Reptile & Amphibian Forums

For those who keep fairly large breeding groups in rack systems-how many of you also provide a hide box? I use enclosed racks, and wonder if hides are truly necessary, or just one more thing to clean and disinfect every week!

Brad Chambers

Hides are a must even if you have racks, snakes do not and will not feel secure in open spaces, hides are fairly cheap so the expense is very mimnum in rgards to your snakes health, its just another tool used in good husbandry.

90 % of all of our ball pythons do not have hides, they feed every week with no issues and have for years and years, if we have a picky eater as a baby they will get a hide or if a female is picky after breeding she will get a hide, but in dark confined racks the cage is practically a hide so we only use them for extra security in nervous snakes.

I have never used hides unless absolutely necessary. If a snake is nervous and doesn't calm eventually I will put in a hide, otherwise I like being able to see the animals. Like you said...just something else to clean. I have some closed racks like you mentioned, and they basically have hide area in the back anyway. No troubles here in over 10 years...breeding, feeding etc. I have kept all kinds of colubrids and even rattlesnakes in aquariums with no hides...and no problems. Hides are just a tool to be used when needed...not a necessity.
-----
Dale....dgoins222@yahoo.com
www.LibertyReptiles.com

I do no use hides. The vast majority of CB hatchlings raised up without a hide never need one. Conversely if you raise a snake with a hide they will become dependent on one. In my experience I have found that hides make timid snakes and for that reason I won't use one. Of course I raise my snakes in racks, which is a lot different that having them in an aquarium on the coffee table. It seems that there are a few nervous snakes that seem to do better with a hide, but in my experience it is the exception rather than the rule. If you want to raise up snakes that come out to greet you when you pull out their tub instead of heading for the far corner throw the hides away unless you really need one.
Grant Whitmer

I only use a hide with my skiddish girls who freak out when the tub is pulled out.

I generally toss an extra piece of newspaper into the back of the tub. Just crease the paper so it stands up a little. I almost always find the snakes under the newspaper.
-----
Cheryl Marchek
AKA JM
The Red Dragons Den
Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons~ for you are Crunchy and taste good with Ketchup!

Hi ! I let the snake tell me by there behavior and how well they feed weather they need a hide or not . Some will need it to feel secure and some will only feed from ambush or from in there hide . So I say let the individual snake tell you what they won’t or need , just be observant . Thanks David of DS Reptile Rescue

Most balls feel more secure if they are wedged in somewhere - yeah - you can raise them without hides - but I think as with any pet the idea is to provide an optimal environment for your pet and for balls - that includes a hide.
-----
Tosha

I agree with tosha, I think hides are good for balls , I use vision racks and the clubs are semi clear and the balls would only feel stressed and out in the open in their semi clear tubs if they did not have a hide to crawl into , all yoou have to do is look at nature once again and you know that they prefer dark tight places to curl up into , so unless your tubs are all black and do not allow any light in I would definetly advise using hides they are easy to place in a tub and are cheap to purchase, remeber its all about the balls your are keeping not you .