Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Do you still need to provide a hide for ball pythons when using a rack system (the color of the rack is black so its dark).

Thanks.

where they cannot be seen, it's a place to feel secure by pressing up against the sides of the hide.
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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

But I know a lot of people don't, including some well known breeders. This may be to help keep down the time needed to constantly clean furnishings. My collection is not to large so cleaning the extra piece of cage equipment is not a problem. Plus it can help to reduce stress and it's not like it does any harm.

I agree with Jay. I keep my adult ball pythons in the ARS Racks. www.arscaging.com. Even though they are in opgaue tubs, I still provide them with hides. And I know they are worth having in there, because the snakes use them. I think they find comfort in being in them.
I have one female, that will flip her hide over and lay in it.
If I remove it and place it back the correct way, within a day or two, it's flipped back over and she is curled around and laying in it again.
I find that very interesting behavior.
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Ron Billingsley
www.ronbillingsleyreptiles.com

lol...I have a young female that does the same thing. Seems like she would rather sit in her hide than hide underneath.

Use newspaper.
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RicK @ BbI

Ball Boutique,Inc.
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Some of my snakes use hides...the rest, I use newspaper...works great to hide under.
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Jeremy Conrad
bpConnection
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...Can't...stop...must...get...more...balls...

black boaphile racks and they are kept on paper towels so they can crawl under them if they want to. They do great with that. I think the black rack helps with security.

It really all depends on the individual animal. Some of mine still need hides regardless of what they are in. Do some experimenting of your own and see.
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Dave

www.DNReptiles.com
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