Humid Hide Boxes

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Tom

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We've been talking about humid hide boxes a lot lately, so I thought I'd post a couple of pics. The big one with the red lid was Daisy's until she outgrew the door, now she's got one with a bigger door. The small one is what I used for my hatchling Blackthroated Monitors, until they outgrew it, but it would work well for hatchling turtles or tortoises too. For substrate I usually use fine coco fiber, but any of the normal ones will do. Notice on Daisy's box the door is elevated a bit. I usually uncover the floor of the enclosure and put the hide box flat on the floor. Then when I push the substrate back up against it, the substrate outside is more or less level with the substrate inside the box. If the box is big enough, I make a little hill just inside the door, so they feel a little more hidden and secure once they are in.

In the other pic you can see how I sometimes partially bury them to hide the ugly plastic a little. This one is full of monitor lizards. You can see their tails a little.

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chadk

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That's pretty cool. both ideas. The root version would be cool for my smaller outdoor torts and boxies. Not so much for a bigger sullies :)
 

TortoiseMD

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I like the idea of covering the hide boxes with plants, I am going to do that this summer, but probably will get some ready ground cover flats from home depot instead of waiting weeks to grow them :) , thanks for sharing the information.
I never heard of Radiata magazine, I will check it out, what other magazines have good information about tortoises?

emysemys said:

Yvonne, Do you have a link to the web site for the radiata magazine? I googled it, but it seems it's a German magazine? and couldn't find a web site to subscribe or get more information.
Have you heard also of Testudo magazine? it's British..
it seems that Europeans are more serious about their hobby than we are.
 

chandlerledray

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How do you keep the humidity levels up? Currently I have a shoebox cut out a hole for them to get in and out, that I have moist substrate in it and I spray it twice a day. SHould I put it under substrate like you have it? How do you keep it moist? Thanks!
 

Tom

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terryo said:
That one worked. Neat idea. Do you think this offers more humidity than a lidded shoe box filled with soil, cypress or coco fiber? I make the substrate pretty deep in mine. They tend to dig in pretty well.

This has given me a few ideas. Thanks for sharing.
 

RascalDesertTort

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Does my CA Desert Tort need one of these? I live in Phx. AZ. Thanks!
 

Tom

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Certainly wouldn't hurt. There is debate about whether older torts need it. Iv'e been told if you can get a sulcata to 4-6" smooth, they shell will continue that way regardless of what you do after that. For a CDT I'd guess it would be a little smaller than that. I don't know how true this is, as I haven't tested the theory for myself yet.

I can tell you, once they start to pyramid, I have been unable to stop it.
 

RascalDesertTort

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What should I put inside and how should I keep it moist?? Thanks a bunch!
 

RascalDesertTort

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Ok so I replaced a wooden hut with this humid hide....I hope I did it right! Any advice would be great. Also, how long until it warms up in there?

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chadk

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RascalDesertTort said:
What should I put inside

Start with a tort :)

RascalDesertTort said:
Ok so I replaced a wooden hut with this humid hide....I hope I did it right! Any advice would be great. Also, how long until it warms up in there?

100_3978.jpg

Looks nice. I like the keep the substrate deeper in there though. Otherwise it will dry out too fast. Ideally you'll have 4-6 inches of diggable substrate. It will hold the moisture for a long time and they can dig down and find it, even if you happen to forget to check on it for a few days...

I also like to say you should have a warm\humid hide and a cool non-humid hide.

So with yours, i'd put a che above or very close to it. This will make your tort more likely to use it as well. Humdity is a combo of temps and moisture.
 
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