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Hide size VS snake size
if you're anything like me, spatial recognition does not come naturally so figuring out what size hides you need can be tough!
i had a great discussion with some fellow members regarding the size of a hide in relationship to the size of the snake using it. i was hoping to spread some of that knowledge with a thread dedicated to this topic so that others might better know what hide sizes they can use and how long they will last.
for now we've only discussed RBI hides, but i'm hoping others will share their experience with other brands (Exo-Terra, NatGeo, etc.)
first up is Spaghetti in her medium RBI hides. she's almost 600g and has plenty of room to grow.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...626ff3e9fa.jpg
next is Yellow in his large RBI hides. he's over 900g and has PLENTY of room.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...c764dd279a.jpg
user @MmmBanana shared his experience with his almost-1200g male who fits into medium RBI hides. as someone who sucks at spatial recognition, this threw me for a loop!
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...82882ed566.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...c14572558b.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...bf438a8f0c.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...d837c1324a.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...b3776d5dc4.jpg
so i put Yellow into a spare medium RBI hide i had and, well whatdayaknow
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...79136b8058.jpg
here he is after i lifted the hide off of him. nice and snug!
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...6418176dd3.jpg
so i replaced one of Yellow's hides with a medium one and will be checking if he uses it throughout the week. i will also be updating this thread with a small RBI hide comparison with Coffee Bean later today.
thanks for reading!
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
I use exo-terra stone hides. Small for monty, he needs an upgrade but still fits. Medium for Clyde, he has room to grow in it yet. Large for Bonnie fits her perfect. I like the exo-terra above the rbis, they tend to flip my rbis but not the stone hides.
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pezz
I use exo-terra stone hides. Small for monty, he needs an upgrade but still fits. Medium for Clyde, he has room to grow in it yet. Large for Bonnie fits her perfect. I like the exo-terra above the rbis, they tend to flip my rbis but not the stone hides.
do you have pics? i'd love to see them! i used to use Exo-Terras and i do like them over RBIs for their weight. i still have them! with a growing collection tho, price has been a factor. :oops:
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Excellent write up! Really helpful to see visuals of size versus snake.
I recently bought a new hide for the cold side and this one was a little different than the old one where the front of the hide was a lot lower than the back. It has turned out to be the favorite place for him to hide. I would definitely say that height is as important as width in getting a good hide for a burrow dwelling species like a ball.
If you want to know a highly recommend one for an adult, this one is what i bought a little while ago
Exo Terra extra large reptile cave
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...1&pcatid=36191
Check my post history I wrote one about it a month ago or so. Drs Fosters and Smith have great deals on reptile supplies and always have some sale or the other.
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Damn, I wish you posted this sooner! I just ordered 2 lg RBI hides yesterday, turns out my Mediums will last much longer than I expected ;)
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Clydes hide. I'm not going to bug Monty or Bonnie until after feeding (and 48 hours after that lol).https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a4e7a2695f.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...12e26afb0e.jpg
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
All of my dudes show a very strong preference for RBI hides over exo-terra. Sad for me because the exo-terra looks nicer, but I gave in long ago. I'll see if I can't get a decent picture of how my 1250g boy fits in his medium soonish, but he's in shed right now although in a surprisingly good mood anyway just skittish (He gets hissy sometimes when his eyes are completely blue).
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Thanks for posting this! I've been wondering about this lately on what size hides I may have to move up to when it's time for Tapioca to use his full cage, so this is super helpful! I'll keeping an eye on this thread for more comparisons :P
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Small RBI vs 140g juve, might just be her but she likes to "stretch" out in her hide lol
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...55bf7a1a94.jpg
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kcl
All of my dudes show a very strong preference for RBI hides over exo-terra. Sad for me because the exo-terra looks nicer, but I gave in long ago. I'll see if I can't get a decent picture of how my 1250g boy fits in his medium soonish, but he's in shed right now although in a surprisingly good mood anyway just skittish (He gets hissy sometimes when his eyes are completely blue).
I use both but my guys like flipping the rbis. Don't know if it's them just playing or if they dislike them. I also use straw huts originally designed for rodents as moisture hides stuff it with paper towels and spray down every couple days.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...8abf38c073.jpg
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pezz
Oh lord if I tried that I would have a mold forest like you would not believe! Living in a densely wooded area, everything is out to get me
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by SDA
Oh lord if I tried that I would have a mold forest like you would not believe! Living in a densely wooded area, everything is out to get me
Sub temporal forest area for me. I check every couple days for any signs of mold or rot. So far been 3 months and fine, I only use them in my glass enclosures that have screen tops.
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by oodaT
Small RBI vs 140g juve, might just be her but she likes to "stretch" out in her hide lol
Yeah a lot of this is gonna hinge on how the animal likes to coil up. I'm not using RBI but here's mine in his current hides. Pretty sure he'll fit into a medium snugly and he was around 770g I think last weigh-in?
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/cAkBFSf.jpg
Like mine always likes to have his middle mass jutting out of the door like that and tends to turtle it along as he settles in, thus often spinning around his hide. Which leads to tantrums since then he can't see out the door.
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
here's a 197g (!!!) Coffee Bean in her small RBI hide. she's starting to wear them as a shell anymore and i always see her poking out the from underneath. i thought she could wait a bit longer before upping her hide size but she might need it sooner rather than later.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...bb16e0cc0e.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c94086db06.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e212ea66c7.jpg
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
The BP's sure do like it snug! My year old can still curl up nicely in his medium hide. I tried giving him one of the Exo Terra hides and he would have nothing to do with it... so basic black plastic hide box it is! :gj:
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
to update on Yellow: he is currently sleeping in the medium hide! i think in the next day or two i'll replace another of his large hides with a medium and see what he does (he has 3 total).
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i keep most hatchlings in a 6 quart tub with 1 small RBI hide. the thing with the medium RBI hide is that they are too big for a 15quart tub which is my next size up for when a BP outgrows its hatchling tub. see:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...m/9ATyR8Pl.jpg
the mediums are like more than twice the size of the smalls:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...m/DrNa8Pxl.jpg
i guess u can turn the mediums sideways but there's now only room for a waterbowl.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...m/adhDfcfl.jpg
at this size and age, i like to offer a temp gradient with a warm and cool hide. so i got these "small" hides from The Bean Farm. they're bigger than the smalls, smaller than the mediums.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...m/szefodTl.jpg
i can fit 2 into a 15 quart tub.
(i forgot to take pix of two in the tub. :\ )
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I recently bought some of those bean farm ones because the fit so nicely in those tubs. I use small crocks for water bowls and 2 of my youngin' like to push the hide right against the crocks, it fills the door completely and then they lay behind the hide. silly beepers!
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ax01
THANK YOU!!! i always thought the size jump from small to medium was silly. can you post a link to those hides, pretty please?
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Bothered my Pipsy - he's in a good mood despite being in blue. This hide is a medium based on checking my amazon orders.
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...8/img_5327.jpg
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kcl
WOW! alnost 1400g in mediums. wonderful! thank you so much for sharing!
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by tttaylorrr
WOW! alnost 1400g in mediums. wonderful! thank you so much for sharing!
You're welcome! I would subtract a bit off that 1400 because I think he's about ready to leave me a nice big mess!
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
The science of snake hide to snake sizing ratio.
+1 vote to make this thread a "hide" sticky. This is the best hide thread I have come across.
Thanks Tttaylor!
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by tttaylorrr
can you post a link to those hides, pretty please?
here you go...
https://beanfarm.com/collections/bed...nt=24905410761
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kcl
Hm...I bought what seems to be exactly that size, but it was sold as a "large"..can you measure in inches so we can compare? My mediums are smaller...
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by zina10
Hm...I bought what seems to be exactly that size, but it was sold as a "large"..can you measure in inches so we can compare? My mediums are smaller...
i can measure when i get home! what size are your mediums?
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by zina10
oh, wow. hm...thanks for the photos!
i'll post comparison pics of my medium and large hides as well as measurements tonight.
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by zina10
Hm...I bought what seems to be exactly that size, but it was sold as a "large"..can you measure in inches so we can compare? My mediums are smaller...
Sure, I can measure it tonight. Since it's third party sellers on amazon, maybe it was a "medium" but is actually a large.
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by zina10
Hm...I bought what seems to be exactly that size, but it was sold as a "large"..can you measure in inches so we can compare? My mediums are smaller...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kcl
Sure, I can measure it tonight. Since it's third party sellers on amazon, maybe it was a "medium" but is actually a large.
now that's interesting. some of my hides i've bought from amazon and some i bought straight from RBI. i'll have to do some digging to see if i can figure that out which is which.
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For those who like resin or plastic natural looking caves, here is the size of the exo terra extra large cave
Width and length are roughly the same
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/CYoqPZt.jpg
Depth (little less than 3" actually -at the back, the tallest part)
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/QgAs4Q7.jpg
Top
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/Isjtb5z.jpg
Front
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/KoSILKa.jpg
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
I'd like to note one thing on these plastic hides. As the snake grows, I increase the size of the entrance hole. There have been numerous times when I have observed the snake's head coming back out before the rear half is in. That doesn't work out too well if the hole is less than two snake diameters.
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Waiting to hear those measurements, since the difference between a M and L of the RBIs is big, don't think my 800gish male can fit in a M but not sure how I'm gonna get two L's in his enclosure.
These makeshift green ones aren't gonna last much longer so I gotta look into other options soon and the local exotics store only has one M available until some indefinite point in the future. But don't want to buy M's online and find they're far too small and then have to go through the pain of returning them. Sigh.
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by SDA
How snug would you say it fits your bp and how many grams? Currently I have a large that I'm reserving for my boy when he gets bigger and I was trying to figure out if a large exo terra could be a permanent hide for an adult male or if I may need to upgrade to an X large at some point.
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
to update on Yellow: i really don't think he's left his medium hide since he found it. tomorrow his remaining two large hides will be replaced with mediums. can't believe he's been dealing with too large of hides. i feel like a bad mom. ):
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by tttaylorrr
to update on Yellow: i really don't think he's left his medium hide since he found it. tomorrow his remaining two large hides will be replaced with mediums. can't believe he's been dealing with too large of hides. i feel like a bad mom. ):
Lol, no you are a great mom. Balls will live in a larger hide, they just prefer a tight one. Its like saying you are a bad mom because you fed him rats, when he really likes Gerbils... I have 'too large' hides for my snakes, but they live with it. It seems as long as the entrance is small and they feel hidden, that is what matters.
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by Godzilla78
Lol, no you are a great mom. Balls will live in a larger hide, they just prefer a tight one. Its like saying you are a bad mom because you fed him rats, when he really likes Gerbils... I have 'too large' hides for my snakes, but they live with it. It seems as long as the entrance is small and they feel hidden, that is what matters.
thanks for your reply, i appreciate it and it makes me feel less like a bad mom (snom??). [emoji4] Yellow has no idea he gets a surprise tomorrow!!!
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by MissterDog
How snug would you say it fits your bp and how many grams? Currently I have a large that I'm reserving for my boy when he gets bigger and I was trying to figure out if a large exo terra could be a permanent hide for an adult male or if I may need to upgrade to an X large at some point.
Mine is 1100 grams and 46 inches and he fits perfectly. Coils and retreats into the back and has plenty of room to rotate around and move without having to struggle.
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by MissterDog
How snug would you say it fits your bp and how many grams? Currently I have a large that I'm reserving for my boy when he gets bigger and I was trying to figure out if a large exo terra could be a permanent hide for an adult male or if I may need to upgrade to an X large at some point.
Was just handling these today considering the purchase and I'd say unless your boy is on the larger size as an adult, they'd fit. Mine's around 36"-38" and 800g+, and it'd fit him. Reference of him in current hide.
7x7x2.5"
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/3qy7kJS.jpg
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kcl
Sure, I can measure it tonight. Since it's third party sellers on amazon, maybe it was a "medium" but is actually a large.
9" x 13". Looks like my fat boi is in a large after all. Cute no matter the hide size.
Glad yellow is liking his new hides!!
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
I use cork bark for my danger noodle hides, if their too small I pile them up and that works for mine. Currently the hot hide consists of three smaller pieces forming a pile and he uses it regularly. One big bit that he hides under and the other two bits are big enough to cover the areas he lifts up, sort of like an inflatable hide.
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I just got the medium bean farm ones. I can measure and take pics too if needed.
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunnieskys
I just got the medium bean farm ones. I can measure and take pics too if needed.
i would appreciate it! i might need those soon for Coffee Bean.
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Ok will do when I take her out for weighing and feeding.
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
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https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/KpI0Cn1.jpg
Forgot to weigh him today since he was in a squirmy mood, but these fit him really well actually. He's digging down to the bottom to make more room but at least they're too heavy for him to bulldoze around. Petco Desert Cave L.
GF and I might paint them to look less out of place but he likes them.
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Maze needs a hide upgrade but those RBI mediums look so huge... Does anyone have a snake in an exoterra medium hide? If so how much does it weigh?
It's so sad/cute, her favorite hide she now wears as a turtle shell... and it hovers about 1/4 inch off the ground lol. Any recs for a noodle about to graduate to the 200g mark? (pics with noodle r helpful, im spatially challenged lol)
Also want something nice to look at, but really whatever works at this point.
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
1000g Eros stuffing himself into a RBI medium, thought he might be too big for it but I offered it to him tonight and sure nuff, he fit his self in there some how haha. Pics of him getting in there and 1 of him out, so you can tell his size.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...3621cf2768.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...bdc95b2fb2.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e17bf475bb.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...86913f571c.jpg
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Re: Hide size VS snake size
My biggest boy (over 550 grams) is the same way with his RBI medium hide. He shoves his whole body inside and occasionally just has his head sticking out of the entrance. I offered him an exo-terra cave hide and he would not go in it. Same with the large RBI large hide, did not want to have anything to do with it. But he LOVES his medium hide.
But come to think about it, BP's do tend to like it slightly tighter for their hiding spot as it helps them feel secure.
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