Thank you John, that’s a huge amount of logic, that I can understand.Originally Posted by John1982
They're a largely fossorial species - them rostrals ain't just for show. They'll come to the surface for various reasons but when seeking shelter, these critters simply dig down. Adding more clutter doesn't really do anything for hognose snakes if you already have a proper substrate. While it might add a bit of stimulation, it's doing next to nothing for their sense of security. Feeling secure in their surroundings is what you should be aiming for with a new animal to get them on the right track. When someone inexperienced is asking for advice, keeping it simple is often the best policy. Once they have a little hands on experience, then they might want to experiment a bit on their own. As for the "bigger is always better" argument, I hear from panicking owners all the time that can't find their little wiggler in a huge enclosure. While the snake might be perfectly fine, the stress of the owner is going to affect their care. If they never see the snake, they can't rightly know how well it's doing. If they're always digging around looking for that needle in a haystack, the snake is going to constantly be disturbed. Even people who advocate massive, naturalistic setups often start smaller animals in much more cramped and simplistic setups until they're better established.
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