Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hmm... It seems I jumped the gun on the whole Freedom Breeder Hide Box issue. My favorite male STILL prefers to burrow underneath the newspaper substrate. Does he not appreciate the amount of money I've spent buying him a bazillion various hide boxes? What is wrong with him? If he wasn't my favorite animal, I'd give him a stern talking-to. =/

Does this happen with all you other newspaper substrate users? Do your animals also prefer to burrow underneath a few layers of newspaper rather than use a nice hide box?

He still eats very well, sheds very well, and poops very well...but I think he should start using a proper hide box like a civilized Ball Python.

Any comments or suggestions?

Thanks,
Chris
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“Next time don't buy $10K worth of snakes out of the back of a van!” -- Toshamc

Yes have the same thing.
My het male xanthic loves his.
But most just craw under newspaper......
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RicK @ BbI

Ball Boutique,Inc.
Proud sponsor of this forum

I only use the newspaper for my quarantine snakes and I've had some that will prefer to hide underneath it rather than use the hides. Once they are in the aspen in the racks they are usually the ones that will burrow under the aspen too. Some of them get real creative and shift all the aspen to one side then curl into a ball underneath, and some just stretch all the way out under a layer of it. I think some balls just have a greater propensity for burrowing.
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Tosha

8.13.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
7.9.5 Fish (1,2,3,4...)
0.0.1 Frog rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.2 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

I was thinking that switching to Aspen would force my snakes to use a hidebox. However, nespaper is so cheap and easy to use, I don't really want to switch. Plus newspaper is king when it comes to mite prevention.

I really do think that my animals simply do not want a hide box. For example: my Heterozygous Piebald (Ringer) male arrived a few days ago. I immediately helped him slither into his new hide -- a ceramic cereal bowl made like a "flower pot base" hide. No luck. This little guy stays outside of his hide (but NOT underneath the newspaper) all day and all night. I don't understand. I always hear how important a hide box is for Ball Pythons, but I've yet to own a Ball Python that actually uses a hide box. They just prefer to lay around underneath the newspaper.

Hmm...I give up. =/

Chris
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“Next time don't buy $10K worth of snakes out of the back of a van!” -- Toshamc

I use the flower pot thingy for my BPs, they seem to like it and its cheap!

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www.hullabalooherps.com

Yep. I've tried that one, too. No luck. =/

Chris
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“Next time don't buy $10K worth of snakes out of the back of a van!” -- Toshamc

What my male doe's is pushes all the aspen bedding in one corner of his then he hides under his box. Thanks Scott Glover

I think as long as everything else(temp, humidity and eating well) is OK then there's no real need to worry. Some would simply rather be outside. Do they lay under a lamp or other source of heat, as in basking? Individual personalities differ in reptiles as in other critters.JMHO

Quig

All my animals are kept inside a back-heated (Jason's Jungle) rack. There is no real basking spot. I think they just like to snuggle inside a few sheets of newspaper. Maybe that feels more secure to them. Who knows?

Chris =/
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“Next time don't buy $10K worth of snakes out of the back of a van!” -- Toshamc

your snake is telling you all you need to know about hidespots, you are just not listening!

"caves" and big roomy "hide" boxes are the designs of an ignorant human being. reptiles are crevice seekers, they want a hide spot that is tight and secure, a squeeze space. they don't want some big open cave that still leaves them vulnerable to predation.

the snake may not be smart enough to realize that a couple sheets of newspaper isn't truly secure, all they know is that it is tight, and fits right over their backs.

check out the FAQ i wrote at the link below, it is about hide spot theory. apply that info to your setups and cage, and your animal will feel more secure, and have less stress.

want to make those freedom breeder boxes more usable and ball friendly? take a sheet of newspaper and loosely crumple it up. then stick it under/in that hidespot. you have just broken up the visually open lines in the box, and you have made a much more "hideable" box out of it, something the snake will recognize.

we all need to learn to read the animals better, and react accordingly
Pro Exotics Hide Spot Theory FAQ

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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

Thanks for the advice. I'll check the link out right away. =)

Oh! And I agree about the ball of newspaper theory. I know from keeping Russian Torts that breaking up any open spaces in the cage is VERY beneficial to their phsyche. In fact, if you have lots of open spaces, they are much more likely to show aggression toward other cagemates. (And I have the vet bills to prove it.)

Thanks again. =)

Chris =)
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“Next time don't buy $10K worth of snakes out of the back of a van!” -- Toshamc

Hey! I was actually thinking about trying a cork hide! Cool! I remembered reading somewhere that they work, but I also remember someone protesting the use as not very psychologically beneficial. I'm glad to see that they may be wrong. =)

Now I just have to find someone who sells them. LOL =)

Thanks Again,
Chris =)
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“Next time don't buy $10K worth of snakes out of the back of a van!” -- Toshamc