Set-up concern : my baby greek ibera (8/9 weeks) falls asleep buried in his basking area.

[Agathaade]

Hi,
My baby greek arrived 3 days ago. He has been eating, pooping, sleeping (a lot), exploring his indoor and outdoor enclosure (he gets one hour of outdoor enclosure time daily).

Everyday he chooses to dig into the substrate to sleep, and does it under the basking lamp. Sometimes on the edge, but today he went right to the hottest spot. I temp gunned the surface of the substrate minutes prior and read 99/100 in that very spot. I got nervous he would be too hot and covered every visible bit of his shell with bark.

I am worried that corner is too hot and too dry for him to sleep in for a long time.

I have coconut hides in two locations, one in the cool end, and one in the hot end but he doesn’t use them.

Is he safe sleeping in that spot?
Do I need to do anything to improve his sleeping situation like create a warmer more humid hide?
I’m thinking I don’t want to go against his nature and remove him from his spot to place him a hide when he is asleep, I would rather improve that corner so he gets what he needs where he naturally goes.

I’m including photos of his indoor set up with his current sleeping spot highlighted. Also a pic of his outdoor enclosure for fun.

Daytime
Overall temp : 83f
Basking spot temp : 99/100f
RH cool side : 85/90%
Basking spot RH : 60/70%

Nighttime
Overall temp : 80 to 82f
RH : 90%

Basking light is a 45W flood bulb, placed about 16” above substrate.
No UV bc I take him outside, just an additional LED cool white bulb for daytime lighting. On timers 7am to 6pm.

Substrate is a thin layer of coco coir at the bottom, with a mix of cypress mulch and orchid bark. About 4 inches deep total.

Note : I am going to remove the plant pots and replace them with plastic vines to create more organic hiding and exploring areas. I have observed him hide and explore the underside of ferns and trailing nasturtium stems outdoors, I want to replicate that indoors. I am questioning what to do with the hides...

Thank you for reading and let me know what you think?

 

[KarenSoCal]

Instead of removing the spider plant and pothos, just let them grow, especially the pothos. As it grows runners, they drape onto the ground and provide shade and humidity.

Instead of the ambient bulb you're using, get a screw-in plant grow light. It will help keep them pretty.

As far as him sleeping in the hot spot, I really don't know if that is harmful. I'm usually of the opinion that of the choices we give them, they usually know which option is best for them, or at least the most comfortable!

 

[Agathaade]

Thank you for the plant suggestion. The plants I have now are still small, maybe I’ll take them out until they trail nicely and use fake stuff in the meantime.
He seems to enjoy being under foliage so much.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Thank you for the plant suggestion. The plants I have now are still small, maybe I’ll take them out until they trail nicely and use fake stuff in the meantime.
He seems to enjoy being under foliage so much.

Mine has a spot under the spider plant. He won't rest any other place.

 

[Spurs2131]

I'm not an expert on whether it's safe or not but can offer some reassurance... my med spur thigh Stanley sleeps under the basking spot almost every night. Sometimes buried under the substrate, sometimes right on top. When hes not under the basking spot sleeping he is half way along the enclosure out in the open. I can count on one hand the number of times he has used any of his hides.
(He has about 4 hide options offering various temps and humidity.)
My other med spur thigh Albert (not in the same enclosure but identical set up) basically does alternate nights... one under the basking area, next one under the spider plant, next one under the wooden bridge, occasionally in the sideways plant pot. He uses each hide at some point every week. Must be a logic to it somewhere but I cant see it!

 

[Agathaade]

Thank you for sharing your experience @Spurs2131, it is reassuring!
Miguel has been sleeping exclusively in that spot every day and every night so I’m going to trust that she has good instincts and this is normal!
I did add a fake vine and some fake fern over the corners to create hiding spots, I’ll see how she takes to that. I may get rid of the cool hide.