Just built rack have a question

Built my rack but was wondering how nessacary hides are now? I know a lot of people decide not to use them once they have a rack would you all say this is a safe idea.

I give hides on a snake by snake basis.
My pickier eaters do better with hides but my other snakes do very well without a hide.
None of my large female breeders have hides.

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

I give hides on a snake by snake basis.
My pickier eaters do better with hides but my other snakes do very well without a hide.
None of my large female breeders have hides.

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hmmmm....

Well all my girls are off feed right now which is bothering me. Only one laid eggs, so I don't think that the rest are gravid. Never saw any kind of locks either with the other girls so I'm really pretty sure there not gravid. Still a possibility I guess.

I built the rack to help with this problem (loss of appetite/security) and make my room a little neater lol. But they still seem kind of the same. So now I'm wondering if I should offer a hide, but I'm pretty sure the breeder I got them from didn't have hides either. I mean typically how long are females usually in breeding mode? Do they still think its breeding season? I am having trouble reading them and just want to know what they want right now. Just trying to leave them alone and not stress them, and offering food regularly. I am also going to try and feed at night rather then during the day and with live.

Lemme know what your opinions are everyone :)

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Originally Posted by Animals As Leaders

I am having trouble reading them and just want to know what they want right now. Just trying to leave them alone and not stress them, and offering food regularly. I am also going to try and feed at night rather then during the day and with live.

Lemme know what your opinions are everyone :)

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Some are very tough to read, I have several that didn't take either and are still refusing food weekly.

Just keep offering, keep correct temps and give hides to your shy snakes
and the rest will come back on feed in their own due time.
If you just moved them it will take them some time to adjust to the rack also.

If it is an open rack or a closed rack, that may make a difference in a need for hides also. I use closed racks made of black pvc and they stay fairly dark. I also put a hide in regardless in the beginning and see how they react to it. Some of my snakes want nothing to do with it and others will use it 80% of the time.

i dont use hides but none of my snakes act like they need one

I have a couple of very shy snakes that need hides in order to eat reliably. All males, come to think of it. I had a female who used to need one, but doesn't any longer.

My last 2 females who aren't going to lay JUST went back on feed a few days ago. I still have a few left that are due to lay eggs sometime in the next month. If the females aren't exhibiting gravid behavior--IE, they are not laying in perfect coils, contorting themselves into odd positions periodically, OR inverted basking--then at this time of year, I offer food once a week. If they take it, I know they aren't gravid. If I had girls still refusing now that were exhibiting ANY sign of gravid behavior, I would assume they're going to go. I only just pulled my last males from breeding, after not seeing a lock for 2 weeks.

A snake that's eaten reliably without a hide in the past, and has NOT been moved...doesn't need a hide, it's just off feed.

I watch behavior more carefully in 'open' racks--ones that don't have solid board sides and backs--those are more likely to make balls feel insecure. The ones with the closed sides and backs, there is generally no issue.

One of the primary reasons I don't like to use hides in the bins is that the big females will climb on top of them, and when I go to open the bin, they puff up and wedge themselves between the hide and shelf above, holding it closed, lol.

i have all my animals in racks, and i offer every one 1-2 hides depending on their size and the size of the tub. Almost every one makes use of the hides, with the tree boas using them the least, they have 1 hide, a perch and water dish. Each gecko has at least 3 hides and climby things.

I'd rather give my animals the options, especially the balls. Most of mine probably wont eat unless they've got their hides.

Alright thanks everyone. I have been messing with the rack getting temps up to snuff and making adjustments so maybe there just getting annoyed. I'll keep you all updated thanks a lot!!

I use hides for everyone but I only have four snakes in my rack! My one male(the only one to go off feed) started eating on friday!

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Originally Posted by Animals As Leaders

hmmmm....

Well all my girls are off feed right now which is bothering me. Only one laid eggs, so I don't think that the rest are gravid. Never saw any kind of locks either with the other girls so I'm really pretty sure there not gravid. Still a possibility I guess.

I built the rack to help with this problem (loss of appetite/security) and make my room a little neater lol. But they still seem kind of the same. So now I'm wondering if I should offer a hide, but I'm pretty sure the breeder I got them from didn't have hides either. I mean typically how long are females usually in breeding mode? Do they still think its breeding season? I am having trouble reading them and just want to know what they want right now. Just trying to leave them alone and not stress them, and offering food regularly. I am also going to try and feed at night rather then during the day and with live.

Lemme know what your opinions are everyone :)

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Have you put any of them in water? Kinda give them a bath? Sometimes after they lay eggs they need to get the smell of the eggs off. I would do this separately so they do not get to stressed.

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Originally Posted by ballmom

Have you put any of them in water? Kinda give them a bath? Sometimes after they lay eggs they need to get the smell of the eggs off. I would do this separately so they do not get to stressed.

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Yeah, I did clean her cage and gave her bath too.

I have a closeed rack and don't use any hides. For my big females I have them in the cb-70 tubs and when they are over 4000 grams, they take up alot of the tub. without using hides my breeding program is doing great. some snakes take forever to go thru their breeding cycle and some fly thru it. last year I started all my females at the same time and my first female with eggs was may 5th, my last female had them late oct.

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Originally Posted by don15681

I have a closeed rack and don't use any hides. For my big females I have them in the cb-70 tubs and when they are over 4000 grams, they take up alot of the tub. without using hides my breeding program is doing great. some snakes take forever to go thru their breeding cycle and some fly thru it. last year I started all my females at the same time and my first female with eggs was may 5th, my last female had them late oct.

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Woah thats quite a gap. Just goes to show nature isn't perfect and not all ball pythons are created equal :snake: