New carpet won't leave hide

kxr · 07-19-14, 11:17 PM

Hello everyone it's been awhile. I used to post on these forums under a different username but that was a good 5+ years back when I got my first pair of ball pythons anyway it's good to be back.

Last Friday I picked up Kezia, a late 2013 female 75% Irian Jaya Jaguar from a breeder close to were I live. She is inside a 15g long terrarium with ambient humidity is between 40-50% with occasional spikes when I mist the tank and a night time ambient temperature of around 80 with a basking spot of around 90 unfortunately during the day the ambient temperature is a bit high at 85 due to the light I use to a second light which regulates the day night cycle.

Anyway now that I've told you about my setup I'll tell you my concern. During this past week and a bit that I've had her I've only seen her leave her hide twice and once was only for a couple minutes to drink. I am wondering if this is a relatively normal thing as she is still young or if she might be stressed by something.

Thanks

franks · 07-20-14, 02:25 AM

Can you post pics of your setup for us? It would help conceptualize what is going on over there. Alot of young snakes prefer to hide, but based on your small description there are a few issues with your husbandry that could make a young carpet stay in hiding. For starters (as you know) your ambient is a little high. That could keep your snake "underground" during the day and only venturing out at night. Your setup is not really permitting thermoregulation. The other thing that stands out immediately is a 15 gallon fishtank. Unless you have cardboard taped over the back and sides, the snake may feel wide open and vulnerable. These are two things right off the bat that I think could be improved (unless you do have part of the glass covered.)
One other suggestion (if you do not already have this) is to offer suitable height. Something as simple as gluing a 1/2" piece of pvc across the top would help alot. Many carpet pythons feel comfortable with heights. When mine was young whenever I held her she would always try to climb up. Even now, when she it out or somewhere new she always looks for a chair a couch or a ladder because height makes her feel secure. If you could offer the snake height with a little cover (fake vines or something), limit the amount of glass it can see out of to reduce its feeling of vulnerability, and drop your ambient temps I thing it will go a long way.
What are you using to measure your temps btw?

kxr · 07-20-14, 11:44 AM

Here are some pictures, the first is her in the hide and the others are each of half of her enclosure.

I had the "perch" in there before you had mentioned it but I did just cover half of her tank with the background that you should be able to see. I didn't have enough to cover both sides and the back only one side and the back.

I measure temps with an infrared thermometer (the probe you can see in one of the pictures is a hygrometer) so they should be accurate. The problem I have with keeping the cool end cooler is that I currently have a red light on her at all times which keeps a good temp 90ish for the basking spot and 80ish for the cool end however in order to have some sort of light cycle I have a small insignificant bulb shinning in on one end which seems to raise the temp of the side it shines on by 3-5 degrees which means a 95 degree hot spot or an 85 degree cool end give or take a degree or two. Perhaps there is some other way I could be doing this that I am not thinking?

Stewjoe · 07-20-14, 12:32 PM

Ditto what Franks said, I won't bother repeating it.

She just really likes her hide. Babies are usually reclusive and will probably start to explore in the evenings once she is settled in. Most often they will choose a safe location over a warm one so try and provide a suitable hide where it is warm.

kxr · 07-20-14, 12:36 PM

That's good to know as long as she just really likes her hide and isn't extremely stressed im happy to let her stay in there as long as she wants haha.

Mikoh4792 · 07-20-14, 12:49 PM

I'll agree with what's been already said.

Ambient is a bit high, night time temps are fine. My ambient temps at night are also around 80F and that's when my carpets come out.

Most of my youngins either stay in their hide or perch on a branch all day without really moving and since these snakes are mainly nocturnal it's to be expected. It could be that your snake goes out at night when you are sleeping and returns to it's hide come morning.