won't bask in new viv

[corinthian]

i've just upgraded corinthian to a 4x2x2 viv.. the temps are all fine, max of 103 in the basking spot, ambient around 95 and a cool side that is about 78-80

this will be his 4th day in it, and for the last two all he's done is hide in his cave so i'm getting worried that he won't get his uv or enough heat.. this morning i pulled him out and blocked it off with a plant pot so he would have to bask, or at least get some heat and uv...

he's eating as normal (crazy for cricks but will take or leave his veg) so i dont think he's that stressed by the move. he's shedding a little round his mouth which always makes him a grump and could explain his reluctance to emerge..

so my question, really, is did i do the right thing this morning in forcing him out the cave or should i just be letting him get settled in his own way? will he eventually leave the cave on his own and start to use the rest of the viv?
any help or opinions would be very appreciated!
thanks
emma

 

[randommonks]

Do you have the cave on the warm side of the tank? When I first got Darwin, I put the cave under his basking lamp, since it had a flat basking top. But he spent all his time in the cave. Like you I worried that I wouldn't be getting enough UV light, so I first tried to block his enterances. What I found most effective is putting a brick under his basking light, and moving the cave to the cool side. He now uses the cave to sleep and I've never seen him inside the cave during the day. Granted I've had him over 2 months now, but this did help him to stop hiding.

For sure though, you want to get him out of the cave. I've heard people here say that they can go up to a week without UV, but if he has it he needs to be using it.

 

[corinthian]

hey, thanks for the reply.. yeah, its on the warm side.. but he does have a bit of a hide on the cool side too which he hasn't even looked at..
here's a pic of his set up..

think i might persevere with taking him out and block it up during the day for a week or so as it is early days and he may be a bit stressed with move and the shed... if he still insists on ignoring everything else in favour of the cave i'll try as you suggested and swap the two platforms.. thanks again
emma

 

[randommonks]

good plan and good luck! Hopefully the little/big guy will come around