No hides?

Hey guys, I just read an article in which the author recommends NOT having hides for boas. He says they act as a "security blanket," and that large snakes should be used to being exposed to make them less insecure. How many of you do it this way? Thoughts?

i lost the chance to get a RTb, but i woud and did at time go by this, thats why most 'tics and burm don't have hides in there cages, trust me, i know some people do for babies, then take them out as they get older, but i would start with no hide

I think that's silly. I definently think you should provide suitable hides for a boa all throughout its life. The one thing I've observed in my boas is that they don't use them as much as much other species of snakes. Still, I believe they should have the option.

I think the problem is that many people give them hides as babies, then when they get bigger and commercial hides arn't made big enough, they just don't provide one, so then the boa is double stressed because its used to feeling secure and now its exposed.
At the least to can provide some fake foliage as a little bit of cover.

If your keeping the boa in a rack system which is mostly enclosed anyways, then a hide probably isn't neccessary. If they're exposed in their cage, then I would give them something.

We got a reall small baby he has 2 hides. He does not use em tho :taz:

He just sits on top of this log lol

i have a just under 6 foot boa that was raised by someone else with no hide and he has no issues whats so ever. I do not supply him with a hide but do supply him with shredded paper to go under if he indeed feels insecure but i have not had any problems with him since i took it in as a rescue. He eats fine,sheds fine,and can be handled with no problem. If you have a very flighty baby then i would personally supply a hide but imo its not needed.

I've got 2 babies under a year old. The smaller one uses his cool side hide during the day and lays either under or on his little log at night. I have caught him sleeping around his log more and more over the last couple of weeks. The other one, I have only seen in the hides for no more than a few minutes when I put him back in the tub. He is always on or under his climbing branch or on top of his warm side hide. I still provide them whether they choose to use them or not. Maybe they feel secure enough in the tubs not to use the hides. It may be different if they were in tanks...

Feel free to give your snake a hide, it's not going to make it feel "insecure".

Regular handling is probably more important than depriving a snake of options within its enclosure.

My female RTB would rarely go inher hide. She preferred resting coiled on the huge branch I had for her there instead.

yea ours sits wrapped around it or on top or like next to it.

He likes it more then the hides lol

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Originally Posted by BallsUnlimited

i have a just under 6 foot boa that was raised by someone else with no hide and he has no issues whats so ever. I do not supply him with a hide but do supply him with shredded paper to go under if he indeed feels insecure but i have not had any problems with him since i took it in as a rescue. He eats fine,sheds fine,and can be handled with no problem. If you have a very flighty baby then i would personally supply a hide but imo its not needed.

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A 'hide' is really anything the animal can use to get out of sight. I'd say shredded paper is a hide. ;) It doesn't need to be a cave or box or anthing like that.

i do not think the hide is necessary.it seems like the snake gets used to your presence a little quicker with out one, and just gets more comfortabe with its surroundings quicker. it sees you doing your normal daily activities around him and soon realizes he is in no harm. i took the hides out of my snakes cages, it just seemed that when they spent a lot of time in them they would get moody and a little less comfortable with me being being around. they do have a good amount of substrate in their cages and burrow occasionally but for the most part they just hang out on top of the substrate. this is just my opinion, i have had my snakes for some time now and have never had a problem. i have never been bitten, they eat great, and they seem to be stress free. once again this is just my opinion:rolleye2:

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Originally Posted by krinklebearcat

Hey guys, I just read an article in which the author recommends NOT having hides for boas. He says they act as a "security blanket," and that large snakes should be used to being exposed to make them less insecure. How many of you do it this way? Thoughts?

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where do u find a hide big enough for a retic or burm? :8::8:

I use hides for my most of my smaller boas, and they all use them. I don't for my larger ones, because they would have to be huge hides. I keep my larger boas in plastic cages, and just cover one half of the cage, the hot side.

Both my boas are approaching the two year old mark - I've only had them a short while but I provided both of them with two hides in their 4 foot cages and they are always in a hide.

I don't know what I will do once they get much bigger but for now - they seem to prefer to be inside a hide just like my bp's do.

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Originally Posted by Aeries

A 'hide' is really anything the animal can use to get out of sight. I'd say shredded paper is a hide. ;) It doesn't need to be a cave or box or anthing like that.

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yes you are correct 100 percent. Thats why its there just incase he needs a hide. What i was referring to as a hide before was not papper but an actual hide as in a plastic snake hide,or bucket since it would be very hard to offer a large snake one of those hides. haha i should have been more specific

I never used hides with my boas, even if I did put one in there for a baby they would just sit on top of it or curl around in and never go inside. I do agree, giving boas a hide makes them a bit insecure.

*shrug*

:2cent:For my boa i have three hides and for about 4weeks she didnt use them. Now she does use them and when i go to pick her up and she is in her hide she will hiss like crazy. Before she wasnt using her hides she wasnt hissing at me so i think it may depend on how your snake is.:2cent:

From birth on up...no hides at all.

BG doesn't like hides for boas or balls. If you're raising a pet in a tank....maybe. Although BG still thinks this may make the animal more shy.

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Originally Posted by Big Gunns

BG doesn't like hides for boas or balls. If you're raising a pet in a tank....maybe. Although BG still thinks this may make the animal more shy.

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Yeah, I would agree. If you were using a tank then maybe it's another story but in a rack there really isn't any reason for it. I only have hides for 2 of my snakes, that includes the ball pythons because none of them use it. Just the two smallest of the babies do, and when they get a bit bigger i'll probably take them away.