Questions on new milk snake enclosure

[gilmour93]

Hello all, well I typed this all in before but the system is telling me I wasn't logged in, so if it posts twice, my apologies! This is my first post here, and I'm hoping to get some help on setting up for a new pueblan milk snake that will be coming sometime next week. Our family currently has a bearded dragon, so we do have some experience with reptiles, but this is the first snake I will have cared for in close to 30 years. I know the thinking on enclosures has changed quite a bit in that time, so I'm looking for some help.

I've done a lot of online research on milk snakes, so feel fairly confident in general care and feeding practices. Also clear on general enclosure requirements, but do have some questions about this below. But before I ask, the snake that is coming in is a juvenile male (well, thinking it's a male, I know it can be hard to sex them) and he will be housed in a standard 20 gallon glass aquarium. I know this is not ideal, but he will only be in the 20 gallon for about six months, at which time we'll upgrade. So, my questions...

1) What heating method do you generally recommend? I was looking at an under tank heating pad and thermostat, but saw some complaints online about some of these not getting warm enough. Are heating pads generally recommended? If so, what brands do you recommend? I see that an 8"x12" pad seems to be the manufacturer recommended for a 20 gal set up. Does this seem right to you?

2) Was also looking at ceramic bulbs if heating pads aren't preferred. My house can get cool at night, so would need 24 hour heat, thus a standard basking bulb isn't an option. What W strength would be most appropriate for a 20gal set up?

3) I know milk snakes generally don't need a UV bulb, but I will be providing lighting during the day as the room he will be in can be a little dark, so might as well make it a UV bulb. Which is more appropriate for a milk snake...tropical or desert?

4) Any preferences on bedding? I see aspen and cyprus a lot online. Any thoughts on these two or other alternatives?

I appreciate everyone taking the time to read through my posting. Sorry if it's a little long. I just want to make sure we get things right the first time. I look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions. Thank you! Mark

[EL Ziggy]

I prefer Ultratherm UTHs. I sometimes boost the ambient temps in my tanks with a 100W CHE. I use Reptile Prime as substrate for all my snakes.

https://www.reptilebasics.com/ultratherm-heat-pads

[dangernoodles]

UTHs are the most commonly used heating source, I recommend using those since heat does rise. As for size, for a 20gal enclosure I recommend Zoo Med´s 8W UTHs. For substrate, aspen or reptile prime will work fine. For a UV bulb, most likely desert since they are known to live in drier areas.

[gilmour93]

Thanks for the help! Looking forward to getting this set up for our new friend this weekend. 🙂

[dangernoodles]

Good luck!