Strange hiding spot

[zstar5g]

I've had Peterson (aka Pete, Petey, Peter, Pedro) for a few weeks now, and since I've put the plant in as seen below, he constantly wants to hide in the ledge formed between the lid and the top of the tank, again, as seen below. Anyone else seen this before? I'm guessing he just likes it up there, but I'm also wondering if he's going up there to escape heat. My cheap therms say that the tank is running between 75-80 (going to get a better therm today), and he's eating fine. It's actually kinda funny watching him trying to figure out how to get down; he usually just goes back and forth and ends up belly flopping on the ground.

On a side note, when he poops, it's usually two or three very small droppings, maybe the size of a pencil eraser. Is that normal?

 

[Nanci]

That's a very common hiding place for young snakes. Makes you wonder if you could build a hide with narrow ledges like that that they would like. Like a bat house, only different. Poop size/amount sounds normal.

Nanci

 

[kensei]

i've seen my 3 month old corn in the same position as yours on several occasions. i don't think its anything to worry about. that being said, if you are using an UTH and the ambient temp on your warm side is 80, i would be concerned that the substrate level temp is way to high. so yes, he may be hiding up there to escape the heat.

 

[MerlinsPop]

I think he's trying to escape, but not the heat. Mine did that all the time till she got too fat to fit up there.

 

[susang]

I have a three year old male Creamsicle (big guy) that will try to squish himself up there. Yours could get up to that ledge even without the tree thing.
Good idea Nanci, I'll have to think of that, susang

 

[Jrgh17]

Mine did the same thing. They're just goofy...

 

[JustineNYC]

All of mine did that for the first few months, now their too lazy to come out unless their hungry.

 

[susang]

Guess mine is the only crazy adult to still do this, but yours wont need to get to much bigger before he can push it up with his weight. You might want to look at clips for the lid or weights, I use both. susang

 

[zstar5g]

I have some homemade clips that will work for a while, but at some point I'm going to have to fashion something a little more serious.

I fed him tonight and he tried to get up there, but the lump wouldn't fit, and he ended up dropping almost all the way to the bottom. He thought about doing it again, but pulled back and is now just resting in the tree. =)

 

[susang]

That's a very common hiding place for young snakes. Makes you wonder if you could build a hide with narrow ledges like that that they would like. Like a bat house, only different. Poop size/amount sounds normal.

Nanci

This has me wondering what could be put up toward the top that would support the snakes weight, my Creamsicle weighs around 750 grs. If he can't balance on that ledge he tries to fit his body on top of driftwood. Maybe a piece of sewer pipe?????

 

[MerlinsPop]

This has me wondering what could be put up toward the top that would support the snakes weight, my Creamsicle weighs around 750 grs. If he can't balance on that ledge he tries to fit his body on top of driftwood. Maybe a piece of sewer pipe?????

Probably not the most attractive thing, but you could use 2" inside diameter PVC pipe. Probably paintable, but I've not tried to paint PVC before. string some twine down the length of it and suspend it from the corners.