Subadult hognose hiding for hours on end

I recently got my first plains/western hognose and he just borrows on the cool end for hours on end is that normal? Should I attempt to move him to warmth? Granted it’s not cold on “cold” side it’s sits at about 75-78 degrees.

That cool side seems warm for a hognose. My understanding is that hognose want a hot side in the upper 80’s with a basking spot around 90, and a Cool spot in the upper 60s or lower 70s. Might be having a hard time regulating thermals and is burrowing on the cool side in an attempt to reach lower temps.

That said, burrowing and hiding is normal behavior, I’ve seen some claim that light stimulates them to come out, so having a light that’s sufficiently bright on a day-night timer might do something.

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My experience is limited but my 9 month old spends a lot of time in his cool hide or wiggled up behind the background. He does come out a few times a day though for short periods.

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If your gradient is set up properly, then the snake will find where it is most comfortable and tend to settle there. And given that this species is a burrower by nature, it is not at all unusual for them to dig down to get comfortable

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Can you add a picture of the setup and what the size of the enclosure is?

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It’s pretty normal. Some like to stay buried for days and others will actively roam around.

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I’m not sure how to post a picture, it’s a standard 28 quart tub with aspen bedding 2 hides and fake leaf litter.

To add a picture you click this button and chose a file. You can also copy and paste it into the text box.
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The enclosure sounds good, you could try a smaller enclosure but if you widen the temperature gradient it should be fine.

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Honestly, your setup sounds fine to me. I keep all of my hogs with a heating element set between 90F-95F and a cold spot no colder than 79F so it doesn’t sound like the temperature is a problem. Honestly, hognoses are a burrowing species. I have some that stay buried for days upon days, sometimes weeks when shedding, only coming out when they are hungry and hunting. It doesn’t sound like you have anything to worry about, at least not yet.