Hides

[hardball]

Ok. So when I bought my boa last weekend at the local expo, I also got him a couple hides. He is a Nov. '06. He used his hides the first few days but since then he has not really been back in them. He has chosen to curl up in the open. Is this a long enough period to say that he feels secure in his new surrounding and okay to remove the hides?

[Sausage]

Hmm... to my knowledge(which isn't much, so take this with a grain of salt ,) boas don't hide as often as BPs do...

Correct me if I'm wrong!

[hardball]

I know that. But I also know they are supposed to have one when they are younger because sometimes they arent as confident. Now that he has had a chance to acclimate he seems secure and doesnt really use them, though. When they are older they definately dont need them, but is now the time?

[sweety314]

What are U using for his substrate???


Wrigley's 2 this month (Happy B-day Wrig! ) and he still uses his hides...IN and ON TOP OF. Petey's 14-15 mo and burrows in the aspen, hides under the plants or hangs in the tree, but wouldn't use a "proper" hide, and Pinky and Apollo are 18 mo and couldn't care less.....but just stay coiled up.

I'd personally give him another week or two (leaving 'em in won't hurt anything) and see if he uses them any more. If not, and you want the floor space in the tub/cage, remove them.

[hardball]

Im using aspen and i put enough in there that its thick enough for him to burrow if he wanted to. I guess ill leave em in there another week or so and see if he goes back to using them or not though. Thanks.

[xdeus]

I think it's a good idea to always provide a hide. My 2.5 year old won't use his that much, but he does use it especially when he's in shed. Plus, I think cage furniture is more important to a Boa as they seem to be more active than a Ball and can benefit from the extra stimulus.

[§eric§]

I would keep the hide in there no matter what. My baby rtb uses its hide a decent amount, but doesnt always use it... and my older one.. scarlet.. sometimes uses hers to, but not all the time.
I agree w/ the others.. it helps give them something to explore around too, so IMO keep it in there

[hardball]

Alright last couple people convinced me to leave them for good. I hadnt thought about the shed. Definately going to need them in there so that he has something good to rub it off with, although a branch in the place of those would probably work just as well. Its not going to hurt to leave them in there.

[sweety314]

If it came to that, your snake could use the aspen for rubbing against to start his sloughing off. That's all Hera had, and when I noticed it free on her chin and snout, I watched her rub up against the sides of the tub. But deciding to leave the hides in is all good.

[green_man]

I vote leave em too...


hey question. Have you measured the temps inside your hides? I have had to drill holes in the top of a few hot-side hides before because they were too warm for my snake to use...

I still have hides for my 5.5 ft columbian... he uses them somtimes and somtimes he doesnt. I figure it is always nice to have the option.