What is the best heating pad size for a 40 gallon breeder tank?

Question

I just moved my year old red tail boa into its new 40 gallon breeder home.When I got it it was very small & skinny so I kept it in a 10 gallon tank with no heatin pad.Now that its larger I want to have the belly heat.What size heating pad should I get?..also I hear different things like put it underneath the water bowl or undernesth the hiding spot, what place is best?

Answer 1

Get an under tank heat mat made for reptile tanks and the size will be posted on the package.  It should take up about 1/3 of the tank.  Also, get a dimmer switch or thermostat to plug it into as they get well over 100F which is way too hot.  You must be able to regulate the temps.  Use a digital probe thermometer on the inside bottom surface of the tank to measure the temps accurately.  Put one hide over the heat side and another hide on the other (cool) side.  I don't put water bowls over the heated side.  

Fave rtb site:

http://www.redtailboas.com/general_care/...