Thanks so much for your help. I think i will try to use a dimmer as buying an expensive thermostat seems a bit overkill for my one and only snake. I was looking at the thermostats at the hardware store and i wonder if theres anyway to use those. Im not much of an electrician so its probably out of my league to use one of those. thanks again for your help everyone!

one more question... should i just get one foot of 11" flexwatt?

ok, two more. I assume that with the dimmer switch that i just play with the settings until i find that sweet spot. is that what you did Shelby?

JT