Is this normal nighttime behavior?

[Psidewindr]

Hi all, I'm a new snake owner and decided on a Hog Island Boa thinking he would stay mostly manageable as I learn about these fascinating creatures. My snake, Sebastian, is approximately one year (I was told by the pet store) and is just over four feet long. I have him in a screen top cage which is 36"x12"X12". I went slightly small on the cage because I intend to custom build a larger enclosure within 6 months.

At night, I notice Sebastian spends hours trying to get out of his cage and I'm wondering if this is normal behavior. He definitely sleeps all day and he is very chill when being handled. I know snakes are often nocturnal but I want to make sure he isn't unduly stressed. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? Thank you.

[Scubadiver59]

Welcome to sSNAKESs!! :)

You must be a night owl to keep an eye on your HIB for hours at a time at night! I can't say that either of my females exhibit the same tendencies since they are upstairs and I spend most of my time downstairs; but when I have been checking on my charges, my HIBs are usually hide-bound while the other species are out and about, most often right before feeding dates.

[dannybgoode]

If you have just acquired the snake then it would not be unusual for it to roam it's enclosure and give it a thorough investigation. It will also feel more secure doing this at night.

I would expect it to settle down over the coming weeks.

[Psidewindr]

Hello and thank you for the warm welcome!

A few comments: I've had the snake since late July so he is definitely acclimated to the environment. And...I have a night vision cam on the cage so I can tune in periodically to see what he's up to. When night comes, that is when he usually starts his attempts at escape. He's crawling along the glass sides, testing the screen top, burrowing in the substrate...

Interesting side note, this morning I went into his room to change his water and mist the substrate. He woke up (I think he was asleep but with no eyelids...who knows) and started behaving as he usually does at night. Now, it's 11:22 pm here and he's fast asleep! Lol

Thanks to anyone who has thoughts on this.

[regi375]

My snakes still try to escape the bounds of their enclosures after a year. I doubt that there's anything truly wrong with him. I welcome thee to the forum :)

[Andy_G]

This sounds like normal behaviour.

[Fire Jets]

Maybe the cage is too small? Or maybe he is trying to look for a female? My snake only does this when I place her back into the enclosure after handling. But this behavior only last a few minutes. I've heard that male snakes can be more active than females. However, since I do not own a male snake, I can never say for sure. Just make sure he is not injuring himself.

[IDvsEGO]

I have walked in to the snake room in the middle of the night to see my ball python extended a foot in the air in the middle of the enclosure, staring at the lid. More than once. Animals are weird.