Very Shy Snakey

[saximus]

My water python is a very flighty, very cage defensive little girl. This in itself isn't a problem for me. However, the problem comes from the fact that she never leaves her hide. I don't mean not very often, I mean never. She eats, poos and sheds in there which makes feeding time quite hit and miss because I have to basically poke her with the rat and piss her off before she'll even stick her head out to strike. It also makes it difficult to monitor her and make sure she is healthy (I didn't even know she'd shed until I pulled her out of her hide the other day).
She is about 2' long and in an enclosure that's 2x1.5x1.5 so I don't think it's too big for her. I was just wondering if anyone has any tips for what I could try that might coax her out a little more often. I plan on moving her from a globe heating source to a home made heat mat (now that my testing with the Corflute has been going so well) which will mean she has to move around a little more to regulate her temp. Other than that I was thinking maybe adding cage furnishings would help?
Like I said, I don't mind that she's flighty and bitey and I don't want her to be on display all day every day but having her come out more often would make feeding and monitoring her much easier.
Cheers

 

[abnrmal91]

Some snakes just like to hide. My male Bredli basically hide for the first 8 months I had him. The only time I would see him was I took him out of his hide as he had crapped or the occasional attept at handling. He was a very flighty snake so hasn't been handled a great amount. In the last couple of months as he has become bigger and has been out exploring more lately. I tried changing the hide around to no avail. It didn't seem to matter if the hide was hot or cold he stayed in. I just ended up moving his hide so it was half on half of a heat pad which was set to 32c. He seemed happy enough sitting in there all day.

If I haven't seen him for a couple of day I lift up his hide just to check on him. Other then that not too sure what you could do to encourage it out.

 

[Red-Ink]

My water python is a very flighty, very cage defensive little girl. This in itself isn't a problem for me. However, the problem comes from the fact that she never leaves her hide. I don't mean not very often, I mean never. She eats, poos and sheds in there which makes feeding time quite hit and miss because I have to basically poke her with the rat and piss her off before she'll even stick her head out to strike. It also makes it difficult to monitor her and make sure she is healthy (I didn't even know she'd shed until I pulled her out of her hide the other day).
She is about 2' long and in an enclosure that's 2x1.5x1.5 so I don't think it's too big for her. I was just wondering if anyone has any tips for what I could try that might coax her out a little more often. I plan on moving her from a globe heating source to a home made heat mat (now that my testing with the Corflute has been going so well) which will mean she has to move around a little more to regulate her temp. Other than that I was thinking maybe adding cage furnishings would help?
Like I said, I don't mind that she's flighty and bitey and I don't want her to be on display all day every day but having her come out more often would make feeding and monitoring her much easier.
Cheers

Sounds like it's hot enough in her hide for her not to bother to come out Dan... The heat mat may do the trick in getting her to come out.

 

[PythonLegs]

Yep- move the hide to the cold end. Also, forget feeding in the hide- she won't come out if there's no reason to.

Oh yeah, also- I've only had a water python for a few weeks, and one thing I've noticed is that they really Do love water, which I discovered when mine jumped off my head while I was feeding the fish, and spent a good while exploring the aquarium. Since then I upsized his water bowl, and he often sits in there watching the outside.

 

[abnrmal91]

What are the temps where the hide is located in the enclosure?

 

[saximus]

Thanks for the replies guys. I hadn't taken the age thing into consideration.
I was thinking of putting the hide at the cool side in the new enclosure but if she chooses to still not come out I'll have even bigger issues.

What are the temps where the hide is located in the enclosure?

About 28-30 where she is but it's a small gradient. Partially due to poor enclosure design and partially just due to the size

 

[abnrmal91]

That temp would be enough to allow her to do all her snakey stuff within the hide. Before you move her hide to a cold spot in her new enclosure just make sure she has digested just incase she doesn't come out of the hide. I tried moving my bredlis hide to the cold side. The bastard stayed in there for probably for 1 1/2 weeks or so, in the end I gave up and moved it back.

 

[saximus]

Haha well "luckily" she refused last night's feed so she's got an empty stomach. I'll let you know if there's any improvement after moving her

 

[Bandit05]

My Water Python doesnt have a hide but can get flighty if touched in his cage ( not cage defensive as you can do anything in his cage as long as you dont touch him ), I think he may have been hurt in one but is a sweetie out of it and comes out by himself. My Gammon Ranges female was living in a click clack before I got her and had a perfect temperament but after putting her in her new home she started hiding every time anyone entered the room, after a few days she became extremely flighty to the point of scarring herself by touching herself when doubling back, against advice that all snakes need a hide I removed hers, after a few days she had settled down and has now regained her confidence, now instead of coiling up all the time and taking a defensive pose when the door is opened she will stretch full length on her branch and doesnt flinch while Im doing things in her cage. I will be giving her hide back in the near future but will keep a watch on her reaction.

 

[waruikazi]

Looks like you're sorted Sachs!