My ball pythons cage has a dead mouse carcass in it!!

[bpownerjoey]

Amazon $10 bucks. If you can't afford this you can't afford a snake. What would you do if you need to take a vet visit?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o05_s00_i00

That's the one I bought. It works great and uses 9 volt batteries not the special high dollar ones some need. It does not come with a battery.

Then i would go to the vet? There is a difference between things that are necessary and convenient. You can use a digital thermometer, analog, or ir. Its just a matter of the one that works the best.

[WingedWolfPsion]

I don't see the point in a temp gun if you have a thermometer with a remote probe.
I've mostly used mine for checking the temperature on the ground when doing the annual herp hunt, and pointing into my kids' ears to check for fevers. I've virtually never used it in my reptile bins, because once the bin is opened, the temperature immediately changes, so it's pointless. Don't get me wrong, it is occasionally useful, but not what I would consider an essential piece of equipment.

A quality thermostat, which runs over $60, is essential, but not a $10 temp gun.

In order of most important equipment:
1) Thermostat
2) Heat source (Heat mat, heat cord, heat tape--not a heat lamp).
3) Thermometer with remote probe

After that comes hygrometer, cage, water bowl, hides, etc. You can make a good cage out of an $8 plastic bin, a soldering iron, and some strong clips, but there is no substitute for a good thermostat.

[KMG]

Then i would go to the vet? There is a difference between things that are necessary and convenient. You can use a digital thermometer, analog, or ir. Its just a matter of the one that works the best.

Your thermometer on the tank wall is not a good gauge for the surface temp. What is the surface temp under your lamp? I bet you dont know. I use to put a thermometer on the hotspot to try to tell. Once I got the gun I found my temps were way to hot. And yesmy wall thermometers said my temps were good.

I don't see the point in a temp gun if you have a thermometer with a remote probe.
I've mostly used mine for checking the temperature on the ground when doing the annual herp hunt, and pointing into my kids' ears to check for fevers. I've virtually never used it in my reptile bins, because once the bin is opened, the temperature immediately changes, so it's pointless. Don't get me wrong, it is occasionally useful, but not what I would consider an essential piece of equipment.

A quality thermostat, which runs over $60, is essential, but not a $10 temp gun.

In order of most important equipment:
1) Thermostat
2) Heat source (Heat mat, heat cord, heat tape--not a heat lamp).
3) Thermometer with remote probe

After that comes hygrometer, cage, water bowl, hides, etc. You can make a good cage out of an $8 plastic bin, a soldering iron, and some strong clips, but there is no substitute for a good thermostat.

Yes i can agree that using a tub system a temp gun would be less useful. The OPis using a 20 long tank with lamps. The thermostat is not going to correct his lamps being to low. I bet they are just resting on the screen which usually always causes them to be to hot.

If knowing the surface temp in your tank is not a necessity than you will end up at the vet. That bill will be more than 10 bucks. And I know my temp gun is cheap but it works, its better than none at all. Im sure it wouldnt stand up to field herping but thats not what i bought it for.

Take the above advise and switch to a tub, it will be cheaper for you.

- - - Updated - - -

Buy your new setup and then sell that tank on Craigslist to get some money back.