Air circulation in tortoise hide?

[Lou]

Hey

I noticed a lot of people use tupperwares with a hole cut into them as a hide (dry/humid) for their tortoise enclosures.

I was just wondering if you guys worry about air circulation in those hides. What I mean are the hides where the hole is not cut into the smaller end of the rectangular container (so in essence the hide is just a long tube), but at one side of the longer end, so that the tortoise would make a turn once they get in, to go to the end of the hide.

Is it something I should worry about? should I cut holes into the sides/top of the container to ensure circulation?

Thanks

 

[Redfoot NERD]

you don't want circulation! you want STILL warm humid air in their hide.. circulation loses temps and humidity.

NERD

 

[Lou]

Thanks for the reply, the only thing that is confusing me right now is:

wont a moist, warm, still (in turn stale) air cause molding and fungal growth?

 

[Madkins007]

It can, but...

a.) most of the common materials to use for this are resistant (cypress, sphagnum moss, etc.),

b.) we want to keep it humid more than wet- wetness can cause a lot of problems,

c.) the side holes are usually pretty big to let the torts in (and we don't really want it to be a long tube, more of a snug chamber), and

d.) you usually open and work on the humid hide every day or so as you stir it, re-dampen it, etc.

I have caught a little fungus in a corner of one of my hides when i used too much water. I just cleaned it with some bleach water, let it dry in the sun and it did not come back.

 

[Lou]

ah, makes sense. Thanks