Hide for mother about to lay soon?

[AlexisFitzy]

Just have a quick question about whether I should keep the hide in with Delilah my expectant mother that is due July 8th. I'm wondering if I should leave the hide in there with her and let her lay the eggs under the hide. I wasn't sure if people let them keep the hides to make them more comfortable or if the mom would be more comfortable with more space to lay without being confined to the hide. My girl has always used her hides but I don't want them to stress her out when she's about to lay because she doesn't have enough space.


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[kylearmbar]

I know some people use lay boxes, basically a hide upside down with some spaghum moss in it. Don't know about hides though, I take them out.

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[AlexisFitzy]

Awesome thanks for your input she has two large reptile basics hides in her tub so I could flip it and use it as a lay box.


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[AjBalls]

Has she started nesting under the hide? She's going to lay wherever she feels is best for the eggs. Females will tend to stretch a bit and take up a lot more room when they're laying their eggs, so if she was to lay in her hide she may be a little crammed. I have a couple of the large hides myself and I personally just take them out from the time I first introduce a male to after I clean out a females tub after she lays.

[AlexisFitzy]

Has she started nesting under the hide? She's going to lay wherever she feels is best for the eggs. Females will tend to stretch a bit and take up a lot more room when they're laying their eggs, so if she was to lay in her hide she may be a little crammed. I have a couple of the large hides myself and I personally just take them out from the time I first introduce a male to after I clean out a females tub after she lays.

I still have a month before she lays. She just had her pre-lay shed today but I'd rather ask questions sooner than later. Plus I'm just so excited! Sometimes she lays under the hide and sometimes she lays behind it. I will remove it for a while and see how she reacts. If she moves to the other side to be under the cool hide I'll give her the warm hide back. If it doesn't seem to phase her than I'll keep it out thanks for your input Aj. This is a topic I don't hear much about.


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[AjBalls]

Most likely she'll stay on the warm end regardless if you remove the hide or not, since she knows the eggs will have to stay warm.

[JodanOrNoDan]

I don't even use hides for my breeding size females. No lay boxes either. Mine will usually lay right on top of the paper towels I use for substrate.

[AlexisFitzy]

Most likely she'll stay on the warm end regardless if you remove the hide or not, since she knows the eggs will have to stay warm.

I wish this were true, as soon as I removed the hide I went to the living room for a while to give her some time and when I came back she was under the cool side hide so I put the other hide back in. But I have noticed that she's a bit restless right now and she's just been going back and forth from hide to hide. So I think I'm just gunna leave them in there. I'll see how she reacts to me removing it when she gets closer to her lay date and maybe then she won't mind.


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[AlexisFitzy]

I don't even use hides for my breeding size females. No lay boxes either. Mine will usually lay right on top of the paper towels I use for substrate.

I've heard that a lot of people don't use hides once their girls are breeding size. All my snakes really love their hides though.


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[Alicia]

I wish this were true, as soon as I removed the hide I went to the living room for a while to give her some time and when I came back she was under the cool side hide so I put the other hide back in. But I have noticed that she's a bit restless right now and she's just been going back and forth from hide to hide. So I think I'm just gunna leave them in there. I'll see how she reacts to me removing it when she gets closer to her lay date and maybe then she won't mind.


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Unless your ambient temps are insanely cold, I would go ahead and remove both. Try to leave her alone as much as possible.

They can become very sensitive to disturbance as they get closer to laying. My girls love their hides, but I remove them after the pre-lay shed so that I can give them a quick glance as needed without having to cause any undue stress. I also paper the fronts of their tubs, because they live in a room I use a lot, and without the hides, a visual block provides a measure of security. I did have one female go under her newspaper for a fist clutch -- and she laid down there -- though now all my females are on cypress. . . . They can make nests and feel comfortable that way. Also, better humidity.