Do you guys/gals use any hide boxes? Do you feel they are necessary?

i do but its just some thing i have allways done

For some snakes it's a definite necessity -- for others it's certainly optional.

But have you ever known a ball not to use a hide if you offered one to it? Must mean the like them -- if they like them -- then I offer them -- simple Southern California hospitality :D .

I agree with Tosha, all my tubs have hides and they all use them. I'm sure some of my more aggressive eaters would be fine without them, however I like giving them that extra security. I actually just looked and out of 12 balls all but 1 is in their hide right now.

I use the clay base for clay pots. especially for younger ones. just use a hammer and knock a hole. I think ro exoctics hd a video that showed how but ts simple. Anyways I put a hide in each tub for most and some use it some don't. My adult females don't use hides.

Baby balls yes but everything else I say no for the most part.

Depends on the snake. I provide for the picky eaters so they feal secure, but other than that, nope......

I use some plastic, I think dish tubs. I cut a hole in the side and they are good. I use those for all the adults. Babies I use the 5 inch plastic crocks. I flip them over and with a 1 1/2 inch hole saw. I cut a hole in the top off to one side. They have worked great so far. You do have to do a bit of sanding or melt some of the edges after the hole is cut. But not to bad. I also once the babies are eating good take away the hide. If they keep eating. They don't get another hide until they move up to the bigger tubs. If they stop eating I give the hide back.

some come flyin' outta the tub to eat w/out 'em.
'pends on the ball.
ck

I do not use hides. I keep all of my balls in rack systems though. I do think they would be necessary if someone were keeping them in aquariums.

Do you guys/gals use any hide boxes? Do you feel they are necessary?

Depends on the set up (aquarium, rack, individual plastic tub, boaphile type plastic cage, etc) and the individual snake itself.

I personally use racks and boaphile cages. My snakes in the cages all like hides. Some snakes in the racks like hides and some dont use them.

I use them sometimes. If I have a picky eater I will put one in. Sometimes it helps. I always put one in for babies.

I used to have caves with everyone. Now I only use them on the smaller ones or problem feeders. The majority of my big females never used them anyway.

Most of mine don't have hides, I give them to some however if they go off feed at a strange time of the year.

I use hide boxes on all 4 sides of the bins. Just incase that get scared LOL!

LOL I only use them for smaller snakes and jumpy females.. All my snakes are in racks so it's pretty dark in the back of the tubs.

Alan

I give hides to the hatchlings until they move to larger tubs. Other than that I only have 2 out of about 30 adults and subadults that really seem to freak out without hides. Stupid males....... LOL ;)

I've been giving them a hide till there about a year old, after that they're on their own...:)

give to each, what each requires.
ck

I use hides, but some of my snakes dont use them they just go under the paper and hide. To each is own i guess.

babies get hides! Once they get around 250 grams they come out . If they go off feed they get the hide back. 90 % of my tubs have no hides, one less item to wash and disenfect.

I don't use hides for any of my snakes...Never have...

I don't use hides for any of my snakes...Never have...

I used to...but not anymore.

Every tub has a hide and all hides are used at sometime regardless of age. I will always provide hides until the majority stop using them.

Flower pots for the ball pythons thats all.

I don't use them at all.... all my racks are dark enough to make them feel comfortable.... well, for mine anyway!

All my snakes have some kind of hide. Only on on the warm side though. I just ordered some Reptile Basics hide boxes. They are vacuum formed abs plastic and the door is offset. They look nice and should work well.

I use hides for the ones who want them. Some seem to never use them.

i like to use hides for all my snakes baby and adult. when its feeding time you can see them sitting with just there head out waiting. and i also think it gives them something to rub on when they shed

Just depends on the animal....

Do you guys/gals use any hide boxes? Do you feel they are necessary?

Nope and Nope....


Mine eat fine without em!

i use them untill they are breeding size and for picky feeders

Never have never will and i dont have ANY problems with gettin
them to eat...

One more thing to clean, no I don't use them anymore.

I have some picky eaters that seem to do way better with them.

Do you guys/gals use any hide boxes? Do you feel they are necessary?

Yes. If you give them one they are in it 90% of the time. Its obviously not necessary but they really seem to enjoy having one.

Plus ever since I gave my bigger female a roomy hide she has eaten 100% of the time food was offered with no hesitation. I used to have to coax her sometimes. Now i just warm up a rat and stick the head in the hole of her hide and give a wiggle and she always nails it before you can count to 5.

:greensnake:

I use 1 hide at the back of the rack (that being said, it's dark at the back so it probably doesn't matter), but like Tosh said, they use it, and if they want to use it, i'll let them. I use the Upside down plastic flower pots from Home Depot or Lowes or anywhere else they sell that kind of stuff. Just my $0.02

-Mark

Yes. If you give them one they are in it 90% of the time. Its obviously not necessary but they really seem to enjoy having one.

Plus ever since I gave my bigger female a roomy hide she has eaten 100% of the time food was offered with no hesitation. I used to have to coax her sometimes. Now i just warm up a rat and stick the head in the hole of her hide and give a wiggle and she always nails it before you can count to 5.

:greensnake:

Agreed man, my big female was such a damn picky eater for a while, she had a hide but it was too small for her lol and they're all in a deep dark rack so I wasn't too worried. Then I got her a nice big RBI hide that she fits perfectly in and now all I have to do is wiggle the rat near the door and she's on like Donkey Kong! Hell, she'll even take f/t now just can't let her smell it too long lol.

I usually give hides to the shyer balls but don't worry too much about it with the more agressive guys. Basically if I have a hide to use I'll use it otherwise them being in the rack seems to keep them quite happy!

Not in any size tub. I find my hatchlings often wedging themselves between their water dish and side of the tub. I do wait until I HAVE TO MOVE them the a bigger sized tub. They are crammed in there!!! 95% of my hatchlings feed great.:)

if you use the upside down flower pot hide they love to wedge themselves between the top of it and the rack.... Makes it kinda tough to open sometimes.

All my snakes get hides. Its probably because I am a colubrid guy and almost all the colubrids need a hide to thrive. I use everything from plant pot bottoms to small kitty litter pans.

I'll use them for picky eaters, but generally I don't need them so I don't use them.

I don't use hide boxes. but I do use wadded grocery bags. When I move a snake up to a bigger tub I add a bag tell they get use to the space.

I have pretty much stopped using them as well. Too hard to keep clean and the adults seem to do just fine without them. I did use them for a while though up until last year..

The typical pot holder ones.. Great for hatchlings

I use cereal boxes, and yes they are neccesary for feeding especially

onionboy

it varies from ball to ball. some need em some dont.
i usually use cereal boxes (from trader joes haha)
they work pretty good

-plaidpython

i use them with smaller ones but with the bigger ones they just go under there paper

All mine use hides, always offered and they are usually always in them. I use RBI racks.

When I pair animals I take the hide out since it just seems to get in the way.

Do you guys/gals use any hide boxes? Do you feel they are necessary?

define hide box... I haven't used any actual boxes for years, just one more thing to clean. But I do throw in a crumpled up sheet of newspaper for the shyer ones which will usually be found under it. I use racks for all of my snakes and it's generally not needed since the back of the box is usually dark enough. Some do seem to need something extra though.