types of hides vs temperature

[funnynonsense]

I'm not sure whether this should be in the behavior section or here. But non the less:

I didn't think much of it, but a question was asked here earlier about a snake always being on one side which got me thinking.

Over the past while I've noticed snakes take preference to a specific hide.
I noticed this with a boa and with a friends snow corn who we tested it on.

So lets say for example we have Hide A on the cool side and Hide B on the warm side. Hide A and Hide B are both different in design. Now our said snake has spent months just sitting in Hide A. Always on the cool side, always happy. Then on fateful day everything gets taken out and Hide A swaps sides with Hide B. Now all of a sudden we have a snake that's spent the last 6 months on the cool side - very happy of course even through winter - that's spending all his time on the warm side, still in Hide A.


I explained it very hypothetically - but this was the case with a boa that I kept for over a year as well as my friends corn. I have no doubt that if the snake needed to get cooler or warmer it would move but this still gets me thinking further.

And here we go -
Should we be using hides that are similar at both ends rather than different ones like in my case? Should we re-look the way we do things? Yes it's worked for years with no problems - but I somehow feel like we're missing a trick here. Look at the guys who keep frogs for example, they set-up little eco-systems and their animals flourish in these environments. We on the other hand keep snakes in clinical conditions. Though this leaves little to go wrong, how much do you think your snake could benefit from something more?

Have we explored the potential of husbandry for snakes, and especially corn snakes to it's full extent? Is this it? Any thoughts?


That's my brain fart for today - over and out.

 

[mjdglobal]

I have the same hides on each side of tubs. I could see how a snake might prefer a certain hide over another so I eliminate that equation and allow them to thermoregulate properly without a hide preference. As far as giving corns more space and more elaborate enviroments, I'm not sure. They seem to thrive pretty well with the standards we've adopted. It's an interesting argument. When I only had one corn, he was kept in a pretty big aquarium with lots of hides, logs, fake plants, vines etc. When I got more, I switched to using a rack. Did he like the big aquarium better? I don't know, he won't tell me, but I do know he is thriving in the simple sweaterbox rack he's in now. Hopefully we'll hear some more opinions on this one. Myself, if I only had one or two snakes, I would probably go for the bigger, more elaborate setups, but with more than just a couple of snakes, it becomes a space and money issue. Of course, if it were proven benificial for them to have bigger tubs or setups, I would upgrade.

Mitch

 

[Nitelion94]

I agree we could all ways do more. But I agree with what Mitch said.

 

[Skully23]

(1)Should we be using hides that are similar at both ends rather than different ones like in my case? Should we re-look the way we do things? Yes it's worked for years with no problems - but I somehow feel like we're missing a trick here.

(2)Though this leaves little to go wrong, how much do you think your snake could benefit from something more?

(3)Have we explored the potential of husbandry for snakes, and especially corn snakes to it's full extent? Is this it? Any thoughts?

Way too much thinking lol. I'll give you a short over view of how some of my snakes are with hides.
Tang is my female classic. She is near a year, not quite there, and she loves to burrow. Constantly under the aspen or in the vines. She only ever uses the warm hide when feeding time is in place or shedding. I have a cool hide which I have never seen her use. They are both different.
My two aneries will be in and out of both hides. Although I haven't seen the female use the cool hide for anything. She loves the vines and the male burrows and sits in his warm hide. All their temps are the same and constant.
My male butter likes to be under the aspen. I have yet to observe him in any hide.

(1) I think hides are like human beds. We go to the same one every night and day to relax. That is our comfy place. I see this with the snakes. I think they prefer a hide over another. The hides can be different which gives more feel to the snakes likes. I don't see a problem with two different or two same. What trick are you expecting to miss?

(2)+(3) Everything on this earth could benefit from more. The poor could benefit from more money, bigger people could benefit from excerise, and humans could benefit from all natural foods. Though we don't choose this it would help. I am trying to say whatever you add gives benefits and doubts. I don't like the idea of using gas to run my truck but I benefit from it. Animals over the years have been observed and given the best written care sheets. These care sheets get passed down and changed. It is all fine.

Overall I really like your well thought arguement. I wonder what others will say?