concerning hides - particularly for hatchlings

[robeyeshua]

as usual, the voice of experience prevails - i am the happy new owner of a candy cane from smr - it is KOOL- i put together a nice l'il ten gallon and included 2 $10 hides from walmart - i had a $18 dollar rock hide from petco at first - and they all look nice - BUT - functionally speaking, they all stink - i had no idea that this snake would literally be small enough to coil up not much larger than the size of a silver dollar - the long-time posters were right - a tube with a sock on the end - a small box - a tiny, empty food container - cheap, and simple - thats the way too go - so, i begin again on my second enclosure - it will be budget city , baby, the only money i will spend will be for the uth and a lamp dimmer - thoughts?????????

 

[Nanci]

You can stuff smaller hides with enough aspen to make them tight enough for a baby. They also like cork bark to hide under.

 

[northwestcorns]

I went waaaaayyyyy budget. Toilet paper roll cut in half longways with another half inch cut off along each side. It makes a barely raised cover in the aspen. I also old mail that I cut in pieces and just lay in the tank. They love to lie underneath it making a hollow in the aspen with their bodies. I have plastic hides and decorative hides, but everyone seems to prefer these.

 

[diamondlil]

Bunches of silk flowers make great hide/climbing frame/shedding aids for little 'uns. I get mine from a budget shop for £1 a bunch

 

[dfree]

I went budget too. My first hide for my snake was a small Stouffers entree container. After it was cleaned good, I flipped it over and cut a small "door" in the side of it, popped it in the tank and wham. She loves it. Of course, I now have had to move up to the family lasagna size container as she has grown quite a bit. I couldn't see spending money on a hide when this was exactly the same thing, and I get to eat the contents first!!

 

[EmJagsz]

I use empty egg cartons, they work really great! I first started using them with my snakes when they were only about 13 grams. Now one is nearly 200 grams and he is soon going to outgrow that egg carton he's had since he was tiny!

 

[James673]

Another vote for really cheap hides.

Yes, that is a square of cardboard creased in the middle. I use Aspen bedding to make the hides tighter and more secure.

 

[Stars]

Kraft dinner boxes, paper towel rolls and silk leaves.

 

[Shann415]

EMJagsz - how did you get the papertowl roll suspended like that? I love the egg carton idea! Totally going to try that for Corny. I think he gets bumped up to the 20G this weekend from his 10G. Can't WAIT!

 

[strawberry_bunny]

empty wax worm pots upside down lid on and a little hole cut in the side, perfect also means you can pick them up easily if they are all curled up inside

 

[EmJagsz]

EMJagsz - how did you get the papertowl roll suspended like that? I love the egg carton idea! Totally going to try that for Corny. I think he gets bumped up to the 20G this weekend from his 10G. Can't WAIT!

What I did was I poke a hole at each end of the paper towel roll and threaded a piece of string through the holes (as opposed to just threading the string right through the tube, the holes make sure the tube isn't rolling around) and then I tied the ends of the string together. I placed the tube-on-string where I wanted it in then I used a piece of tape to tape the string to the outside of the tank to keep it in place. My two snakes who have gotten the chance to use one seem to love it!

Oh, and I definitely know how you're feeling about upgrading tanks.... It's such an exciting thing!