Could Really Use Some Help! New Owner!

[Archimedes]

With beginners, the mainstream straightforward advice is much simpler than trying to get into the nuances of husbandry technique. Imagine how confusing it would be if everyone said something different. "Well, this is what I do, but others do this, and still others do that..."

Better to start off with a basic standard of quality and change it as you become more accustomed to the hobby. This is the life of an animal we're talking about, not just putting a cake in to bake.

[NYHC4LIFE8899]

P&s I agree.. Like I said my buddies a few don't have thermostats attached. Me personally I do..my 20 gallon has no UTH but my 29 gallon high has a UTH and overhead heat bulb ( reason is if I use higher than 100 watts y tanks drys out like crazy,so I have to use a 100 w which sent hot enough and use the UTH to give him heat under his hide)..under his hid is regulated at about 88degrees now and the air temp hot side is 85-88. Usually I keep under his hide around 83-85, but he ate today so I upped it to help with digestion... I take care of my boys

plus the hide in the 29 gallon is made of some thick resin or something,s heat don't get through enough,yet my 20 gallon got them re thin black plastic hides and they warm up real nice...

[NH93]

And then then the thermostat fails (lol). This is all fine and dandy but in all honesty if a machine absolutely needed something watching it 24/7 I honestly would not use it...just my perspective though.

That's the point of a thermostat though... it doesn't need watching 24/7; it is there so you don't need to worry about it, nor do you have to constantly check it. You yourself said that you adjust your temps when you pull out your temp gun. That sounds like a lot more work than setting a thermostat and leaving it. That's not to say you shouldn't be keeping an eye on temps.
If how you do things works for you, then that's great! But maybe that wouldn't work for someone without as much experience, you know?
For example, I know that if I didn't use thermostats my snakes would suffer because I don't have years of experience in keeping snakes and other reptiles. Even so, I would still use thermostats personally because I am a busy person - as I'm sure many people here are in their daily lives - and I do not want a pet that requires constant supervision. So I agree with you there, that if something needed watching all the time I would not have it either.

I think that's why everyone else is giving "mainstream" advice though. Even if someone doesn't take that advice and use it exactly the same, at least it's there to support.

[Physician&Snakes]

That's the point of a thermostat though... it doesn't need watching 24/7; it is there so you don't need to worry about it, nor do you have to constantly check it. You yourself said that you adjust your temps when you pull out your temp gun. That sounds like a lot more work than setting a thermostat and leaving it. That's not to say you shouldn't be keeping an eye on temps.
If how you do things works for you, then that's great! But maybe that wouldn't work for someone without as much experience, you know?
For example, I know that if I didn't use thermostats my snakes would suffer because I don't have years of experience in keeping snakes and other reptiles. Even so, I would still use thermostats personally because I am a busy person - as I'm sure many people here are in their daily lives - and I do not want a pet that requires constant supervision. So I agree with you there, that if something needed watching all the time I would not have it either.

I think that's why everyone else is giving "mainstream" advice though. Even if someone doesn't take that advice and use it exactly the same, at least it's there to support.

I make adjustments if needed of course, but this is rare for I find most of my enclosures are established. If your machines are doing all the work for you, how are you to learn? My advice was for the OP to keep his husbandry not too mainstream, we all have things in common between our individual methodologies; however, we also have glaring differences. Every hobbyist must learn the animal, not the machine. I know my specimens are getting a bit warm when they are on the cool side too much, my temp gun is simply to eliminate the possibility of a coincidence. I check my animals daily and I am also a full time college student with a part time job...there is no excuse to not be able to check on your specimens at least every other day. Traveling? then yes, you need a high quality thermostat like those produced by Spyder Robotics, but as long as you can spare 45 minutes a day, then routine check ups are sufficient. If an individual cannot think abstractly to a point of understanding "nuances" then I do not think it is time for them to enter this hobby. If the OP or anyone is having some minor difficulties in the process of fully developing those cognitive assets then some good reads...
The Art of Keeping Snakes
On the Origin of Species
Any work on mendelian genetics
Reptile Medicine and Surgery
Any college level Biology textbook.

What works for you, will work for you in the end though, just do not be someone that walks into the snake room and looks at the thermostat before the actual specimen...few things are more depressing in my eyes.

[Crazymonkee]

I check the snakes before I check the temps, and yes even with a machine to do it for me I check them every day.


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[Cloud Atlas]

Okay thank you guys. All of you. All your advice really was helpful and yes all of you are right I may not use that advice but I can build off it. Me personally I work a lot and I'm a junior in school taking advanced classes. I would prefer a thermostat just to know hes safe when I'm away. I do spend time studying him..I know he likes drinking at night lol. As for humidity i think i may get some moss and a climbing stick or something. My point is I thank you all for helping and giving your thoughts.

[Physician&Snakes]

Okay thank you guys. All of you. All your advice really was helpful and yes all of you are right I may not use that advice but I can build off it. Me personally I work a lot and I'm a junior in school taking advanced classes. I would prefer a thermostat just to know hes safe when I'm away. I do spend time studying him..I know he likes drinking at night lol. As for humidity i think i may get some moss and a climbing stick or something. My point is I thank you all for helping and giving your thoughts.

I took AP and dual enrollment starting sophmore year, my GPA>4.0...do not try to tell me you do not have as much free time bud, admit it, you've got a lot more than you want to admit .

[Cloud Atlas]

I took AP and dual enrollment starting sophmore year, my GPA>4.0...do not try to tell me you do not have as much free time bud, admit it, you've got a lot more than you want to admit .

I do have some free time which I spend with my snake. But what I'm saying is 1) I'm always worrying about the UTH being to hot or temps being low 2) I was dumb and bought stick on dial gauges I need a actual thermometer set up so I know my temps are accurate.. so I would like a thermostat to control the uth better

[MootWorm]

You can have all the free time in the world, but if you don't happen to be checking on your animal the moment the UTH fails, the consequences can be disastrous. I'd much rather err on the side of caution and have a thermostat to prevent such occurrences. Just my .02.

[200xth]

I have yet to see a good reason not to have a thermostat.

You will never kick yourself for having one, you may kick yourself for not having one.

Get a good thermostat, a good thermometer and a good hygrometer. You will not regret having any of them.