We offer the two younger boas hides and they seem to love them. Our fully mature (9 ft) female boa does not have a hide but her custom caging allows her to bask in an area that is not easily seen by passing people. She also has cool areas on the floor that she can enjoy without being constantly "on display". I think it depends on the age of your snake, it's temperment as far as being overly shy, the type of housing it's in and the room the snake's home is in (whether it's quiet or busy).

Even my daughter's Milksnake who is the least shy snake and does very well in our busy livingroom is still offered a hide and vines/decorative logs and rocks that she can get into or behind. I think every snake may at some point just need a quiet place to chill out a bit.