I don't like placing a "naturally" found object in an enclosure. Personal Preference. I know some do but only after it's baked in an oven at low temps to kill anything that could be living in it. As far as it not using it, could be a smell, could damp and too cool, hard to say.

I will tell you about what I like to use for a hide box. I buy the saucers for flowering pots at WalMart. Usually $1.50. I take a utility blade and cut a 2" to 3" circle out of the center of the bottom. I flip it upside down and place it in the tub. relatively soon the python will find it and crawl down inside. At one point I had a picky, picky eater. I was told in the wild these pythons would likely crawl down into a hole and wait in ambush for its next dinner to return home. This kind-of recreates that thought. It's a nice hiding spot for them-mostly enclosed except for the top opening, it also aids in feeding. I don't feed any Ball live. It's either fresh kill (thumped) or F/T. I place the head of the rat just in the opening and shut the drawer. A little while later I'll check and presto, Rat disappeared. The magic rat-disappearing orange saucers. Now, don't ask me how I know this , but when you're going to pick this saucers up, pick them up by the outside diameter. DO NOT stick your finger in the hole to lift it, you may also have a python attached.

Dang, I'm kind of long winded. Sorry. Here is 2 pictures of my new '05 Graziani Pastel Male that just ate a rat this afternoon this way, hence the mid-gut bulge. One picture with the saucer and one directly without. The subtrate, if you don't recognize it, is cell-sorb plus. It's what Greg recommended, and I love it.

Hope that helps,
Greg Haugen

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