I have a closeed rack and don't use any hides. For my big females I have them in the cb-70 tubs and when they are over 4000 grams, they take up alot of the tub. without using hides my breeding program is doing great. some snakes take forever to go thru their breeding cycle and some fly thru it. last year I started all my females at the same time and my first female with eggs was may 5th, my last female had them late oct.