Adult snakes and heat pads?

[treaux]

I'd like to see some actual evidence to this. I know tons of people who use heat tape and have been caring for and breeding snakes small and large for many years. It's true that heat tape/pads won't raise ambient temps, so that does need to be addressed, but I don't see heat tape as being a problem.

Most snakes don't "bask" in the sun, as it's a very exposed area. Most of the ground dwelling snakes get their warmth from the earth, especially at night after the ground is the only thing left warm from the sun during the day. This would mean they are accustomed to getting warmth through their belly when the ambient temp is much cooler. Heat also will dissipate into the snake even if it's only being applied on one side. For my snakes in a rack that only have belly heat, when I pick them up off it, their entire body is warm and around the same temp as the tape.

As for thermal blocking, I don't know much about it, but I have noticed that effect. It seems to only happen when something is placed directly on the heat mat. Most people I know use the heat tape to heat the bottom surface of the enclosure, which then heats the snake. This leads to more even temps and hotspots.

That said, I do find RHPs more effective at heating the surfaces the snakes sit on and prefer them over heat tape when it is convenient. Unfortunately this doesn't really work in a rack environment as of yet.