Heating pad

[Venom Goose]

What setting should a heating pad be set to when used instead of a light bulb?

[adamanteus]

You need to aim to provide your snake with a thermal gradient. Providing a 'hot spot' for basking, and a gradual drop off in temperature toward the cooler end of the enclosure, so the snake can select the correct temperature for it's needs at any given time.

[jeanette]

i always use a heat pad that covers half the vivarium bottom. atm ive got a heat matt large enough that it is covering half of my garters enclosure and half my young Boa's enclosure at the same time.
economy at its best and 2 heated for the price of one.

[drache]

yeah - I do that

[MayorOgden]

I have a 10-gallon, moving up to 20- or 29-gallon. My heating pad is a small one, probably about 4"x6". Is that enough? I should probably upgrade that as well, right?

[adamanteus]

I have a 10-gallon, moving up to 20- or 29-gallon. My heating pad is a small one, probably about 4"x6". Is that enough? I should probably upgrade that as well, right?

Hi Rena. A small heating pad isn't necessarily not enough... it would depend on the depth of the substrate you're using and the ambient temperature of the room. The best way to find out is to drop a thermometer in the tank on top of the heat pad, see if it's reaching the temps you want. If not, then yes, time to upgrade.

[Elliot]

I have a 10-gallon, moving up to 20- or 29-gallon. My heating pad is a small one, probably about 4"x6". Is that enough? I should probably upgrade that as well, right?

I believe that I have a 4x6 heat pad under my 20 gallon long, so you might be just fine. Like James said, it really depends on the ambient air temperature.