I think it's silly to say that heat from below is "foreign" to snakes and other basking animals. Many, many different reptiles will bask on a rock or roadside AFTER the sun has gone down that is still radiating heat after sitting in the sun all day.
I was thinking the exact same thing. It particularly seems silly to make that kind of a statement about an animal that is mainly nocturnal and wouldn't typically be out basking under the sun during the day.

I've wanted to try heat panels for some of my other snakes, but I've been leary about trying it because I've heard some reports that they can short out in a humid or damp environment, which I suppose could happen to any electrical source inside a cage.

My herp room can get really dry in the wintertime and I'll often spray down my tubs and cages with a garden sprayer in the winter so I've always been hesitant about putting anything electrical inside the cages which isn't well sealed. Does anyone know how well these heat panels are sealed against moisture?

Mark