In their natural environment, they find spots where they can hide, which helps them relax and feel comfortable.
If you keep a pet snake, you will need to replicate its natural environment as much as possible. This includes providing several places to hide.
Without any snake hides, your pet will never feel comfortable and may even get sick and die.
Luckily, providing hiding spots is easy. You can make your own from plastic containers, or find tons of ready made ones on the market.
We take a look at the best snake hides below, so you can be sure you get one that actually works well and that sells for a good price.
We’ll begin by comparing the best hiding places for snakes in a convenient table. Then we’ll have a brief review of each, and finally, a buying guide to help you choose the right one.
Table of Contents
Top Snake Hides Compared
Best Snake Hides Reviewed
There are tons of different snake hideouts on the market, but most of them are only suitable for smaller snakes. If you have a larger snake, you are usually best off just making your own out of a plastic container.
These are the best snake hides on the market for smaller species. All have the look of a natural feature, apart from the hobbit house. But to a snake, even that will seem natural enough.
Penn-Plax Reptology Shale Step Cave Hideout
This reptile cave is a great hideout for snakes, and also for other small reptiles, amphibians and fish. It perfectly mimics a natural cave environment, which makes your pet feel right at home.
This hideout is made from rocks that have been professionally arranged and glued together. Each of the sides forms an entrance and an exit for your animal. The only drawback is that the design can only be used for small snakes due to its small size.
It comes in three sizes, but even the large size is only 8.25 x 11 x 4 inches. This cave is ideal for both dry and wet environments, because rocks can withstand high temperatures and precipitation.
As mentioned, this hideout is also great for other small animals like geckos and lizards. Introducing it into a fish aquarium is easy as well. It would provide small fish with a perfect place to hide and breed.
The design provides a top level on which your pet can rest or even hide on the inside. Everything has been polished in a way that it resembles rocks in a natural environment.
Exo Terra Snake Cave
Being exposed can cause your snake stress and appetite loss. A retreat like the Exo Terra cave provides a spot where the animal can find seclusion and privacy.
This terrarium cave for snakes provides a perfect nesting spot for various types of reptiles like lizards and snakes. Its structure makes it possible for the animal to quickly slip inside when disturbed, or simply rest on top of it on the outside. It is designed to make the reptile feel safe.
The Exo Terra cave provides a home where your pet can run to when its security and privacy have been jeopardized. Its stability and robust design prevent it from being tipped over even by larger reptiles. The integration of moss into the design lends it a natural look that mimics the natural environment.
This hide is available in three sizes, with the largest being great for snakes up to 3 feet in length, at 9.8 x 7.4 x 4.7 inches.
Zilla Vertical Décor Rock Cave
A natural look makes any hideout better for your snake, because it makes the snakes feel as if it is in its natural ecosystem. The Zilla vertical rock cave looks just like a real rock cave, complete with moss covering.
You can easily attach it to a cage walls or to the glass wall of a terrarium, using the powerful suction cup. Of course, you can also simply place it on the floor of the enclosure.
It is constructed from high-quality material that ensures a longer life. It includes a black window cling to provide additional security for the snake. It is lightweight, so you can easily move it around if you want to alter the look of the enclosure.
Exo Terra Extra Large Reptile Cave
You don’t want your snake or other reptile feeling uneasy and insecure, and possibly getting sick as a result, so you need to provide it a good hiding spot. Simple, natural looking caves like this one from Exo Terra are perfect for this.
It provides a safe zone for resting, breeding and hiding. The top surface is designed to give your pet a basking point. It can relax, warm its body temperature and get a clear view of the surroundings.
This reptile cave comes in three different sizes. Most small snakes will want the extra large. A female ball python would be a tight fit, so you wouldn’t want to use this hide for snakes bigger than that.
Zilla Bark Bends Log Hideout
The Zilla Bark Bends Décor log hideout was developed with safety in mind. It has a natural bark look that easily blends with both aquatic and terrestrial habitats.
This hideout provides your snake the perfect safe zone where it can get away from prying eyes. Burrowing snakes love this hide thanks to the overhead coverage. It gives them security and a place to flee from stress.
The open edges provide inlets and outlets into the hideout and also a way for you to catch a glimpse of what is happening inside. They also make it easy to clean the hideout. The exterior of the faux log is non-porous, which helps discourage the growth of bacteria, keeping your snake safe from infection.
BobbyPet Hobbit House Reptile Hiding Spot
Reptile and amphibian hideouts can have just about any design design. Who says they have to look like a natural cave or log? Why not a hobbit house? All that matters is the ability to provide your animal with a great hiding spot.
The middle-earth hobbit design probably won’t impress your pet one bit. It just wants a place to hide and does not care what it looks like. But it will impress your friends and it looks nice to you.
And the natural woodland look actually is reminiscent of many natural habitats, so your snake will feel at home, even if it has no idea what a hobbit is. This hideout is made for an aquarium, but it works just as well in a snake terrarium.
It is made from an environmentally friendly resin that is non-toxic and non-polluting. It is durable and lasts a long time. The colors do not fade, even if you put it in a salt-water aquarium.
ExoTerra Primate Skull Reptile Cave
A snake can make a home or a hiding spot out of anything. For something a bit different (and cooler!), check out this primate skull reptile cave. Not only does it look great, but it is also fun for your pet, with multiple entrances and exits for easy passage.
This design looks great in diverse types of terrariums: aquatic, rain forest or desert. This hideout provides a safe and secure place for your snake to retreat and avoid stress, but it also provides cool visuals for you. The image of a snake coming out of the eye socket of a skull is a classic and with this hide, you get to see it all the time.
Snake Hideout Buying Guide
There are only a few rules when buying a snake hide. It should be the right size, it should not harm your snake, and it should provide a safe and secure hiding spot.
But do you really even need a hide? Yes, you do.
Why You Need A Snake Hide
In nature snakes spend a lot of time hiding inside a confined space. It makes them feel safe and secure. When they are in a wide open space, they can not relax, because danger is all around.
In captivity, its enclosure is perfectly safe, but your snake does not know that. The terrarium is open and you pet will feel exposed. It needs a much smaller enclosure within the larger one, where it can feel like it is hidden away from the dangers of the world. Because it does not know that there are no dangers in its new world.
Without places to hide, snakes feel stressed. This will impact their health. They will likely be sickly and could die. They may not eat or exhibit other psychological issues.
In short: a snake hide is essential. And you should provide at least two, actually. One should be on the cooler side and one in the hot spot, so that your pet can hide while regulating its body temperature.
What To Look for In A Snake Hide
The most important feature of a snake hideout is that is provides a safe and secure spot for your pet. As such, it needs to be the right size.
A good snake hide is large enough that the snake can fit completely inside, but not so large that it does not fit in there snugly. Ideally, the hide should be just large enough for the snake to get inside and move around a bit, with very little additional space. If it is too large, the snake will still feel exposed.
You also want to make sure that any hide you buy is made from non-toxic materials that will not harm your pet. It should not have any sharp edges either.
Finally, the more the hide resembles a feature the snake might encounter in its natural habitat the better. It will make it feel more at home. But this is not necessary and many people simply use a plastic container, as we’ll see below.
Where to Buy A Snake Hide
The easiest place to get a snake hideout is from Amazon. They have a large selection, so there are plenty of options to choose from, no matter what type of terrarium you are setting up.
Online pet stores usually have a few hides as well. If you have a good-sized local pet store in your area, they will probably have a small selection, too. Even better, if there is a store specializing in reptiles nearby.
Finally, you can make your own hide. In fact, if you have a larger snake, the DIY route might be the only option. Most of the commercially available hideouts are only large enough for smaller snakes.
DIY Snake Hide
Making your own snake hide is easy. You’ll want to use a plastic container, not a cardboard box, because the cardboard will not last long, especially if your snake likes high humidity.
Basically, you cut a hole in the container for your snake to enter and exit. They most important thing is that the container and the hole are the right size and that you do not leave any sharp edges around the cutout.
After you cut it, you can heat the plastic and fold it up to make it smooth, or pad it some other way. You do not want your pet to cut itself on the sharp edge.
Below is a basic snake hide on Amazon that you can use as a model for your DIY hide. Just fashion your container to be similar to this.
Snake Hides: Final Thoughts
Hiding spots are vital to all reptiles, including snakes. They provide a place where the animal can find some peace and quiet when disturbed. They also provide a cool place for an animal to rest and breed.
Without proper hiding spots, you snake will never feel comfortable, it will be stressed and its health will suffer. You need to provide it places to hide, and the above recommendations are all great ways to do that for smaller snakes. For larger ones, simply build your own hides.
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