Crap Hides

Ok so what's the deal with the lack of good hides/cage decor available. The hides available really are too open and the decor usually has little crevices in them that a reptile could crawl up into and potentially get stuck. Anyone else notice these things or have ideas?

Most of the hides you see in retail shops are intended to appeal to many different species and many different people - that doesn't make them bad. For BPs, you don't need a better mousetrap, you just need one that works. Reptile Basics hides are good options. So are plastic bowls turned upside down with a notch cut in the rim. While neither are necessarily aesthetically pleasing, they both get the job done.

I got a four pack of plastic bowls from my local dollar store that were perfect and cut notches in the rims. Four hides, one dollar. Can't beat that!

I thought this thread was going to be about something totally different haha, my first thought was hmmmm interesting choice of material for diy hides.

Anyway, I like the black hides from Reptile Basics :-)

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Originally Posted by Eric Alan

Most of the hides you see in retail shops are intended to appeal to many different species and many different people - that doesn't make them bad. For BPs, you don't need a better mousetrap, you just need one that works. Reptile Basics hides are good options. So are plastic bowls turned upside down with a notch cut in the rim. While neither are necessarily aesthetically pleasing, they both get the job done.

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I understand that, just kind of stinks I can really only use cuts of cork bark at this point. There are some really nice decor items from the National Geographic line they just have those little crevices that it would really stink to get a small snake out of (I feed in a separate enclosure). I'm thinking of maybe filling them with aquarium sealant or something.

When I used decor I used to stuff those crevasses and holes with paper towel. It did work but after a bout with mites I had to throw all of these items away. Plus the mites LOVE to hide in the stuffed paper towel. I moved to snake racks soon after and do not use hides unless I have a snake with feeding issues (which none do at the moment). The PVC hides work great but if you want a really cool DIY hide, get a box and bury it under some substrate. You create a little burrow and a small landscape hill and it looks really cool. No one would know any different. It sucks having to dig out the snake every time you want to hold him though, then put it back together. Snakes will still use hides with large entrances if you use deep substrate and make a dip so the snake can nestle into. Just be creative and try it for a week. Keep the receipts and if your snake wont use it, take it back and try a different one.

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Originally Posted by lunasjy

When I used decor I used to stuff those crevasses and holes with paper towel. It did work but after a bout with mites I had to throw all of these items away. Plus the mites LOVE to hide in the stuffed paper towel. I moved to snake racks soon after and do not use hides unless I have a snake with feeding issues (which none do at the moment). The PVC hides work great but if you want a really cool DIY hide, get a box and bury it under some substrate. You create a little burrow and a small landscape hill and it looks really cool. No one would know any different. It sucks having to dig out the snake every time you want to hold him though, then put it back together. Snakes will still use hides with large entrances if you use deep substrate and make a dip so the snake can nestle into. Just be creative and try it for a week. Keep the receipts and if your snake wont use it, take it back and try a different one.

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I freeze everything I buy from pet stores just in case there maybe parasites on it, esp wood products.

I use the Reptile Basics for both my BP and sunglow boa.

Exo Terra has a nice range of sizes for their 'natural' looking hides. Easy to clean and look good in enclosure.

http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/reptile_cave.php

+1 to exoterra I use a lot of their hides. The large is also low which I like a lot. Makes the snakes feel more cozy.