Do the snakes care?

Yes, they do. Some will take whatever hide you give them. Others prefer certain sizes or shapes.

Generally, they prefer a snug hide over one that offers too much room. The more points of contact their body can make with the sides and top of the hide the more secure they will feel.

I've found that hides that have a lower profile but may be larger in width seem to be preferred to those that are more narrow but offer more head room.

The best practice is to offer the individual animals a couple options and then to observe them. Do they seem to have a preference? Do they seem stressed? Are they eating? Tweaking apparently small conditions of their habitat can have a very noticeable effect on your animal's behavior.

Just remember that what works for one animal may not work for another (even if they are of the same species) and that what works for one breeder may not work for you. You will have to establish your own set of practices based on what works best for you and your animals. Sometimes this may mean going against "conventional" ideas, but as long as the animals are healthy and not placed in a risky situation (such as using pine or cedar as a substrate) then you should be able to utilize whatever methods and practices achieve the results you are looking for.

Good luck!
-----
Stay United!


"...I say 'apparently' because despite all our progress she is not at all a tame or handle-able snake and gettting her from that cage would re-start a war.. and we've had a good armistice for several months now."-Gus Rentfro - I love this quote!

[ Show Entire Thread ]