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Help! Heating pad question!

windowswisher

windowswisher

expert noisemaker
I just moved to a new apt, and I lost my spare heating pad in the move. I just bought a new corn snake (2 months old), so I went out and bought a new heating pad. I didn't realize it was the *desert* one instead of the other one. It's an Exo Terra Heat Wave Dessert Small which I would be putting on a 30 gallon.

Does that heating pad get too hot? Do you recommend I just try to take it back? I could always buy a dimmer, but I'm basically completely broke until this Friday, so it would have to wait. Do you think sticking it under a towel or a folded up sheet would shield it enough to be safe?
 
In my experience, all heat mats get over 100 degrees without a thermostat. Doesn't seem to matter what size, model, manufacturer or wattage they are.

Assuming you have your babe in a smaller light plastic tank like a Critter Keeper, a good interim option would be to raise the tank slightly off the surface of the mat. Maybe try putting a thin book under each end and see how much the temp goes down by on the floor inside the tank? If it's still too high, you could use bigger books until you get something within the Corn's safe range (mid-80s would be good).

Having airflow over the surface of a mat is usually a good idea. If you cover the surface of the mat with a towel or sheet, you could risk overheating and damaging it.
 
I have the Desert and I wouldn't dare use it without a thermostat, or any UTH for that matter. But if you got the small size for a 30 gallon, isn't that kind of small? I have the medium for my 20long and its the perfect 1/3 of the bottom of the tank.
 
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