hides and things..

[Ergo Proxy]

question...can hides be to big for a bp? and if so..how do i know what kind..and size of tupper ware to use?! also..can i use duct tape to black it out so they feel safer? as it stands i am doing so but am willing to change this if needed..

i think my little girls new hides are to big! she is small i didnt realise shed be so tiny!

[Skittles1101]

They like to feel safe and secure, so there is such a thing as too big. Try getting one that's bigger than her when he's balled up, but not too big to where she's in a huge hide.

DO NOT USE TAPE anywhere in the enclosure...ever! They will find a way to get stuck to it and get hurt.

[Strange_Evil]

Yeah there have been many horror stories of ball pythons and tape,so to cut it short never use tape inside the enclosure,if the tape gets stuck to the snake it can pull of scales and thats not good at all,As for hides sizes you want something your ball python can just barely fit in too,even if at times it seems to big,they will love it. Too big of a hide can be stressful,it will leave them feeling vulnerable and still exposed even in the hide,and that feeling could lead to stress which could lead to them going off feed and you don't want that. Ball pythons spend about a 3rd of there day if not more hid away in a nice tight secure hiding spot in both captivity and the wild.

[Skittles1101]

Here's a picture of Julius in his hide...it seems too small for him but he loves it. Mine is store bought...but anything will do as long as they feel secure.

[Ergo Proxy]

ok..so..how shouldi go about covering the hides i did make..so they are dark? since the tubs the snakes are in are see through and the hides are as well?

[Skittles1101]

I don't know how you can cover them, nothing sticky like tape of course...I'd buy new ones that are all ready "dark". I know a lot of people use the plastic plant pot water catchers (lol...not sure what they are called) and just cut a hold in them.

[Ergo Proxy]

thanks! i will do the switch asap..thanks everyone for your helpful advice..and any other advice on what to use or what you use thats not a normal pet store hide would be great!

[Skittles1101]

Even rubbermaid bowls are good, just make sure when you cut a hole, I think you should use a lighter to even out the edges. People even use small boxes....anything they can feel safe in would work.

[TomC]

I think you could paint them as long as you let the paint dry completely before putting it back in but if this is wrong someone correct me.

[Bleakvoid]

Mine loved coffee cups as hatchlings...then moved on to ceramic bowls, wicker baskets, and now homestead in plastic drip trays for potted plants.

From what I've seen, heavy hides that they can't move seem to work well with sub-adults. As they grow, they may want to drag it around with them, so lighter hides work out better there.

I've often contemplated a hole-in-the-ground hide as well, since my enclosure is all wood. Something like a recessed box with a hinged top, and a simple hole drilled through the top of box/bottom of cage :-/