Boa Hides?

So, i've only got 2 boas right now... But I have been wondering why most pictures/videos you see of boas, regardless of size, don't generally have hides in the enclosures. Is it because people find they don't use them often? I have hides in my tubs for them (Boaphile inbound!) and its about 50/50 on if they will be in their hides or not. I guess people could see that and reason they dont like the hides? Just wondering what some opinions were on the subject.

I have only given hatchling boas hides if they aren't in a tub. When in a tub, never given a hide before, and never had an issue. None of my adult boas ever have had hides. From my experience, boas aren't prone to stress issues like other reptiles.

My adult boas all have a hide, made from restaurant bus tubs with an access hole cut in one side (having a hubby with a machine shop is handy). They all use them.

I don't give them two because they move the hide around in the enclosure themselves based on where they want to be. Same goes for my retics, anything under 10' gets a hide, and they all use them.

Honestly for adult snakes it is a personal preference and what works best for your given situation. My sub-adult burm had a hide that he rapidly outgrew. When I took it out he didn't even seem to notice.

Some boas seem to like them, some don't seem to care. I use various boxes (sometimes tubes), cardboard shippers, food/soda boxes, that way once they get dirty or crushed, I can toss and replace. (I shop at Costco, so end up with lots of larger size boxes.) Do I think it's necessary? Not really. I like to provide them so they have the option and at least gives them something to inspect and crawl around on. I do take out hides when breeding, usually providing bed sheets until the last 2 weeks before female gives birth.

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m...ack8_28_11.jpg

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m...op3_13_12b.jpg

Is that a snow boa? She is gorgeous! I want one for my next boa....

No, Lemondrop was a normal albino, '98 from Peter Kahl. My big yellow girl. I got her in '02 and she produced a litter in '03. She had a long recovery from the litter (which was also premature). Original owner powerfed the crap out of her and I compounded that by breeding her right away. She passed away Feb. last year. Necropsy had no results. Powerfed boas tend to die young. She was 17. Don't mean to turn this into something emotional, just want to honor her memory, she was a lovely boa and I miss her.

My sunglow has RBI hides on the cool side and warm side. My big Colombian girl just has a hide on her cool side which is a dish pan tub from Walmart. Most of the time, they only use the hides when shedding but I offer them hides regardless.

My large boa won't touch a hide

My smaller one uses the warm side hide only for shedding. She won't go into the cool side hide.

My Baby Sunglow stays out of her hide and My Baby Lipstick Albino always uses his hide..

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