In a rack, the entire back of the bin is dark and hides often aren't necessary at all. I only use hides in my racks with young snakes, or with extremely shy individuals that won't eat without having one.

The thermostat is the most important piece of equipment you can have, second to the heat source itself. I stand by that statement. It keeps the temperature perfectly stable, and as a result, it puts the least amount of stress on the animal. The animal always knows where to go to reach a certain temperature in its body. As a result, the animal's health is optimized. No more worrying that temperatures may spike or fall if you aren't around to watch. No more guessing, or estimating. It's the right thing to do. I would not sell an animal to someone who did not have at LEAST a rheostat and thermometer in a home with stable temperatures--otherwise, I would insist they have a thermostat first. Everything I have learned since I began keeping reptiles has underscored how vitally important stable temperatures are.