Creative Hides

One thing I have learned through keeping snakes, is that you don't need a snazzy, expensive hide bought at a pet store, to make your slither happy. My baby snakes seem to LOVE cardboard paper towel rolls to hide in. For my garter, I used four cups from an egg crate with a couple of holes drilled in the bottom of the cups and turned upside down. She LOVES it. My hubby brought home an official hide combo water bowl from a garage sale for her. I boiled the heck outta it before I gave it to her. Well, when its hot, she likes to soak in it but she still prefers her egg crate hide. I'll see her sticking her head outta one of the cups to look around, like a mini dragon sticking his head out of a mountain. If she sees something that scares her, ZIP! back in she goes. And my big sand boa likes his upside down, plastic, planter tray.

Anyone else have unusual, or home-made hides? Show me!

Devon

I saw some really cool store-bought hides yesterday, but didn't have a spare $12! There were two styles of empty, dark gray turtle carapaces- like a snapping turtle and a painted turtle! Medium-sized.

I agree- snakes love cardboard tubes. Even my biggest adults can get into one. They may bulge out the ends a bit, though!

I made a hide for mine out of an empty plastic ice cream container. I cut a hole in the bottom, put the lid on, turned it upside down and put some shavings in there. It's now his favourite. I will take a pic of it later, because I forgot it at work yesterday. It was take your snake to work day! LOL

Ooh, I'm having take your snake to work day tomorrow! One of my students wants to see a tri-color hoggy in person.

I've been cutting the corners off of my Amazon boxes. Instant pyramid shaped hides.

Have also been planning to look at the aquarium decorations at a pet store. I've heard they make great items that can function as hides. Maybe not cheap, but interesting to look at. They also make great dungeon decorations for cheap if you play dungeons and dragons.

We get wooden display boxes at work with every shipment of crafts, so I just pinch them and cut a hole in the side. Also, for the smallest I've got a busniess card holder thats just purfect, it has a spot thats ment for your thumb to grip a card that when you turn it upside down, makes a little cave enterance.
I've also got an industrial sized cardboard tube thats maybe a foot long and 6" in diameter. its a big hit with the ball pyton.
I also have used eggcarton. I just folded it in half a little so it would pop up in the middle, and my big boy hides under it all the time. :

I'm doing cereal (or other small) boxes cut in half longways. Ugly, but the snakes like them and I can throw them away when they get dirty.

Cardboard tubes are a lifesaver!
I also have a couple hides I have made out of Sculpey (polymer clay that bakes). I always let it air out for a couple days and then wash it with dish soap before tossing it in. It's cheaper than store-bought hides but still not really cheap.
I made a cave and a volcano-shaped hide out of that.
Also, I plan to move one of the yearlings up to a black plastic tray that had a microwave lunch in it. It has a nice low ceiling.

These bowls are from the Dollar Tree. 3/$1 Melted away a little entrance and there ya go!

I actually got a $2 cardboard gift box for my python from the dollar store It actually looks really neat cause I put the lid on the top and it's got a great picture of a kitten in a bunch of greenery LOL FIts in well with the artifical bushes and plants and stuff. I just cut a hole in the side.

I'll have to take a picture lol