm willing to bet money on it that when he was out "roaming" around on the first two days that he wasn't out because he was happy and out to play, but he was stressed and just wanted to get out of there. Now that he's hiding, he's probably less stressed than he was because he started to settle in and he's not trying to get out anymore. I agree with Dave68 100% that a 40 gallon tank is WAY too big for a baby ball. All of my balls (close to 20) hide 99% of the time unless they are stressed out and trying to get out of thier enclosures. I find that when they are out roaming and trying to get out of their enclosure is when they refuse meals, even though it seems like they are out looking for food. This is just what I've noticed with mine and probably isn't the case with all balls, but I just wanted to share my views on it. Hope it helped someone, in some way.
Hump.

Spirit · 01-30-05, 08:52 PM

Marisa: He's NEVER "on the go". He's so camn in fact that I initially thought something was wrong with him. lol He's a good snake. Never balls up, never gone into strike pose, is EXTREMELY calm... great snake.

HB. Thanks, that does make a lot of sense (the wanting to get away thing).

40 gallons isn't too big at ALL, provided there are LOTS of places to hide, which there is (but everyone has their opinions). As he grows though, I'll slowly start removing the "decor/plants/hides" so he has more room to roam, but for now he's happy moving around through the different hiding places.

He's not showing ANY signs of stress other than the hiding thing, but from what you all tell me that's normal for a young python.

Thanks for easing my mind all! It's playtime now.

HumphreyBoagart · 01-30-05, 11:13 PM

The hiding thing isn't necessarily a sign of stress by any means. As mentioned a few times above, they're snakes, that's what they do. Not just young ones either, old ones do it too.

Spirit · 01-30-05, 11:25 PM

I just didn't know if it was common in royals or not. I know cornsnakes hide a LOT... anyway... thanks for all the replies!

Jeff_Favelle · 01-30-05, 11:32 PM

Quote:

I just didn't know if it was common in royals or not.

They live like 90% of their lives undeground in nature. They are a much much more hiding-type species than a corn snake. How we keep them should therefore be adjusted accordingly.

dave68 · 01-31-05, 10:21 PM

None of our corn snakes hide all that much whatsoever, except oddly enough our ghost, that's really the only one though. Our balls hide much more than the corns. Doing a search on this site proved that its not just my opinion that a 40 gal is too lrg for a baby snake and especially a baby ball, anyways to each their own I guess. Our babies from last summer (so roughly 6 months old) are in containers that measure about 12 inches by 8'' by 8'' so less than a gallon I guess, and all of them eat like clockwork every weekend, and not one of them seems stressed and they all have perfect sheds everytime...so I guess thats it.
Allison