what kind of heat source should i use?

i am getting my first bp at a reptile show on saturday. (i'm sooo excited!) my question is, is it better to use a heating pad, a red nighttime bulb, or a combination of both in order to acheive the correct temps and heat gradient in the enclosure? also, if both are used, is it more beneficial to hook up a thermostat to each one or just to one or the other?
thanks!

Best is to get the correct gradient as much through belly heat as possible, though some people need to supplement with heat lamps or CHEs. Belly heat is important for digestion. Unless your home is kept especially cold or you use a glass tank, it's often no problem to user either a human heating pad or a reptile heat mat (in which case thermostat is very important) to get the correct gradient.

Marla is right, of course. If you can get away with just using the pad, do so. If you use both a heat pad and a red lamp, you'd do best to use a thermostat with both.

Belly heat is important, although I don't think a heat pad is the only way to do it. I use a red heat lamp, the one zoomed makes, and the reptibark substrate is actually pretty warm on the warm side of the tank. I used a heat pad in the winter when room temps dropped, but otherwise I have used a heat lamp successfully with my '04 hatchling.

I think its really a matter of personal preference. I've seen both used with good results.