Mornin' folks. Its 7:27 Sunday morning! What better time to talk about humidity hides! Yeeeeehaaaaaaa!

Kelli from HISS mentioned them last night and got me thinking we need a post in here.

These are one of my favorite husbandry tools along with elevated basking platforms and Retes Stacks (All Hail).

Most of you folks already know what a humidity hide is but for those who may not its simply a little plastic container with a hole cut in the top or side and filled with a moistened material. This conatiner will of course stay very humid and give the animal an area to retreat to when needed. It works great for animals who prefer a somewhat dryer environment but do need access to a humid area.

In the case of leos it helps them shed and also provides a place for the females to lay their eggs if you are breeding. Plus I think they just like diggin' around in there.

I try to use rubbermaid containers as they are sturdy. Ive also used deli cups in a pinch but I hate them. Heh. I use the flat ones designed for sandwiches. Size will depend on the size of your animals. Little guys, little rubbermaid. Big guys, you get the idea. I like to cut the hole in the top rather than the side since then they cant spill the material all over the place.

Once you got your hole cut you add your material. Ive tried a couple things. The most popular are paper towel, spagnum moist, potting soil and coco fiber. Personally I like spagnum moist. It holds moisture great and it doesnt get all over the place. Paper towels are fine they just dry out a little faster. I have good results with the moss but use whatever you like best. Just needs to hold some moisture thats all.

When you're done and you place the hide in a warm cage in a little while you may see beads of water building up inside it. Neat-o. Thats a nice humid spot for the geckos to hang out in. And when they've had enough they just split.

Ive used these hides for skinks and even baby monitors and they love'em. Its all about choices. Give the animals as many choices as you can and let them pick what they need.

So there ya go. Walla walla bing bang.

Great post.

Thanks. Everybody loves pics so even though this isnt rocket science I thought Id add a few:

Your standard 1.25 cup rubbermaid

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg239/Varanus99/001-4.jpg

Top with hole cut

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg239/Varanus99/004-2.jpg

All that groovy spagnum moss

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg239/Varanus99/006-2.jpg


Hehehe. I just noticed the Retes stacks under construction in the background. Im such a Retes stack junkie it aint funny.

I've got a humid hide for my AFT with eco earth (coco fiber) in it. It works well but he digs in there and gets it all over the friggin' place :lmao: I originally had him on a soil substrate and he loved it. Maybe I'll go back to that and use the spagnum moss in the hide.

Awesome post V! Even though this is a basic need for leos, I see so many posts on other sites about how their leo isn't shedding right and it is usually because the leo isn't provided a humid hide. One other thing to note is whatever you are using as humid usually needs to be misted every other day to 3 days to make sure it stays moist. All 4 of my leos spend most of their time in the humid hide.

Awesome post V! Even though this is a basic need for leos, I see so many posts on other sites about how their leo isn't shedding right and it is usually because the leo isn't provided a humid hide. One other thing to note is whatever you are using as humid usually needs to be misted every other day to 3 days to make sure it stays moist. All 4 of my leos spend most of their time in the humid hide.

Good point. I should have mentioned the humid hide doesnt stay humid forever.

I find that most of the problems people have can be fixed with a very simple husbandry tweak. For years and years reptiles of many species were considered difficult or even impossible to keep alive. Until we learned a few tricks. The humid hide is just one of those tricks.

Mist those hides, people! It aint hard! Dont make me come over there!!!:machinegun:

I've got a humid hide for my AFT with eco earth (coco fiber) in it. It works well but he digs in there and gets it all over the friggin' place :lmao: I originally had him on a soil substrate and he loved it. Maybe I'll go back to that and use the spagnum moss in the hide.

From what I understand the AFTs like a higher level of humidity than the leos do. So you might indeed be better off using a soil substrate throughout the entire cage and still provide the hide as a back up.

Well he's been three years on putt-putt golf indoor/outdoor carpet with the humid hide and doesn't seem to mind, but he DO like ta dig :)

Do you ever have issues with the spagnum molding? I have, so now I do let it dry out between mistings.

Well he's been three years on putt-putt golf indoor/outdoor carpet with the humid hide and doesn't seem to mind, but he DO like ta dig :)

I dont doubt that he's surviving on the carpet but oooh baby do I HATE that stuff!

If it were me Id just put him on paper towels if you dont want a particle substrate througout the whole cage. Just an opinion from the peanut gallery.:)

Do you ever have issues with the spagnum molding? I have, so now I do let it dry out between mistings.


Ive never had a problem with mold of any kind. But I live up north. If you live in Florida where its mad crazy humid anyway and warm and you add a semi-closed container with wet moss to the mix I could see where you're coming from.

Sure, if you're having a mold issue let it dry out a bit. I wouldnt let it get bone dry but I wouldnt go water happy either. Or, change it more often if its really a problem.

I figured it was most likely my location, but wondered if anybody else has delt with it.

Never had issues with it molding, it normally starts to rot before any mold happens...finding that happy place of just wet enough but not to wet is an art form...:lol:

Never had issues with it molding, it normally starts to rot before any mold happens...finding that happy place of just wet enough but not to wet is an art form...:lol:


Yes it is and I am still trying to master it. :cheers:

Excellent information, definitely sticky worthy! :yourock:

Yes it is and I am still trying to master it. :cheers:


This is what I do.

Whenever Im working with material I want moist but not sopping wet I squeeze all the water out. So the material will clump (stay together) in my hand but no water runs out. Or very, very little.

Works fer me