thanks for th advice i just went and bought black duct tape for the foil for the top, black paperboard for the glass.

i dont see the point in putting thermostats on such a small cage. if i set my rheostats to the right temp and check it daily which i will, there shouldnt be a problem. if i ever get real serious and get a rack setup then of course ill rock it all. i just think keeping things simple prevents other problems. just my thought- correct me if im crazy!