Reducing hide size

[Archibald]

Just got my new Bumblebee Sunday and I'm noticing he doesn't really use his hide. Temperatures are right, so is humidity. He's hiding under the newspaper in the corner every time I look in there. I think his hide is simply too big. Should I get a new one or can I just crumple up some newspaper and shove it in the hide to reduce space? Thanks!

[AKA Dave]

One of my hides for Butters was a bit big for him too. I ended up packing it with some damp moss to take up the space and provide a small micro climate. Worked out well.

Dave

[Ax01]

my baby was 120 grams when i got her and she did something similar. she was burrowing beneath substrate against her tank. i did two things and she has stopped since - got new rock hides which i think actually has more space than the tree and log hides. also got a thermostat for the UTH. she burrowed and stayed down there since.

i like the filling it with damp moss idea too.

[DVirginiana]

What kind of hide? If it's a log hide, they often don't feel secure in those because two ends are open. If it's a circular hide with just one opening, it could be too big. Using sphagnum moss to fill up the space can work.

Sometimes they just like hiding places they aren't supposed to. Despite having a perfectly adequate system of hides that she typically uses, I'll someitmes walk in to find mine curled up hiding basically wearing her water dish as a hat.

[scalrtn]

My bp loved his log hide (which is too small for him now). I had one end of it up against the side of the tank, and on the outside of the tank at that spot I had taped a piece of black construction paper, which I could flip up to check on him periodically. I use the same log hide for my Kingsnake now and do the same thing.