Well, Tuesday I finally got some cash so I could finally get my necessities that I've been talking about getting for a while now. Sadly, it seems Canada sucks for trying to find the right necessities. Actually, the only problem I have is I couldn't find the Acurite digital thermometer/hygrometer. I went to walmart and found the exact same Dunlap heat pad that some here use, and I got my clay pot hides easily. Only thing I couldn't find was the digital thermometer. I asked around in walmart, and was brought to the same small section near the security alarms. They had a few digital thermometers, but none with humidity and temperature readings in one. So I went to Canadian Tire to check there. They seemed to have the same selection as Walmart. So I was starting to worry then. So I figured I'd head back into town(Walmart and Canadian Tire are in Leamington...a town over) and check out the hardware store. They had a small selection of digital thermometers also. I found one that looked(keyword- looked) like the Acurite thermometer, and it had the probe, humidity and temp combo, and everything. Problem is it only has one temperature reading, and a humidity reading. Acurite has the two temp readings and the humidity readings all in one. So I figured I'd buy a second cheaper and simpler digital thermometer. It just had the probe for temp. No humidity guage or anything. Both together they came up to 35 dollars(not good).
Anyway...rambling as usual. I get home and went to set up my tank with what I could. I didn't have my reptibark yet, so I put some newspaper down, then put my hides in, my greenery, and my climbing branch. Set it up all nice. Then put the heatpad underneath, on low. Added a water dish. Then set up the thermometers. I had the simpler one for the cool side, and the Acurite knockoff on the warm side. I put the cold probe under the cool side. And the warm probe right next to the warm hide. I wasn't sure if I should have the probe inside the hide or not. I figured I would want the humidity reading from the ambient area of the tank and not from inside the hide. Is this right? Only thing I was confused about was the placement of the probes.
So yeah, today I went and got a small bag of reptibark to try out. I put about an inch+ at the bottom. Is this too much or too little? I hope the temperatures get through there. Last night with just the newspaper, the temperatures were pretty good. I had 82-85 on cool side, and 90-95 on warm side, with humidity of 55-60.

Anyway, I guess this topic was mainly just me ranting on my frustration of the digital thermometer thing. Its sad...I'm starting to doubt whether I can handle the ball python I've already paid 100 bucks for, and am expecting anytime late this month. Hope I can get things straightened out. I think later next week I'll take a trip up to Radioshack. I heard they have Acurite thermometers there. I'm crossing my fingers.

Oh...better end this...uh..I dunno...just give me whatever feedback you have on my ramblings, lol. I mainly need confirmation on the probe placement, and the amount of reptibark to use for a 20 gal tank. If you've read all this, thanks. You're a trooper.