This might be a dumb question, but I’m new to racks and just got the super 70 by vivarium electronics and I was wondering if I even need hides since the whole thing is kind of an enclosed hide?
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Depends on the snake, I have some that do fine with no hide and some that prefer having some. Couldn’t hurt to buy some in case you need them. Would be an especially good idea if you’re putting smaller snakes in those tubs
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Not a dumb question at all! Personally I think it’s best to have hides, if you have an individual who just legitimately doesn’t like hides then that’s different of course. I myself use racks for some of my snake species and I offer hides- I’ve found almost 100% of them will use the hides when given an option. Doesn’t have to be anything fancy of course! I personally like cork bark but there’s a billion other things you could use I’m sure. My ball pythons seem to all enjoy cork bark though!
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Some snakes just really feel safest when smooshed as smol as possible. So if you have an adult that’s always looking suspicious or ready to strike, see if the hide helps. I had a male that just loved having an upside down hide in his tub. Lol, it was like a big square bowl with an easy access spot.
If you’re starting a baby or juvie in that big of a space then definitely give them a hide. Two may even be more helpful.
I am definitely a fan of treating them as individuals and if something seems off, I try to keep them as cozy as possible in their current places. That includes trying to put a hide in a tub for a full grown adult because they’re too shy or defensive. XD
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Thanks @steelpythons
I bought a hide that wasn’t big enough for one of my adult balls and found he loves a cardboard 12-pack soda box as silly as that sounds.
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Thank you!
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My rack is homemade so probably there are differences in tub size and opaqueness from your setup. BUT i echo the individual snake aspects others have mentioned. One reason I go out and buy a hide (is it just me or are they WAY overpriced?) is if a young ball is using his/her water bowl as a hide. That leads to suboptimal snake temp and dirty water.
On the other hand, if the snake is eating well (a large breeder once recommended hides for breeding males to keep them eating) and not trying to use the water bowl as a hide I generally avoid hides. My thinking is that a shy ball python will usually pick a hide regardless of its location in the temperature gradient. I feel that they might be doing a better job of moving back and forth between hot and cool ends without a hide tempting them to trade security for proper thermoregulation.
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