You can use a UTH and newspaper, as long as you use a digital themometer, and reliable THERMOSTAT to control the heat...your snake should be just fine. The reptile carpet is nice *that's what I started out with* but you'll find that it can get pretty grungy and it will trap bacteria in it...you can never REALLY get it clean and sanitary enough.

2 identical hides so he doesn't have to choose btwn security and thermoregulation. Using the AcuRite is a fantastic step in the right direction.

Yeah...if it's too cold, he won't eat. They have to have 82-84* on the cool end and 92-94* as a hot spot. (<80* and you're pushing the chance of his getting an upper respiratory infection, too. ) Too cold, and they know the food would just rot in the gut...so they don't eat. That was Baby's problem when I first got her. (My roommate looooooooved the AC, no matter what the weather and house temp was. )

Covering the screen w/plexiglass or tinfoil, or (something)---I've got GLAD Press 'N Seal on a couple, tinfoil taped down on one, and plexiglass over another---except for just a couple quarter sized spots on opposite sides, for ventilation---will REALLY help you boost your humidity. Heat lamps are notorious for drying out the air. With Flurry's, the lid's covered, except for where the small heat lamp sits on top. The UTH was the cool end (the bedroom was cold, and the heatlamp gave a 93* hot spot. But Flurry was on aspen, and I kept a bowl of water on the UTH and would occas. mist the bedding if the humidity was too low.

Now, all my snakes, but one, are in the 84* bedroom closed off, and the UTHs are the hot spots.