hiding spot

is it a bad idea to have his hiding spot over the heating pad? he's out more often that usual (or maybe it's because i'm up later than usual...and he likes to play when it's late)

I have one of my hides over a heat mat, just make sure it isn't too hot.

No, in fact it is a good idea. You should have a hiding spot on each end of the enclosure-warm and cool ends. If it's too warm, he'll find somewhere else.

I use a shallow red clay "dish" designed to go beneath a flower pot for one of the hides for my BP, and I have it placed partially over the undertank heater (with several layers of newspaper as a substrate to insulate him from potentially hot glass). This dish has a hole knocked out of one side for him to crawl in and out through. I also have a regular flowerpot with a similar hole in the lip, turned upside down, on the other end of the terrarium. Phil will move between the two at whim to regulate his temperature.

One suggestion a friend gave me for a cheap and easy "hide" is one of the red clay, Spanish style roof tiles. I'll probably move up to one of those when Phil starts outgrowing his current shallow hide.