Hides

Ok. So when I bought my boa last weekend at the local expo, I also got him a couple hides. He is a Nov. '06. He used his hides the first few days but since then he has not really been back in them. He has chosen to curl up in the open. Is this a long enough period to say that he feels secure in his new surrounding and okay to remove the hides?

Hmm... to my knowledge(which isn't much, so take this with a grain of salt :D,) boas don't hide as often as BPs do...

Correct me if I'm wrong!

I know that. But I also know they are supposed to have one when they are younger because sometimes they arent as confident. Now that he has had a chance to acclimate he seems secure and doesnt really use them, though. When they are older they definately dont need them, but is now the time?

What are U using for his substrate???


Wrigley's 2 this month (Happy B-day Wrig! ;) ) and he still uses his hides...IN and ON TOP OF. Petey's 14-15 mo and burrows in the aspen, hides under the plants or hangs in the tree, but wouldn't use a "proper" hide, and Pinky and Apollo are 18 mo and couldn't care less.....but just stay coiled up.

I'd personally give him another week or two (leaving 'em in won't hurt anything) and see if he uses them any more. If not, and you want the floor space in the tub/cage, remove them.


:sunny:

Im using aspen and i put enough in there that its thick enough for him to burrow if he wanted to. I guess ill leave em in there another week or so and see if he goes back to using them or not though. Thanks.

I think it's a good idea to always provide a hide. My 2.5 year old won't use his that much, but he does use it especially when he's in shed. Plus, I think cage furniture is more important to a Boa as they seem to be more active than a Ball and can benefit from the extra stimulus. :2cent:

I would keep the hide in there no matter what. My baby rtb uses its hide a decent amount, but doesnt always use it... and my older one.. scarlet.. sometimes uses hers to, but not all the time.
I agree w/ the others.. it helps give them something to explore around too, so IMO keep it in there

Alright last couple people convinced me to leave them for good. I hadnt thought about the shed. Definately going to need them in there so that he has something good to rub it off with, although a branch in the place of those would probably work just as well. Its not going to hurt to leave them in there.

If it came to that, your snake could use the aspen for rubbing against to start his sloughing off. That's all Hera had, and when I noticed it free on her chin and snout, I watched her rub up against the sides of the tub. But deciding to leave the hides in is all good. :)

I vote leave em too...


hey question. Have you measured the temps inside your hides? I have had to drill holes in the top of a few hot-side hides before because they were too warm for my snake to use...

I still have hides for my 5.5 ft columbian... he uses them somtimes and somtimes he doesnt. I figure it is always nice to have the option.

:sunny:

I'd suggest leaving the hides in there as well...some boas use them, some don't, but doesn't hurt to leave them in.

My two year BCC constantly uses hers, so we'll continue to provide them. =)

Besides, she thinks it's great fun to pee in her hide so mommy yells "Carmen!" at her. :P;)

My boa is 7.5ft and I provide her with a very large cat litter pan. She uses it regularly and is either inside it, on top of it, or curled around it in some form or fashion :) Unless she's peed in there and what self-respecting boa would marinate in their wee?

...

(we won't tell her but she is so far from a lady it's not even funny, hehe)

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

...and what self-respecting boa would marinate in their wee?

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Mine does! lol :D

I thought that my new Nic baby rtb would be shy and use hides so I supplied a few, Boy was I wrong. She curls up out in the open all the time. None of my current 6 boas have hides and all will eat without hesitation every time. I Just like many boa keepers don't believe hides are necsessary(sp?) for boas to thrive in captivity. They can go under the news paper if they feel the need but even then, they spend more than half their time in the open

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pork Chops N' Corn Bread

I thought that my new Nic baby rtb would be shy and use hides so I supplied a few, Boy was I wrong. She curls up out in the open all the time. None of my current 6 boas have hides and all will eat without hesitation every time. I Just like many boa keepers don't believe hides are necsessary(sp?) for boas to thrive in captivity. They can go under the news paper if they feel the need but even then, they spend more than half their time in the open

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yeah, what he said
stealing what I was gonna say....

I don't use hides and I have boas from 2 months old to 5 or 6 years old.

Yep Yep Silver.
I have boas from 1.3 ounces to 13 lbs and none of them have hids

Over 50 boas, and none have hides.

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Originally Posted by jim020cricket

Over 50 boas, and none have hides.

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The master has spoken!