Help! My ball wants to eat me! D:

[Skittles1101]

I think you're mixing up thermometer and thermostat. Thermostat regulates the temperature of the uth. Get an acurite digital thermometer from Walmart for $12. It can measure the hot and cold side as well as the humidity. It's a good investment. You can also get a temp gun. But as everyone has said, the stick on ones aren't reliable or accurate.

I use both an acurite and temp gun.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

I agree, regardless you NEED a thermostat, otherwise you risk serious burn.
Here's a thread I created last year on the subject, graphic picture warning.

You can't fry a snake from a shorted/damaged thermometer. So the horror stories you heard, may have been people who placed the thermoSTAT probe in the enclosure (which....it should be on the outside secured directly to the UTH).