Best heat pad?

[Sauzo]

Ok so some of you might have read that I found a 36x18 Zilla Critter cage for $20 and just couldn't pass it up. Anyways I'm redoing my bps cage and need a new heat pad as the one I have now on the 15 gallon is too small. So I'm debating on either another Zoo Med or Flukers or Ultratherm. Zoo Med was nice but I hate the sticking to the bottom of the glass. Can you use those with the paper on and just use foil tape on them like heat tape? Is it safe or will it catch melt or catch fire the paper covering? Also I've never used the Fluker ones but they look like heat tape and they say they max at 100f. Anyone use one of these before? And finally the Ultratherm, I have heard good things about this but I'm wondering if anyone here has used one? Are they really good? I ask this because I can get the Zoo Med or Flukers local but the Ultratherm I'd have to order and figure its gonna be probably 4 days or so counting the weekend. Also I'm switching from paper towels to aspen. With aspen do I even need a UTH at all or will a ceramic heat emitter work? The house is set for 70f but its usually around 75f where I keep the snakes and my lizard. My red tail I have never used a UTH as I use a Proline cage with a RHP but my BP is in a tank(for now) and im wondering if a UTH is even needed with aspen bedding. I'm just worried that with the aspen, the UTH would overheat or basically do nothing. I know they say to keep it at 1/2 inch substrate but I use the finely shredded aspen which packs down pretty tight so again, im wondering if a UTH will even do anything other than possibly overheat. Lots of questions. Thanks all. Oh also atm with a 100 watt CHE im getting 84 degrees in the 30 gallon cage at nights.

[mattboyle96]

i find zilla heat pads to work the best. a little expensive but worth the extra $$

[PitOnTheProwl]

Yes, you can use foil tape to secure your UTH, you can also remove the paper and cover the entire mat with foil tape (glue to glue sides)
The best UTH mat is one regulated by a thermostat.
Yes it will make a difference even with aspen, your snake can burrow.

[Sauzo]

Well for the Zoo Med ones, can you just leave the paper on and foil tape the sides to the bottom of the tank? Or do you think the paper left on would be a fire hazard?

Also have you used the Fluker ones or Ultratherm? Both of those are like heat tape in that there is no thick rubbery case on them. They just got the clear polystyrene sheath on them so you have to use foil tape to secure those which honestly is the way im leaning towards as that style seems much easier to set the probe up on as well as full tank cleaning times. I just want to know if they are good quality and if they heat evenly or if there are hot and cold spots throughout the mat.

Also I generally like to run about 1 inch of aspen in the cages so it packs down to become a good floor but everything I've read said UTH can overheat or be useless with that much aspen. They all say 1/2 inch or less but with that short of height of aspen, wouldn't it be pretty much like the snake is crawling on the glass floor? My red tail boa cage for instance, I run about 3 inches deep of aspen but like I said, I use a RHP exclusively to heat it and have never used a UTH there.

[EL-Ziggy]

I use zoomed and ultratherm uth's and I'm partial to the ultratherms. I really like the fact that they dont get much hotter than 95 degrees even without a thermostat (all of mine have t-stats). The zoomeds can hit 120+. Also, one of my younger snakes is in a tub and zoomed says their uth's aren't suited for plastic tubs.