Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok so my lil 1 year old girl is acting weird to me but I'm not sure if this is normal behavior or not for this time of the year cause this is the first winter. She has been sittin in her hide all the time for the past month or two and only comes out for maybe 5 minutes when i catch her at night to get a drink of water. She's never out and about strolling around like she has in the past. She never hangs out in her other hide on the other side of the cage even when I switched the heat to the other side to see what she would do. I think she likes the hide she is in now cause it is tighter and a lot less open then the half cutout tree trunk they sell in pet stores. Oh yeah and she hasnt accepted a meal for about a month now either and she usually pounds meals like its her last meal. I know they go off feading and I'm sure she'll start eating again. So my question is is this normal behavior for this time of the year? Do you think she is getting to big for her cage and this is why? Its a 20 gallon long and she's about 2 1/2 feet long. Please let me know just so I can stop worrying and I dont want to bother her if she is hybernating.

Thanks everyone in advanced.
Alex

NP
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Jared Douglas

My ball python is in a 30 gallon tank. he has a hide, and a water dish that has space under it, that he LOVES to hide in. he won't hide under the hide log.
he hardly ever comes out.
he eats fine though.

sounds normal to me.
i think it's just the season, and like you said, he likes a snug hide. feels safer.
mine BARELY fits under the water dish, but that doesn't stop him.

thats what i thought? just wanted to make sure...thanks for everyones help. love this site

Your tank size is fine for a snake that size. As far as hides go, try getting a couple of ceramic plant saucers and take a hammer and knock a hole in the side of them. Make sure you get ones that you feel the snake will fit into very snuggly. I think their is a video somewhere on this website that has a guy showing you exactly how to do it properly. Maybe someone else on here knows where to find that. Most keepers say those can be some of the best hides to use for them. Sit them in the tank upside down of course, one on the warm side and one on the cool side. They may not might look that pretty in the tank, but what's best for the snake is more important.