Do I need a hide or no in these tubs?

[qwerty53]

It says clear but its not 100% clear. The guy in this video breeds withou hides in them... But his look more opeque.. I am confused
http://www.target.com/p/sterilite-17...d/-/A-13796221

Look at 1min where he takes the snake out

https://youtu.be/2usBcWOaxCA

[Oxylepy]

Have hides on hand. If the snake eats without a hide you don't need one. If it doesn't, you need one.

[MissterDog]

It's always good to provide a hide for your bp, even if it eats without one just having extra security will be beneficial for your snake.

[qwerty53]

If you have one. Sure. But for many you have to cut cost

[Oxylepy]

If you're looking to avoid hides to cut costs, you're looking in the wrong place. A plastic bowl with a piece cut out or some terracotta can work well as hides. Honestly there is a level of cutting costs, and then there is the level of failing to provide adequate care. If you want to cut down costs here are some great ways:

Bulk purchasing- Works well for bedding, paper, etc. Also works well for cleaning supplies which can add up in the long run. Often this is also great when getting frozen rodents (which can sometimes be cheaper than breeding your own).
Insulating your snake area- Cuts the cost of electricity substantially. Also very helpful if you plan to maintain that area at a decent temperature through whole area heating such as a radiator or ceramic heater, which will in turn cut the demands of your heat tape.
Adequate QT proceedures- Substantial cost savings can be had by simply doing what your supposed to. Infesting your whole reptile room with mites is a HUGE cost, or getting your reptiles sick and the potential vet bills from that.

Having 300 hides to care for 200 snakes in rotation (born, sold) isn't all that bad, especially since it will generally be a one time purchase, and can outlast the snakes

[DennisM]

If the tubs are kept in enclosed racks, hides may not be necessary. If kept in open racks or no rack at all, a hide would be necessary. I keep BPs in enclosed racks and provide hides. All my BPs can be found in their hides a great majority of the time. I would provide a hide until it has been proven over an extended period of time that the hide is not utilized; which is highly unlikely in the case of BPs.

[DennisM]

If you're looking to avoid hides to cut costs, you're looking in the wrong place. A plastic bowl with a piece cut out or some terracotta can work well as hides. Honestly there is a level of cutting costs, and then there is the level of failing to provide adequate care.

I would say if you need to avoid hides to cut costs, you have too many snakes. As oxylepy noted, the cost of hides is somewhere between nothing and next to nothing. However, the OP makes no mention of cost cutting. Just a question.

[DennisM]

I would say if you need to avoid hides to cut costs, you have too many snakes. As oxylepy noted, the cost of hides is somewhere between nothing and next to nothing. However, the OP makes no mention of cost cutting. Just a question.

Correction, it was OP that brought up costs , not in the original post, but later on. The bottom line, I think is this; Provide a hide for a BP unless you can be 100% certain it's not desired by the BP in question.

[JodanOrNoDan]

It never hurts to have a hide. That said of my adult animals only about ten percent have hides. They are all in clear containers. The animals that have hides are only ones that will not eat without one. All my babies start out with hides and most will continue to have hides up until they hit around 800 grams depending on container size. With experience you learn to tell when an animal absolutely needs a hide. I do not use tanks but it would be my guess that if you are using one you would always need to provide hides because of the height of the tank. If you are trying to save money hides can made from a lot of the things that end up in the trash. I use empty yogurt cups and food containers for babies. Sub adults and males will get sectioned milk jugs. These things, even if you buy them, are the cheapest part of the endeavor. It is food that can become expensive quick.

[qwerty53]

Can hide be from white plastic?