To get a thumb nail use the "Manage Attachment" to upload a photo( this must be done in your first post of your thread). It has been a industry standard to model in quads but you are right that there are times were this is not possible ( I would try were possible to model in quads as at the end of the day it will make you a better modeller). The way you have modelled your model is fine, if you had made it in one piece it would have been impossible to UV it. One mesh is fine for organics as normally organics are flowing objects. see link it might help you to understand when to smooth or bevel...........dave

https://simplymaya.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36149