Hide fetish??

HARTSOCK · #1 (**permalink**) 03-10-2007, 04:36 PM

I have a RTB who is approximately 3 feet long. He has two exo-terra hides that look exactly the same. However, when I clean the cage, he always looks for a certain one. It doesn't matter what side I put it on. If I put it on the hotside, he'll go into it and stay there. If I put it on the cool side, that is where he'll go and stay (except for coming out at night) and he won't switch hides until the next cleaning and if I change them around, he'll go into the one on the side he's beeen staying in, if it isn't the "one" he'll head to the other one. Has anyone else noticed this with their RTBs or other snakes? When I first got him, he used to use both, but then he just seemed to like this one the best.

Now the problem I am having is that he is getting big enough that when he goes into the hide, he will lift it off the substrate till he gets the way he wants. Sometimes he looks like a turtle in the cage. If I take the hide out of the tank to clean it or to change things around, he gets upset until it comes back. Well, the problem is that he is going to need a bigger hide, but what do I do about the security blanket thing with this one?

Also, we had mites a while back (a bad batch of aspen) and I had put him on paper towels. He kinda of freaked out and didn't want to go into the cage. Normally he doesn't like to go back in because he likes being out, but this time instead of trying to get out head first, he just kept backing his head away while looking at the towels. He then hung on the branch and stared at them for about 10 minutes before getting on them. I just thought that was kinda weird.

X-Factor · #2 (**permalink**) 03-11-2007, 02:15 AM

I thought I had a similar issue, but it was two different hides so it wasnt as confusing. This thread is worthless without pics.

Yungair23 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-11-2007, 02:32 AM

Number them and take pics lol. Just so we can see that he really chooses between the two!

I never had a problem like this, im also considering switching to papertowels but i gotta get a dimmer for the heat mat, but before i do, without the layers of newspaper and aspen its too hot.

TammyJamaica · #4 (**permalink**) 03-12-2007, 10:56 PM

How do YOU know the difference between these two hides that are "exactly the same?"

Put a bigger hide in the enclosure. He can go in there wearing the beloved old one on his back...don't take it away from him.

TammyJamaica · #5 (**permalink**) 03-12-2007, 10:59 PM

Oh...another thought: he just keeps going back into the one that smells more like him.

And maybe the white paper is too "bright" and scary looking....

Stargazer · #6 (**permalink**) 03-14-2007, 03:09 AM

How cute. Reminds me of an old stuffed doggie I used to have.

TammyJamaica · #7 (**permalink**) 03-14-2007, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stargazer

How cute. Reminds me of an old stuffed doggie I used to have.

I'm so old that as a child I used to have a Golliwog....

they have been banned for decades! But I loved him and he was my favorite toy...my love for him was totally innocent.

Anybody here remember Golliwogs? No offence intended.

Advertisement