# Homemade hides



## J.huff23 (Nov 13, 2008)

I need some hides for my Ts, but the local pet stoe has them priced ridiculously expensive. So I want to make my own. These are Ts that are 3'' and up! Some of them are very big.

What are some of your ways/ideas of making a hide for your Ts?


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## DDaake (Nov 13, 2008)

I bury a flower pot to one side and let them dig it out.


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## Kirk (Nov 13, 2008)

*Oak bark*

With orchid growing as a former hobby, I've found that oak bark makes a nice hide. Bark is sold in sizable slabs that can be cut to fit, and is light in weight. A local orchid nursery, or maybe general nursery, will likely have all you'd need at very reasonable prices.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## somethingbig (Nov 13, 2008)

i grabbed some bark that had fallen off of trees around my school and baked them...

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## Drachenjager (Nov 13, 2008)

cork bark. go to the shows i generally find nice peices for 2-25 dollars


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## Moltar (Nov 14, 2008)

Oddly shaped chunks of grapewood can be good in dryer enclosures. Cork for the moist ones.

The teracotta flower pots work great too and are ubercheap. I've also used pvc plumbing elbows and connectors for hides and the end caps make great water dishes.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## rustym3talh3ad (Nov 14, 2008)

i saw a post on here of some do0ds pede and it looked like his hide was made out of an old Armoral wipes tube...hahaha why not keep ur T squeeky clean with one of those as a hide.


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## mouse (Nov 14, 2008)

look around the house, there are hides hidden. an odd cup, flower pot...

right now my rosie has a mesh pencil holder as a hide (it's one of those square containers with a cutout on one side). i can see her when she is in it  .
i might get some coconut halves again

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Quickone4u (Nov 14, 2008)

chone1 said:


> With orchid growing as a former hobby, I've found that oak bark makes a nice hide. Bark is sold in sizable slabs that can be cut to fit, and is light in weight. A local orchid nursery, or maybe general nursery, will likely have all you'd need at very reasonable prices.


Great idea! The to hides I have built, I used oak bark we had gathered from trees we cut down on our farm. We used to sell the bark off of them, so I already had some large bark strips ready to be cut to size. Gathered up a nice curved piece that had good height to it, then found a nice flat piece, cut to shape and nailed together. Look great, lightweight, and free! Can't beat free

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## Medicinewolf (Nov 14, 2008)

*A little goodwill*

I love to create my own T spaces! I've used pieces of wood with a good arch in them for a shallow hide. I have used old gourds, a stack of stones (glued together...), bark, beech wood limbs sawn in half (they grow hollow when they are older), kid's toys from Goodwill, old wooden kitchen/salad bowls with an opening sawed in them, and decorative shoes. Really, just get slightly loaded and have a friend take you to a thriftstore and let your mind loose---the sky's the limit!

Reactions: Like 2 | Dislike 1


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## Remigius (Nov 14, 2008)

i just burrow a deli cap or a larger container under the substrate in a horizontal position. I usually form a small hill of substrate, so it looks semi-natural, but i think that burrowing it under the surface would look even better.


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## the nature boy (Nov 14, 2008)

Any kind of cup.  You can literally just stick a plastic, disposable cup in there, toss some substrate in it, and they'll pimp it out from there.  

--the nature boy

Reactions: Like 1 | Sad 1


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## J.huff23 (Nov 14, 2008)

Ok. I was thinking like a half of an old cereal box...would this work?

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## the nature boy (Nov 14, 2008)

j.everson23 said:


> Ok. I was thinking like a half of an old cereal box...would this work?


Cardboard will mold.  Not good.

--the nature boy


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## J.huff23 (Nov 14, 2008)

I guesse its into the wood I go. Im going to get some pieces of wood that would make a good hide.

How do you disinfect it? I tried boiling in hot water once and it got soggy.


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## Trav (Nov 14, 2008)

One of the best ways to make a hide is buy a giant brick of coco coir. While it is still a compressed brick take a big knife or saw and cut flat sheets out of the brick. Then cut and use the sheets to make a hide or burrow. When done making the hide, bury it except the entrance with loose coco coir.
I have made a few like this and they look more natural and most tarantulas love them.

Reactions: Like 1


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## J.huff23 (Nov 14, 2008)

I cant find any good pieces of wood to use...I dont know what im going to use. I want it to look natural. And simple to make.


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## Remigius (Nov 14, 2008)

Trav said:


> One of the best ways to make a hide is buy a giant brick of coco coir. While it is still a compressed brick take a big knife or saw and cut flat sheets out of the brick. Then cut and use the sheets to make a hide or burrow. When done making the hide, bury it except the entrance with loose coco coir.
> I have made a few like this and they look more natural and most tarantulas love them.


:clap: great idea. More expensive than most of the ones I've seen in this topic, but I'll definitely use sth. like that. Thanks.


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## clam1991 (Nov 14, 2008)

j.everson23 said:


> I cant find any good pieces of wood to use...I dont know what im going to use. I want it to look natural. And simple to make.


go to the beach for a little trip and pick up little pieces of drift wood
when you get home boil it or bake it
they look awesome and are easy to come by 

i live across from a beach so i lucked out

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## Remigius (Nov 14, 2008)

speaking of sea - boiling wood in salty water helps to imprignate it, and will certainly increase the effect of disinfection.

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## zonbonzovi (Nov 14, 2008)

whatever you do make sure it's not a species that carries a natural insecticide(avoid tropicals & some species of walnut).  i've found hides aplenty in exposed hardwood treestands- the harsh conditions make for more curvature in the wood, thus "rooms" for critters.


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## J.huff23 (Nov 14, 2008)

Im going to go out again tomorrow and try to find some curved pieces for hides.


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## El Viejo (Nov 14, 2008)

When I trim the oak trees in our yard, I keep the larger branches to use in BBQ'ing and smoking hams, sausage & bacon. Before using it I let it dry out real well. Over time the bark will separate from the wood. I gather up a few of these, clean them up, cut them to size, and that's what I use.


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## rustym3talh3ad (Nov 14, 2008)

one way i disinfect is take ur bath tub and fill it with luke warm water, barely hot to the touch, put a 1/8th cup of bleach per gallon so like one cup to fill ur whole tub (and i know most think bleach is bad but its one of the few cleaners that TOTALLY breaks down in hot water)...soak the wood for 10 to 15 mins (tie heavy stuff to it to make it submerge)...then drain the tub and turn ur shower on REALLY hot for about 15 mins or so running it over the wood...and then stand it up in the shower over night to let it A: dry and B: dissipate any remnants of bleach residue...by morning its nice and clean and so is ur tub.

Reactions: Dislike 1


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## zonbonzovi (Nov 15, 2008)

*tubs and such*

 i love the tub idea.  anytime you can take care of a chore unconsciously, it's a bonus.


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## somethingbig (Nov 15, 2008)

El Viejo said:


> When I trim the oak trees in our yard, I keep the larger branches to use in BBQ'ing and smoking hams, sausage & bacon. Before using it I let it dry out real well. Over time the bark will separate from the wood. I gather up a few of these, clean them up, cut them to size, and that's what I use.


that meat sure sounds good! :drool: i wouldn't mind mind some home cooked ham, sausage, or bacon if you wanna send some to east tx!!

we have log stacks of oak back home, so i know what you're talking about, and using that bark seems like a really good idea! i'll have to pick some cheap oak hides up next time i go see the parents!!


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## gambite (Nov 15, 2008)

I second what Ethan said about PVC pipe fittings. I spent a few minutes in my hardware store and for less than $5 got four hides of various sizes and two nice sized water bowls. Of course, they do not look anywhere near natural, but they are cheap. I am hoping to find an appropriately shaped end-piece that I can spray paint green so it looks like a Mario-style pipe.


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## J.huff23 (Nov 15, 2008)

Im probably just going to wait untill the next Mars PA reptile expo. They always have a variety of hides for dirt cheap.

Or I will just get some pieces of wood and make my own.

Reactions: Optimistic 1


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## the nature boy (Nov 15, 2008)

j.everson23 said:


> I guesse its into the wood I go. Im going to get some pieces of wood that would make a good hide.
> 
> How do you disinfect it? I tried boiling in hot water once and it got soggy.


I scrub it down good then either nuke it in the micro or bake it in the oven to try to eliminate mold or any critters.

--the nature boy


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## J.huff23 (Nov 15, 2008)

the nature boy said:


> I scrub it down good then either nuke it in the micro or bake it in the oven to try to eliminate mold or any critters.
> 
> --the nature boy


Ok. Cool. Thanks NB.


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## Effexion (Jan 31, 2018)

This thread is just what I needed. Got an A.geniculata arriving soon and the mrs had to go out so I'm waiting on postie. Luckily, I back on to UK woodland so will go and find something when it arrives .


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## Natasha1992 (Jan 31, 2018)

Effexion said:


> This thread is just what I needed. Got an A.geniculata arriving soon and the mrs had to go out so I'm waiting on postie. Luckily, I back on to UK woodland so will go and find something when it arrives .


I made my Hamorii some with some roots:

Reactions: Like 4


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## cold blood (Jan 31, 2018)

Effexion said:


> This thread is just what I needed. Got an A.geniculata arriving soon and the mrs had to go out so I'm waiting on postie. Luckily, I back on to UK woodland so will go and find something when it arrives .


look for a newer threa...lots of bad advice in this one for sure.



Natasha1992 said:


> I made my Hamorii some with some roots:


when it turns white with mold, dont panic, just let it run its course.


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## Natasha1992 (Jan 31, 2018)

cold blood said:


> when it turns white with mold, dont panic, just let it run its course.


Why will it go white?


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## Mojo288 (Jan 31, 2018)

Natasha1992 said:


> Why will it go white?





cold blood said:


> white with mold


                                                                                      ^^^^ That's why.

Reactions: Funny 1 | Award 1


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## Natasha1992 (Jan 31, 2018)

Mojo288 said:


> ^^^^ That's why.


Yeah but why will it go mouldy?


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## Mojo288 (Jan 31, 2018)

Mold spores exist on pretty much everything.
They require moisture and organic media to grow on and consume.
Your organic material is the wood, the moisture is present in the substrate.

Pretty simple    Organic material+moisture=Mold

Add some spring tails to clean it up for moist enclosures, but for a B. hamorii the substrate does not need to be moist so as the enclosure dries, the mold will die off (go dormant? not sure which is the technically correct term).
Which is why CB mentioned not to panic and let it run it's course.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Natasha1992 (Jan 31, 2018)

Mojo288 said:


> Mold spores exist on pretty much everything.
> They require moisture and organic media to grow on and consume.
> Your organic material is the wood, the moisture is present in the substrate.
> 
> ...


Thank You, I was so confused!! I really appreciate you explaining it, I would have panicked massively!

Reactions: Like 1


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