Back in the saddle again

[dakski]

Ziggy,

Glad to see the new addition and that she's doing well.

On the hides - my boas are often not in them. They tend to use them in shed and after eating but even then it's not a given. They spend a lot of time hanging in the open waiting for food.

They also like to wedge themselves next to the hides and up agains the plexiglass doors or the tank side. They seem less in need of hiding than other snake species in my observation.

Full disclosure, I have drapes up over their tanks to keep them (mostly) from striking when then see movement hoping for food - especially at night and when other snakes are being fed (who eat more frequently). That might help them feel more secure as well. However, even when putting them back in their enclosures, they tend to explore or hang instead of looking for a hide. Other snakes I have (and have had) look pretty quickly for a hide.

Anyway, good luck with her and keep us posted.

[Bogertophis]

My BCI used & obviously loved her hides. I think most young boids were not raised with them though, so it can take time for them to accept them as a safety zone.

It might also have something to do with boids being built heavier, & not feeling secure with the lighter weight hides that easily move when they slide against them? Try some "unofficial" but safe things for her to use as "hides" (including tubular things), & especially things she can only just fit snuggly into- many snakes want "back pressure". Or try offering a box containing deep substrate she can burrow into.

Snakes that appreciate hides generally don't want "high ceilings" or big doorways. For hatchling & neonate snakes, most commercial hides are guilty of both. When using those standard black "Reptile Basics" (& other brands) hides, try crumpling soft paper towels & stuffing some in the hide- you'd be surprised how comforting that is to a snake- both the traction & sense of security.

And anyway, don't make changes constantly or too quickly either...maybe it's just all still feeling "too new" or scary to her.

[EL-Ziggy]

I swapped out the paper towel for substrate in her enclosure yesterday and Peaches seems to be enjoying it. She completely burrowed under the substrate and only had her tiny head peeking out, and she also used one of her hides for the first time. I had to snap a quick picture.







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[Bogertophis]

Snakes don't love paper towels*, that's for sure. Especially young ones- they need to feel safe by burrowing or squeezing into hides. She looks like a very happy camper to me.
I always feel sorry for snakes raised in bare cages with no hides at all, as some (or many?) breeders do for convenience.

*The only exception I've seen was when I raised rosy boas & corn snakes etc.- they're tiny, & I used paper towels creatively*. I lined the cage floor, but held multiple towels in a layer, tore-shredded them & then fluffed them into a deep soft layer they could totally burrow into everywhere. Not practical for bigger snakes, but the tiny ones loved it. It cracked me up, seeing them peeking out of their tunnels, & I credit any of these methods for helping neonates & hatchlings to feed & get off to a good start. (*That was also before things like Carefresh & other substrates were commercially or readily available- it helps to be creative.)

[Bogertophis]

Quick afterthought- another way to give cover to (small) snakes in quarantine using only white paper towels is to simply crumple a few & loosely stuff them into each hide box- little snakes love the soft crevices created by the towels giving them a strong sense of security, yet it's still easy to see any issues (funky stool or parasites) on the paper towels. But this is mostly for smaller hatchlings & neonates.