Heating Pad Problems

Hello, I am new to snakes and have a heating pad on my 10 gallon tank. My problem is i haven't been able to acquire a thermostat yet. i have a thermometer over the substrate where the snake is located. The thermometer is one of those that stick on to the walls. It "lights up" from 88 f through 94 f. I have been told that that is too hot and now the snake has resorted to hiding under the water bowl. Can someone please help me?

the water bowl is too big for me to place another hiding spot on the cool side. the one i do have is half on the heat pad and half off it but i guess it can still feel all the heat.

Why did you get a 10 gallon you should have a lot of hides for it.I've known a couple of corns to climb sticks even but thats a different subject. Really its ok that it stays under its water bowl I've seen lots do that. A 20 or 30 galon is fine even for a hatchling the thing people are talking about with a lot of room is just from it being OPEN spaces not a large tank. but if your snake gets hot it can move to the cold side and if it gets to cold move to the hot. If it wants a normal temp then it can move half on half off or what ever it really wants. remember your snake is a cold blooded so its body temp alternates and it can easily find different ways of cooling and heating up as it adapts to its surroundings.

I got a 10 gallon because it is a small snake. the heat pad is already attached to the 10, so when I switch it to a 20 or 30 i am going to use a 50 watt basking light, is that okay for a corn?

So simply get a smaller water bowl so you CAN put another hide or two in the tank. Water bowls aren't that expensive...