<<Don't buy those. The Zoo-Med t-stat is not at all reliable, and if it goes bad while its plugged in, it won't shut the heat off at all, and the mat can reach maximum temps high enough to seriously burn your snake.>>

But if the mat has only one heat setting, how can it get any higher? Isn’t the thing designed to just turn it down? (Just curious.)

<<A "name brand" rheostat probably costs more than if you just bought a general lamp-dimmer-switch at Home Depot or Lowes.>>

I’ve actually looked for those before … once again, no picture, no product name … and I had no luck finding anything that *I* thought looked like the right thing!

I would recommend buying one of those until you can save up enough money for a reliable t-stat. (Johnson's or Ranco's usually run around $70 or so and work great for a single enclosure or small collection....check out the Reptile Basics ad at the top of the page when you see it next.)

<<You definitely want to know what the temps are at the floor of the cage...that's where the snake spends most of its time.>>

How can I do that without sticking something directly ON the floor? Or do you just mean at floor level and I’m being too literal?

<<One name brand is Acu-Rite. Here's a picture:>>

That was JUST what I needed! It took some searching (finally found one this morning at Shop Ko), but I have one now. Setting it up now! (Come to check the post for your recommendations on placement again.

FYI, the vet said she looked really good. He weighed her as part of the exam, then said he thought that she probably didn’t have RI, but to watch for the symptoms and if any started to show up, he had her weight and could make up a set of antibiotics for me to pick up.

Thanks again for your help!