That's what I thought too. Wrong! 3 weeks ago we brought ours home in its own tank and everything. Since it was already in its own home, I didn't think it had anything to acclimate to and so we started holding it the very next day. Turns out it still needed to adjust to the sounds and smells of our home, and that it still needed that first week left in peace. (I found this out after that first week had gone by, LOL!)
We all survived that first week and snakey is doing well. Took me 2 weeks to calm down and stop worrying over everything. The info stickeys at the top of these boards are a goldmine of information. Start there, use the Search feature (advanced is better), and then post whatever questions you have.
And yes, a UTH needs a thermostat to control its output, otherwise it gives out too much heat that could hurt the snake. ReptiTemp 500R is recommended as an inexpensive starter thermostat here. Definitely don't want both a UTH AND overhead heat lamp going in the same spot as the heat rises quickly and drastically.
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