New Owner/wish i was more prepared!

[I-KandyReptiles]

I have a 1 1/2Ft bp in a 20 gal tank. i have a red and blue heating lamp on the top of screen and a heating pad on the side of the tank for the warm side. Should i have put the heating pad underneath or does that matter? was wondering where to put the temp guages and humidity guage. top or bottom? what temps do i try keeping tank at for day and night?

First of all:

Is the heating pad being regulated with a thermostat, or is it directly plugged into the wall? If its not regulated, unplug it NOW. Heat pads can easily reach unsafe temperatures that can burn your ball python.

What type of thermometers do you have? Are they those circular stick on ones? If so, get rid of them as they are total garbage. Get thermometers that are digital and have a probe.

Warm side should be 90, cool side 80, ambient 80 with humidity of at least 50%.