My Humid Hide

[Redfoot Sam]

So after struggling with trying to maintain the humidity in my table for my Red Foot, I decided to make a humid hide. I ran to Target and got a plastic "utility bin" and a lid. It is flipped upside down with a hole cut in it for him to get in and out of.

Nessie loves going underneath plants; when he turns the corner in his table, he never always goes underneath a plant on the corner, which i added a picture of. For this reason, I put a big fake plant on top the box, hanging over the entrance.For substrate in the hide, I just have a layer of cypress mulch and on top I played some moss down. I also have a Zoomed humidifier tubed through the top of the hide.

Tell me what your thoughts and suggestions!

-Sam

 

[Oogway the russian tort]

Looks pretty good but if i where u i would cover a portion of the top of with clear plastic wrap or something to hold in more humidity so u dont have to mist as much

 

[Alex Z]

Great diy hide...always remember for a redfoot you always have to mist...2x a day...and soak them 3x a week...

 

[lisa127]

Great diy hide...always remember for a redfoot you always have to mist...2x a day...and soak them 3x a week...

I never have to force soak my redfoot. He has a large pool of water that he spends half the day in everyday. Redfoots love to soak on their own!

 

[Alex Z]

Do you keep it filtered or change it everyday??

 

[theguy67]

I never have to force soak my redfoot. He has a large pool of water that he spends half the day in everyday. Redfoots love to soak on their own!

I never soak mine either. I always kinda laugh when I see people soaking theirs so often. Even my yearlings I just keep moist- never soak- and their shells are nice and smooth.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

Be careful with lights handing down so low, they could burn your tortoises shell.

 

[Alex Z]

Why laugh at some one for caring for their rf?

 

[lisa127]

I never soak mine either. I always kinda laugh when I see people soaking theirs so often. Even my yearlings I just keep moist- never soak- and their shells are nice and smooth.

Yes, in addition to my redfoot I keep box turtles. Another species you never have to force Soak! I suppose those who keep testudo species or others may need to force soak. But not redfoots and boxies!

 

[Yvonne G]

Water and hydration is no laughing matter. Baby tortoises should be soaked daily. Once they get big enough to go into the water on their own, you can allow them to self soak, but you have to watch to be sure they ARE. Some tortoises don't know what's good for them and still need to be soaked even when they're bigger.

 

[lisa127]

Do you keep it filtered or change it everyday??

I change it daily. He has an 18 inch round pool of water that has a heat bulb above it to increase humidity and keep the water warm. He loves his pool of water!

 

[lisa127]

Water and hydration is no laughing matter. Baby tortoises should be soaked daily. Once they get big enough to go into the water on their own, you can allow them to self soak, but you have to watch to be sure they ARE. Some tortoises don't know what's good for them and still need to be soaked even when they're bigger.

I can imagine other species don't soak on their own. But I've never heard of a redfoot tortoise that doesn't love to soak in his pool of water.

 

[theguy67]

Water and hydration is no laughing matter. Baby tortoises should be soaked daily. Once they get big enough to go into the water on their own, you can allow them to self soak, but you have to watch to be sure they ARE. Some tortoises don't know what's good for them and still need to be soaked even when they're bigger.

It is always better to provide more than enough care, than not enough. So, for most, soaking frequently works. It gives you the ability to ensure they are being hydrated properly. Especially for new tortoise owners, soaking is very useful. And I can see the benefit for breeders who have their hands full. But I will say, after a month or two, I stopped soaking my hatchlings. They live in a closed, heavily planted, warm, humid enclosure with bedding they can burrow in (and they do) as well as a soaking dish. They get sprayed often, and I get good results. Shells are nice and smooth. I like to keep things simple, no need to do extra when things already work.

 

[theguy67]

oh and RedfootSam, great humid hide! You may eventually want to add a plastic cover over the entire enclosure to hold in humidity and heat, but good job so far!

Keep making improvements. Thats what I always look for.