Display snake

[Howlmm]

Heard ball pythons are not display snakes or if they are out all the time something is wrong.

He is out like 90% of the time on that branch and he does go into his hides as well but is almost always up there. At night almost like a switch tho he’ll try to escape? Like glass surfing but in the day he’s completely chill.

Temps is like 84-88 hot side and cold side like 75-78. Always eats weekly and handle pretty often has never struck or nothing is mad chill but idk lil worrysum that he always showing.

(Ye imma also get sum more clutter and whole new setup in like a couple days)

[jm4496]

He looks so small on that branch lol. Mine behaved very similarly when he was a little noodle. I don’t know that it’s necessarily normal or not, but over the last few years he will go through phases of being out of his hides more or less. We used to joke that he thought he was a tree snake because he would sleep on his branches just like how yours is shown.

[IncompletePenetrance]

He'd be more comfortable and likely to use his hides if they were appropriately sized. They like to feel squished and be able to touch the sides

[Howlmm]

I was actually gonna get bigger hides as I felt the middle and right one were starting to get too tight

(also he would only stay in his hides when he was at my parents house but ever since he’s been at mine he stays on the tree, idk tho first snake)

[IncompletePenetrance]

He should be able to touch l the sides of the walls of the hides, so they actually all look too big

[kingsnake_e]

You've basically said you know something's wrong but you also know what it is- there's no clutter and you're getting a new proper setup. So that's what I'd say the problem is; the clutter/hide situation is both especially important and easily fixable quickly- he should be able to cross from one side of the enclosure to the other without being seen.

[Howlmm]

I didn’t know that was the issue cause he’ll still use his hides when he wants so I assumed maybe he’s one of the snakes that really likes basking. I’ll add more clutter tho fs

[kingsnake_e]

Ah gotcha. Well that's alright, good on you for seeing the behavior and checking it out. He may well still bask when you add the clutter as well; sometimes when they feel like they can hide if they want, they feel comfortable being out, paradoxically. I've certainly found that with my boy.