Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey gang!

I really appreciate all the advice this forum has given me about snakes... and I have another question!

What is the rule of thumb for hide boxes?

I use terra cotta clay pots and have 2 sizes that match my snakes current size.

1 size fits her very snug...maybe too snug. She can fully put herself inside and can come/go easily but when fed she might not fit so well, and when I lift the hide box she is sometimes so tighly coiled it takes a few seconds for her to dislodge

The other size is slightly larger but noticeably enough to see room in there. And there is about 1.5 inches of space above her and some wiggle room around. the holes for this one are also much larger than the other size.

How snug and tight do they like being?
Does the snake really give a S&%#?

Thanks everyone!

I don't have that large of a collection, but I am starting to see some snakes that MUST have hides, many hides, everywhere. Other snakes sleep on top of the hide and could care less whether it is there or not.

The snakes I have that do use hides definitely seem to prefer snug. The tighter the better. However, if your female might get stuck in it, comical though that may be, I would upgrade. If you are lucky she will grow into it soon enough.
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2.4 ball pythons
1.1 kingsnakes
0.1 crazy cat
?.? ASFs
1.0 husband

Generally they like it pretty snug but the best rule of thumb is....are they eating on a routine basis? Are they breeding successfully? If these questions are yes then you are fine with what you have.

Jason

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!
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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!