should hide stay or go?

My RTB only seems to go in her hides if i put her in them and will only stay for 30 minutes at the most. She is normally on the warm side(92) right wedged in between the hide and the wall of the enclosure. It seems like she feels secure right snug against the side of the hide so I'm not sure if I should take the hide out or leav it. O ya she is about 9 months old and about 2 1/2 feet.

If I had to suggest anything it would be take out the hide and see if her feeding or behaviour change then put it back in, if not then you should be OK. Hope this helps.

My 3 never use them. I don't use hides from my 6' female to my less than 2' male and all of them eat fine. No need for them in my oppinion as long as they are ok without them

How big is your hide? Snakes like feeling their hide all around them when inside... You should always offer 2 hides that are the same to your snake, even if it's not using them all the time. What is they wanted to start using them and don't have any? Then you have a stressed out snake. Somewhere I read earlier that snakes that don't hide are stressed out snakes... Has your boa ever refused a meal?

Ok thanks. Ill take the hides out and see how she reacts.

The hides are actually pretty big for her but I put crumbled up newspaper in them. Enough so when she is in the hide she is touching newspaper and the walls of the hide.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

If your snake is out roaming a lot, it's stressed.

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From this thread:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=44810

She isnt out roaming alot she just inst in her hide.

Ok, you told me nothing about my previous post regarding size. Maybe a picture of your setup would help?

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Originally Posted by Karma

How big is your hide? Snakes like feeling their hide all around them when inside... You should always offer 2 hides that are the same to your snake, even if it's not using them all the time. What is they wanted to start using them and don't have any? Then you have a stressed out snake. Somewhere I read earlier that snakes that don't hide are stressed out snakes... Has your boa ever refused a meal?

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I think that your description is of a setup for ball pythons. One who has experience with boas knows that they just aren't nerely as shy and secretive as ball pythons. In addition, boas don't necessarily like to ambush prey from their hides, instead they seem to be out and about all day long. ;)

Right now she is at my mom's house and I wont see her till this wekend. So I cannot take pictures. But the hide is about 1ft length and 8" width.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by _BoidFinatic_

I think that your description is of a setup for ball pythons. One who has experience with boas knows that they just aren't nerely as shy and secretive as ball pythons. In addtion, boas don't necessarily like to ambush prey from their hides, instead they seem to be out and about all day long. ;)

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Sorry, my RTB used his hides as well as was out from time to time. So I think he should have the option to have them in there just in case he feels the need to go in.

From the site's caresheet for RTBs...

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One cage accessory that will be appreciated & utilized by your boa is a good hide box...maybe even a couple of them. Boas are nocturnal snakes that will make use of a place to hide during the day. Provide one on each end of your boa's enclosure so that it doesn't have to choose between temperature & security. Clay flowerpots, plastic flowerpot trays, and commercially available hide boxes all work quite well..

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Karma

From the site's caresheet for RTBs...

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When young and insecure, yes. A boa that is 9 months old and 2.5' long is considered well established and a boa of that size rarely feels the need to hide itself. In the wild, a boa loses its insecurity as it grows because it fears less and fewer predators would bother it. ;)

Alright thanks. Ya I have a ball python and just got this boa so your right about me treating it more like a BP.

Even the majority of boa keepers and breeders don't use hides for babies. Boas are usually quite content coiled up in a rack system over a hot spot