Do they really need a cold hide?

[Mack86]

Because my snake - now 2 and a half- NEVER uses his. If he's not in his hot hide he is out exploring in the open. I've spent so much time trying to make him the perfect cold spot to chill in but nothing I do is taking his fancy so I've ended up taking it out completely.

Note: he's in a 120 x 60 x 45 enclosure with the heat mat set to 33 with hot hide temps measuring between 32 and 34 at any given time. Hasn't eaten since Feb but I am not concerned as he is healthy, has shed twice since then and hasn't lost condition.

Back to my question though, do they really need a cold hide?

 

[dragonlover1]

My snakes all use the cold hide and none have ever used the hot side. I guess it's all individual choice, I have several dragons, some never use any hide even for brumation. I have a few monitors who always use the hide and some who just sleep in the rock stack , the skinks are hit and miss too.
Just a thought , is it because you use a heat mat ? I don't use them

 

[Delilah]

My (Murray Darling) carpet python has two favourite places : her hide at the warm end of the enclosure (no heat mat) and her basking shelf (a few hours each day). She has shed once since I have had her and she chose the cool hide for that, presumably because the humidity was higher, due to the lower temps.

 

[Mack86]

My snakes all use the cold hide and none have ever used the hot side. I guess it's all individual choice, I have several dragons, some never use any hide even for brumation. I have a few monitors who always use the hide and some who just sleep in the rock stack , the skinks are hit and miss too.
Just a thought , is it because you use a heat mat ? I don't use them

Yeah I use a heat mat only so he will either just chill in his hot hide or he will come out and chill on top of the hide or up higher on his hammocks or branches. He will never go in the hide on the cool side. I guess there's no benefit for him to do so? He's not as shy as he was when he was little so he doesn't feel the need to constantly hide either.