Humid Hide Boxes II

[Tom]

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I made a couple of new ones today. Here's the pics:

First I cut the holes out with a hole saw. This can be done lots of ways, I just used the tools I had on hand.


Then I use a Dremel to shape the door and a knife to cut away the excess, frayed plastic.



Next I wash the tub with soapy water and after a thorough rinse, I put in some stuff. In this case I'm using fine coco fiber (Thanks Tyler). I mix it with water as I go. You could also use long fibered sphagnum moss, sphagnum peat moss, coco chips or cypress mulch. Just make sure its something that resists mold and mildew.


Next I move the substrate out of the way and rest the tub on the bottom of the enclosure. Then I move the substrate back and make it all level so the door, the inside and the outside are all at the same level. I also like to put some substrate on the roof to make it darker. I prefer to use opaque tubs, but didn't feel like driving all over town to find them.



Here's the finished product in place. In this case they can walk all the way around behind the hide box too.


I use plexiglass covers over some enclosures to keep in the humidity here in the CA desert. Just an extra step that some people won't need, depending on the humidity in the room where you keep your tortoise.



Hope this inspires someone to go make their own humid hide box for their hatchling. These are good for hatchlings of ALL tortoise species with just minor tweaks.

Some lessons I learned the hard way, so you don't have to:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Begi...z1tFmWpjdi

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Help...z1s7KwW130

2.4.3 Geochelone sulcata
0.0.9 Geochelone pardalis pardalis

[Candy]

Great idea.

[terryo]

Great Tom.......as usual.

[Angi]

What kind of substate is that? It looks very fine grown. Not chunky

[spikethebest]

love it!!!!!!!!

[Isa]

Nice thead Tom and I love the idea, thanks for sharing

[pugsandkids]

Great step by step!

[Laura]

Fine Coco fiber.. I like th elook of that.. fine, not chunky.. moist, easy to work with, looks nice, firm enough for traction..
Like...

[PeanutbuttER]

Thanks Tom!

[Tom]

(09-15-2010 08:23 AM)Angi Wrote:  What kind of substate is that? It looks very fine grown. Not chunky

The substrate inside the humid hide box is fine coco fiber. The stuff outside is regular coco coir. I pack it down by hand a bit for better footing.

[DonaTello's-Mom]

Bravo Tom!