hide box

does an adult red tailed boa need a hide box. i have seen a lot of pics on here and a lot of people dont use them. if they do not i will tanke mine out.

thaks fish

If he/she uses it, then you might as well leave it there. Some people have them and some don't. RTBs aren't skiddish/timid/shy like BPs.

Most of the time.....people take the hides out when they take pictures....that is one reason that it may seem like not alot of people have hides in with their snakes ;)

I don't use them for boas, but that is just me. My boas seem fine without them. I only use them for newby snakes, once they are secure with me taking them out and outgrow the hides they are in...I just don't replace them.

my boa rarely uses it but he still has 2

thanks for the help. mine spends a lot of time in his tub of water like most of the day today. but from what i have read that is normal right?

thanks

fish

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Originally Posted by fish21

thanks for the help. mine spends a lot of time in his tub of water like most of the day today. but from what i have read that is normal right?

thanks

fish

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This is not normal. Boas only soak when they have husbandry problems. Do you have a digital or analogue thermometer? Does he have mites? Any stuck shed? I am betting it's mites. Look really closely around his neck and upper body for tiny black bugs moving around. If they smear red they are mites.

i looked close. no mites. he got out around 1200 last night and went to his hide box. i tryed takeing his hide box out then he went to the water tub. so i guess he likes the hide box. i put it back in and he went in to it so i guess for my snake a hide box is a good idea. you had me worried about mites. how do you treat mites if i ever have a problim.

fish

Provent-a-Mite seems to be the best out there. It doesn't hurt to use it anyways. I dose the cage of every new snake I get for precautionary reasons any ways. I used to use Kitten flea powder under the newspaper for awhile, but it just made a powdery mess out of everything. Thus, I took some good advice from this site's great members and bought some ProventAMite. It works great and is a one treatment way of getting rid of mites and the eggs; the eggs are the pain of the whole ordeal. Mites are easy to kill, but the eggs are not. They can keep reappearing for months! PITA!!!

Did you say you have a digital thermometer/hygrometer or an analogue? If the temps and humidity levels aren't right it will stress the snake out and make it soak a lot too.

digital the temp on the hot side is 90 and 81 on the cool side. the humidity is 60 % in there. he is a happy snake i think i got him out today and he was verry energitic and strong. not week and limp.

thanks fish

where do you get that stuff to treat for mites i will do it just to be on the safe side. can you get it at pet smart?

It depends on the state you are in. Some Ma and Pa pet stores have it...In NY you can't sell it, but NY is another PITA altogether. You can try PetSmart, but I'll bet you'll have to order it.

http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...cage-cleaners/
Their shipping is cheaper than most others.

i will go to lll reptile today and pick up some. it is only 30 min away from my house. coolest store. that is where i get all my animals at. the people there are so great. can i use that spray on all my reptiles. might as well just to be safe.

Fish, LLL has it in stock...we picked up some when we were there. Be sure to get an LLL person to give you the steps to using it because it's not stuff to take lightly.

Our baby boa uses her hides quite often. =)

thanks i will have to go pick up some. thanks
fish

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can i use that spray on all my reptiles. might as well just to be safe.

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Not sure. I have only used it on snakes. I'd ask while you are there. Good luck!

they said that it is safe for all reptiles.

Cool. :partyon:

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Originally Posted by fish21

they said that it is safe for all reptiles.

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It may be safe for all reptiles but there is a specific way that it is to be used. Read the instructions carefully so you dont cause any harm to your snake.

will do. i got it and used it. there were spacific directions for different typs of reptiles.

thanks

fish

I only offer hides for my baby boas even though they rarely use them. The juvis and adults don't use them so I don't offer them.

For cleaning cages, racks, tubs, water bowls and the snake and cuts I use Virosan. Buy a gallon of the concentrate stuff for $30.00, it will last you for years as an all purpose cleaner and disinfectant!! I've had my gallon for 3yrs now and haven't even used 1/3 of it. Since it does have an expiration date you want to ask when it expires before buying.

Any time I acquire a new snake, during it's quarantine I use Equate Lice bedding spray (Cost $4.00 at WalMart). I treat the cage liner and the cage itself the day before the snake arrives, 24hrs prior. If the snake has mites, you'll find those little suckers dead on the floor!

i think sience mine has had a hide box in his cage his hole life he is used to useing it. if i take it out he will go and stay in his water dish. so i guess if it dosnt hurt haveing it in there i will just leave it in there for his comfort.
thanks for the help.

fish

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think sience mine has had a hide box in his cage his hole life he is used to useing it. if i take it out he will go and stay in his water dish. so i guess if it dosnt hurt haveing it in there i will just leave it in there for his comfort.

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That is a good decision.