Suggestions for hides...

Hi everyone, new ball python owner here. Been getting (and using) a lot of info from this site, thanks to all...

So far, so good I think with my first baby ball. Got all the temps right, substrates, and even hides. He has gobbled up the frozen/thawed food 3 weeks running without even an ounce of hesitation.

My question regards the clay flower pot hides people suggest to buy/use from lawn/garden sections of wal-mart or wherever, etc...

I've learned from trial and error that those half log hides from petco are ****.....so i did go out and purchase a flower pot hide.

What have most of you used to cut the half moon shape on the side of the pot? I tried a couple of different methods only to crack the pot in half, LOL. I sanded down all sharp edges, pieced it back together, and it seems to work fine (it is his new favorite spot in the cage).

I plan on buying 2 more and trying it again so I have one for warm side and one for cool side, but I thought I should ask all of you what you may suggest so I don't go breaking another...LOL.

Thanks all

I use round plastic bowls not the flower pots but my method should work for you also, just get a soldering iron (under adult supervision if you are a young en) and burn away an opening, then lightly sand the rough edges.

I go to the dollar store and get plastic bowls, very cheap and very easy to clean:gj:

If not plastic bowls, then 'mini' plastic paint buckets. The kind you get to pour paint into, NOT the ones that have had paint in them of course. I picked up a few of different sizes and its really easy to use a soldering iron to melt them to size and place an opening.

i use plastic flower pot bottoms and cut a big hole in the top. the hole is big enough so that the snake has no chance of ever getting stuck. i also use plastic mini kitty litter tubs and cut out an entrance at the top. again i make sure that the entrance is big enough so that the bp has no chance of ever getting stuck. they love them and i love them because they are lighter and easier to clean than clay pots or clay pot bottoms.

From hatchling up to about 200/250 grams I use 6 inches diameter plastic flowerpot saucers.

From 200/250 grams to 400/450 grams I use plastic bowls

You can use a special bit on a dremel or you can get the same flowerpot saucer thing in plastic. We use plastic bowls from the dollar store and just melt/cut in an entrance either in the roof or the side of the bowl.

Young BP tucked up in her hide....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...chlingHide.jpg

Bigger BP with her cereal bowl sized plastic hides....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ertubFeb07.jpg

Adult female BP snoozing in her hide - this one is a big black rubber pet dish we bought at a farm supply store....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...irseinHide.jpg

We used to use the terracotta things too but they are hard to work with and do crack a lot. Also they are much harder to thoroughly clean and these snakes will use their hides as a toileting spot.

I learned from the best (several of the above posters)...

plastic bowls... and for the slightly larger boys 400g or so. Plastic drawer organizers, and eventually move up to kitty litter pans.

But that being said, I have a few of those hard acrylic exo-terra hides that I inherited with adopted snakes. And have to say I really like them. Snug and heavy. The snakes that are in them (the medium sizes) are just over 1000g.

Too pricey to buy for every snake in the collection. But definitely hang onto the ones I have.

Bruce

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...rejun92007.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...ngjun92007.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...newsnakes4.jpg

Can not resist this last one... a plastic soap dish that has been home to my snow corn, my milksnake, and now my anery male. :)
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...07Violaine.jpg

You know I knew I'd lost the fight to not be a crazy snake person when I bought a product I didn't even like or want...JUST to get the small plastic container it was packaged in! LOL

Hey! The new milksnake was really tiny and I couldn't find decent hides for her....that product was perfect...well the tiny dark plastic tubs were! :oops:

Jo,

Not sure if you remember me hauling home two lasagna take out containers (the black deli ones) as I realized they would make perfect hides for Olive. I bought the lasagna, ate it, sterilized the tubs, cut holes, packaged them and then flew them from Ireland to Scotland.

But they worked perfectly, so it as all good. :)