Heat pad question and tank ideas!

[Deubie Doo]

I've had people tell me you can't put heating pads on the side of the tank and then I've had big company's like exo-tarra and lllreptiles making videos were they put the pad on the side. Anyone have any words for this.

and also I'm giving my halloween crab away to a friend, so I'm going to clean out the tank and I need ideas of what to put in it now. I have two ornate horn frogs already so I want to try something different. It's a 10g also.
thank you!

 

[Deubie Doo]

Also have a 29g looking to turn into a vivarium, need some ideas for that too.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Well if you were to put a heat pad on the BACKSIDE of an Exo Terra tank with the FAKE BACKGROUND it will block most of the heat trying to get into the cage because the background is made of insulating styrofoam.

 

[younggalaxy]

Depending on what species you are keeping, it can actually be beneficial to place them on the side of the tank IMO. Heatpads on the side of the tank is more ideal for creating a correct ambient temperature - this is especially important for many arboreal and inactive, stubborn terrestrial species.

I guess some people tell you that it's "wrong" because many of us started out simpler species that caresheets advise heatpads on the bottom of the tank (i.e. terrestrial geckos and/or snakes) and that ideology may tend to stick. While thermoregulation is important for reptiles, as long as the extremes are avoided many species do quite well when living within ideal ambient temperature. Whether in rack systems (with heating elements at the back [essentially on the side]) or in temperature controlled rooms.