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Why doesnt my snake like his Exo Terra Snake Cave humid hide?

TriggerHappy101

TriggerHappy101

New member
I bought a exo terra snake cave.....

http://www.exo-terra.com/ES/products/snake_caves_i.html

About two months ago.

and I can't get Mr. Icky to like/hide in the hide. He has gone through two sheds and I keep it damp inside when he is in blue. But he just wont go it in. I have taken him out of his favorite hide "exo terra reptile den" that he hardly ever leaves and I sorta show him the humid hide and he goes in for about 5 minutes and then leaves to go back into the den.

Why doesn't he like it? My room inst humid and I do the plastic wrap/squirt bottle when he is in shed. (Normal 40-50% humidity.) And I bump it up to 60%ish.

I would think he would go straight for the snake cave??

:shrugs:
 
I'm not sure about the reason but its exactly the same with one of my snakes he would in for a few minutes in the beginning, but he doesnt stay in in and he never goes in now.
 
It could be the location of the new hide/cave. The temp range might be different, or he could just be used to going over to a particular hide. The only other thing I can think of is that the moist hide is too cool for comfort or it has a lingering scent that might put him off it.


JMHO

Jenn
 
You could try swapping places to see what happens - switch his "favourite" hide to where the snake cae is at the moment, and put the snake cave where his favourite hide was.

If he then prefers the new one, I'd say he just likes the temperature gradient in that place (mine spend most of their time at the cool end and only go to the warm end at certain times).

If he keeps going to the "favourite" hide, then he really has taken a dislike to the snake cave. Perhaps he doesn't feel secure enough in it?
 
oh didn't you know? The more money you spend on a snake hide, the less they will like it :grin01:
 
Connor has one of those snake cave hides and he loves it, he just spent his latest shed cycle curled up in there. He alternates between that hide and a different cave, but he hates the third hide in his tank. I never see him in that one. Either the "feel" of the hide isn't right (temperature uncomfortable, lets too much light in, etc etc) or your snake just doesn't like it.

If he needed the extra humidity, he'd likely go in. He may feel comfortable shedding without the aid of the humid hide.

Where exactly in the tank is the snake cave? Is it on the heat mat? This is just speculation, I've no proof to back this up, but I would think that those enclosed hides would get quite hot inside with little space for the heat to escape. Maybe he gets too hot in there? If you have it on the heat mat to help raise the humidity inside, try moving it to the edges of the heatmat, or even off completely. I would guess that the enclosed roof of the hide would help keep humidity in, too. Incidentally, my snake cave is on the cool side.
 
The more money you spend on a snake hide, the less they will like it
Click to expand...

Ain't that the truth!

Give them a fancy pupose-built hide and they'll head straight for the cardboard cereal box that was only meant to be temporary.... *ssssigh* :rolleyes:
 
Out of my five Choco is the only one who would rather stay in his Gladware moist hide rather than anything store-bought. Inez has a couple simple hides she likes- a little fake log and a big red rock thing. Maizey usually lays in two hides that are in line- her rear half in the warm half real log, and her front half in an expensive fake log with little mushrooms and plants and stuff on it. Zee likes his warm rock hide, or his cool rock hide, and Addy likes her warm stone hide, or just burrowing in the aspen.

Choco just got a new big water bowl last week while he was shedding, and last night was the first night he wasn't shedding or digesting. He was all over it, climbing on it, swimming multiple times, lounging on the rim. It's nice to see him appreciate my hard-earned money that I spend on him!

Nanci
 
Exo Snake Caves Rock! In My Cornsnakes Opinion...

Yeah, it is really nice to see that your snake really likes whatever you've just put in there. I had the same disappointing problem with my snake cave when I first got it. My male Reverse Okeetee(Jaz) just seemed totally oblivious to it for like two months or so, I was kinda bummed. Then, one morning I got up and looked in his cage, and there he was, peeking out of his nice expensive snake cave!! It was like he just figured out that it was a pretty good place to hang out, and he's been using it regularly ever since then. I think, and I'm definitely new to corns, but I think that they just have to wander on to it themselves when they are exploring around the tank. I have a little charcoal female that absolutely LOVED her cave, right from the start. She's not only young, but she's only been here about two weeks, so I don't want to disturb her too much, but with this snake cave, I never even see her!! I fill mine with coconut fiber and it seems to really please them. I think your snake will come to really like his cave, on his own time, and when he can feel like he discovered it for himself. lol :)
 
Tootse snubbed her nose at hers too - until just a couple days ago.

Went to get her out of her Viv for feeding and noticed she was blue (this really excited me because I was worrying about noticing it)! Figured she wouldn't eat, but but being blue didn't stop my little garbage disposal.

Anyway, went to check on her last night and couldn't find her anywhere. I checked her cave hide half-heartedly and placed it aside. Tore the rest of her Viv apart with no luck. Ended up pulling the moss out of her cave hide and there she was! Partially shed and everything.

Mine is placed closer to the warm side of her Viv in an attempt to keep the humidity of the cave a little higher than just what the moss can do on it's own. I'm glad she uses it though, as I bought it specifically with shedding in mind.

Hopefully yours will use it soon. Good luck!
 
I wonder if Little Inez would like one of those. She hates the adorable tiny one I made for her.

Nanci
 
I'm thinking about getting a small snake cave for RJ...the cave he is in at the moment is sealed so I can't check on him very well.

Do you always wet the moss or only when they are going to shed?

The cave he is in now has a resin base with nothing inside and he loves it.
 
I have one of these and my snake loves it! All i would say is dont put a moist hide on the warm side... all the water in the air gave Loki a bit of a weeze for a day!
 
Oh I didn't know this thread was still alive. :)

Just as an update Mr. Icky still doesn't really like it. For a couple weeks there he liked it but he soon returned to his Reptile Den (Favorite hide.)

I believe it has something to do with the smell. Its sorta musty and wet smelling.

What kind of moss should I get?
 
It's always the way...mine has 2 main hides (And some other smaller ones) - an ExoTerra hide that cost a few quid, and a piece of cork bark that I got for free off a friend...I've only seen him in the ExoTerra once. :grin01:
 
I just bought the Zoo Med repti cave today instead of the Exo terra snake cave...I've put a thin layer of aspen and some damp moss in too, so i'll see if he likes it, his previous cave had nothing in at all he just layed on the resin base but he loves that one!
 
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