Neat Idea if it's safe

While at the reptile show today I heard one of the vendors taking to a buyer about a species of python that likes to climb (I think he said carpet python but it was loud) anyway, he said that in some of his larger cages he fixes white plastic pvc pipes to the ceiling of the cage to act as hides. I thought that sounded really cool, esp since they come in so many shapes, but I was wondering if these plastic things were the same kind of PVC as the cages. My dad used to do some construction and these pipes stink when heated, so I was curious to see if any one had used something like these for hides or burrows (for any species)?

Far as I know, PVC is PVC...& that "stink" when heated is toxic. Not a fan, though when it's not heated it's a lot safer.
I've experimented in the past with a few wide (4-6") pieces of PVC & elbows for (unheated) snake hides, they work ok for some species.

The most useful thing I used wide-width PVC for is making a few shift-cages for the rattlesnakes I used to keep: I bolted a made-to-match drain cover to one
end, & used another (with a handle installed) for the doorway, & also installed a heavy-duty handle to the outside. Because of the flow-thru drain covers, I could
also bathe the snakes when needed*. I took in some that were previously kept & unwanted...usually they'd been left for a long time in uncleaned filthy cages
before the "owner" decided it was time to give up the idea or someone they lived with forced the issue...poor snakes! They seemed to like the shallow bath &
as "shift cages" the snakes feel like it's a safe dark cave & usually go in willingly. Much safer & less stress (for everyone!) compared to other methods.

*lukewarm water in bath tub, shallow but enough to flow thru the shift cage, which I then sloshed back & forth slowly in the tub. Worked great. ;)

that sounds cool! I wonder what makes the pipes stink but not the cages when being heated with the various heat sources we use.

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Originally Posted by Crowfingers

that sounds cool! I wonder what makes the pipes stink but not the cages when being heated with the various heat sources we use.

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I've heard some people say they do smell...I think much depends on the sensitivity of our own sense of smell, plus the air circulation in the room. Pretty sure a snake
enclosed is getting a lot more stink than we are. I'm one of those people that doesn't like the smell of plastic storage bins, that's even when they're cold & only used for
storage, not heated & housing snakes. Plastics in general are full of toxic stuff & adding energy (heat) makes them off-gas...we put up with PVC pipes to carry much
of our drinking water because it's probably the cheapest alternative & easy to work with etc- & so far, we look the other way for the minimal risks. I suspect that someday
health regulations will reflect what scientists already know, & label them as a likely contributor to our cancer risk, but right now, it's just another "inconvenient" issue for
which we don't have a better idea.