In common with most species of reptiles, snakes are ectothermic or also called as cold-blooded animals. This means they cannot regulate their own body temperature. They need an external heat source in their enclosure to survive.
Therefore when you keeping a snake, it is the best option for providing heat for your snake by getting a special heat pad.
Snake heat pad has been known as a snake under tank heater is a convenient and effective way of warming up your snake’s enclosure. This device will help you to create the optimal temperature inside the snake tank. This post is the reason why you need a heating pad for your snakes.

Why do snakes need heat pad?

As suggested above, snakes are cold-blooded animals. In the wild, snakes receive heat from their environment. This is why they often hide under the rock or underground in order to retain heat.

Some species of them such as corn snakes also prefer to bask on the top rock and receive heat from direct sunlight.
In captivity, you should provide them an alternative heat source to keep them warm. And snakes also require a cooler place to decrease their body temperature. This is where the heat pad comes to handle. The best reptile heating pad will create the gradient temperature inside your cage.
Snakes need the heat source to maintain and improve their internal functions such as digesting food, excreting waste, respiration and immune system. If they do not get enough heat, snakes will become sluggish, unconscious, less active, or even dead.

Heat pad vs the other heat sources

There are many options for heat sources that can provide heat for your snake’s cage. The heat lamp is one of those options. This lamp will be placed on the top of the cage and emit the heat downs.
The heat lamp will suitable for the snakes that love basking such as snakes. However, the heat lamp dries out the air in the cage so you should only use this device for the snacks that require a low level of humidity.
Using heat lamp, you also have to turn off the lamp at night to avoid bother your snakes.
One more method for heating the cage is using heater cable. This is the cable that wrapped around the bottom of the cage but this is easy to overheat your snakes.
For all the cases, you are recommended to use the heat pat. You can provide your snakes with the constant and proper temperature for 24 hours without upset their day/night cycle since heat pad emit no light.