The Problem- humidity, just too dang low.


The setup/complicating factors - AP racks, in a separate room (door is closed to keep the dogs out), but shared with my ASFs (the source of endless facination to the dogs), with the following items contributing to the problem:

- Substrate is the reptizorb liners from superior shipping supplies, great for absorbing moisture from urates (and spray bottles), however I can see EVERYTHING which gives me a big advantage on catching health issues early and it's absurdly easy to keep the tubs ultra clean (I do not want to change substrates)

- I have recently turned on a space heater as it's been a bit chilly (yes, we AZ-ers consider the low 70's "chilly" )

- Hubby hates the smell of the ASF food (mazuri 6f, I don't find it offensive but ok?) so he put a pretty hefty air filter in there (honeywell air genius 5)

- Living in the desert, ambient humidity is pretty low anyway


The Plan - slow release humidity boxes

Basically I was thinking, since misting doesn't work, and for a humid hide to work they have to actually be in the hide, how can I add humidity in a time-released fashion, that won't immediately get sucked up by the tub liner (and yes, all the water bowls are on the heat tape already). Here's what I came up with, take a little tupperware box (like the little multipack ones from ikea) and drill or solder it full of little holes (very small holes, nothing they could get a little nose caught in or injured on, thinking ~1mm). Then cut off a piece of (new, unused) sponge, dampen thouroughly, put it in the little box, and put the little box in the tub. It's fairly cheap, reusable (the little tupperwares could be washed or even dishwasher-ed, and the sponges disinfected in the microwave), and worst case scenario they poop on it (new sponge time). Even if it pops open I can't think how they could injure themselves on a tupperware container and piece of sponge.

Is this a stupid idea? Have I overlooked something potentially dangerous? I know it might not work, but I don't want to even attempt to find out if there's some hazard I haven't thought of.