Correct tank setup

hey all, we have our balls tanks setup like we thought it should be and how we read it should be....but to be told today that we weren't doing it right. We have zoo med heat pads under the tank to create the warm side, using aspen shavings, and have a hide on the warm side. also have one on the cool side a water bowl and several logs for Bella to roam around on. we also have ivey leaves and vine in there as well. thought this was correct. we called zoo med today because the heating pad isn't working like it should part of it heats up while the other part doesn't so we wanted to ask them about it. they told us that we shouldn't be using aspen shavings, and there shouldn't be a hide on the warm side. do they not know what they are talking about or are we actually doing it wrong??? though everywhere we read told us to do it the way we are.
please help

You're doing fine.
Zoomed always gives out poor information.

Do you have a thermostat for your heat pad?

there isn't a thermostat no...its one that sticks to the bottom of the tank, pretty sure it has only one setting. it's the zoo med brand one.
here's an image of it http://reviews.petco.com/3554/6353/z...ws/reviews.htm

Make sure the tank is lifted a bit to allow air to pass under and also so the edge of the tank doesn't put pressure on the cord. Both of those things can create a dangerous situation. Some little rubber feet you can get at the hardware store or dollar store will work fine to lift the corners of the tank.

You also want a thermostat to control it or it can get hot enough to burn your snake.

we have a thermostat in the tank itself to keep an eye on the temperature in there...but on the pad itself it doesn't have one...and you can change the temp of it. the only way we can control that is unplugging it and replugging it. she has her cold side as well.

The pad has on/off yes but a thermostat will hold a temp cutting power on and off as needed or proportionally to raise and lower as needed check out teh herpstats just google them.. Without the thermostat the pad will reach a max temp that could burn the snake

The zoomed head pads can reach temperatures as hot as 130 degrees, which is hot enough to burn your snake.

A thermostat is not a thermometer. A thermostat controls the heating pad at a set temp so it doesn't get too hot or too cold. It's an essential piece of equipment.

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