# Humid Hide Boxes II



## Tom (Sep 14, 2010)

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.


----------



## Candy (Sep 15, 2010)

Great idea.


----------



## terryo (Sep 15, 2010)

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


----------



## Angi (Sep 15, 2010)

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


----------



## spikethebest (Sep 15, 2010)

love it!!!!!!!!


----------



## Isa (Sep 15, 2010)

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


----------



## pugsandkids (Sep 15, 2010)

Great step by step!


----------



## Laura (Sep 15, 2010)

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 (Sep 15, 2010)

Thanks Tom!


----------



## Tom (Sep 15, 2010)

Angi said:


> 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 (Sep 16, 2010)

Bravo Tom!


----------

