Hello, i recently got my ball python a larger water dish, and now all he wants to do is wedge himself in between the water and the glass or burry himself under the dish, and thats on the cold side of the tank... does any one know why he is doing this? the warm side is only 85 so i know its not too warm.
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Ball Python Goes Under Dish
XxJNUGExX
Dec 14, 2009 11:28 PM
Replies (8)
ChrisMaze
Dec 14, 2009 11:37 PM
Mine just started doing it randomly one day. No idea why he did it. This was while he already had two hides in there. I finally got him to stop by just basically taking the substrate right up to the edge of the dish. He didn't want to burrow in that far. Since then, I've just lowered the substrate around the dish slowly and he hasn't been interested in going back under since.
Robyn@ProExotics
Dec 15, 2009 02:40 AM
Your Ball is telling you that your hide spots stink, and it wants something tighter, and more secure.
You both should read, react, and provide, not read and remove.
Hiding under the bowl is very common. It is tight, heavy, and secure, especially from aerial predation. It doesn't hurt anything to let the Ball hide under the bowl. Instead, look to improve other hide spots to offer a similar feeling of security, and hence more choices.
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robyn@proexotics.com
afcinc4747
Dec 15, 2009 09:12 AM
if they fit tight that is the best my snakes fit in snug and love the security
toshamc
Dec 15, 2009 09:37 AM
Agree 99.9% except in that under the water dish is not the best place for them to hide - if they are under the dish for security they might not the proper heat they need and if you're not careful under the water dish can get wet and funky (especially if you've got a snake spilling water to get under it and then sitting in it all day). Fix the hides so he wants to use the appropriate ones.
Good luck.
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Tosha
JET Pythons
nihil facimus sed id bene facimus
ChrisMaze
Dec 15, 2009 10:42 AM
The thing though is that his regular hide was tight enough. Under the water dish was too tight. He actually got himself stuck in there and it took a good hour to work him out of there.
robyn@ProExotics
Dec 15, 2009 03:46 PM
There are other factors that play into it, perhaps the light (or lack thereof) and weight...
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robyn@proexotics.com
elidogs
Dec 16, 2009 11:56 PM
I used a cork bark log in my cage for my ball python. As well as a plant pot set upside down with a hole in the side. To create a "cave". He spends 99% of his time in the hollow cork bark log. I'm finding these guys like a lot of tight spaces to feel safe in. My cage has at least 3 places he can hide in.
XxJNUGExX
Dec 17, 2009 05:38 PM
He has a hallowed out log and he used to spend all his time under that, now hes gotten larger and I'm sure he'd still fit if he wanted too... but then after that he just sat under the heat lamp 90% of the time.... now.. I got him that new larger water dish... and all he wants to do is wedge in between that and the glass... and it's much cooler over there.. and hes always eaten when i offered and this is the first time trying to feed him and refusing... which is confusing to me
