Hello everyone - this is my first post here, but I expect it will the first of many!

I just purchased a ball python yesterday. The store was called Captive Born, and this particular one came from a breeder with over 100 BPs. They had many more kinds of snakes in their store, and everyone was very knowledgable. I came home with what they deemed a complete setup.

I have a 20 gallon tank, pine substrate (I did some research and it seems that pine is not toxic, although cedar is), an opaque backing for the backs of the tank, a large water bowl, rather large hide, and.... a totally solid wooden lid with a light bulb on the inside of the tank.

They said that BPs need high humidity and that condensation should be visible on the inside of the tank, which is why they provided a solid wooden top.

What worries me is that the light bulb literally extends into the tank with no protection, and when I asked if it was dangerous for the snake they said that BPs are very sensitive to heat, and would avoid the light. A quick skim of these forums seems to indicate that this setup is not what most people opt for, with regards to the lid.

So, a couple questions:

1) Is the breeder correct in saying that my Ball won't mess with the light and that it is ok to have it exposed in the tank?

2) If the answer to #1 is no, what can I use to replace the top? Plexiglass sounds good, but I don't have the tools to cut it and while Home Depot or Lowes might be able to cut the piece to the size I need, I'm not sure about holes.

3) If I ditch the light and go with UTHs, what kind of light can I use to provide for better visibility?

- One solution I was thinking of is replacing the heat light that is inside with a low-heat energy efficient fluorescent bulb. This would only provide visibility during the day (for me and other observers), and heating would be dealt with using a UTH and thermostat (I ordered a hydrofarm thermostat and digital thermometer).

4) How do I run the temp probe for the digi and thermostat into the tank? Am I supposed to keep it between the UTH and the tank and not inside? If so, isn't it still important to monitor the inside temp of the tank?

- Could I cut a tiny corner off of my wooden top and run the wire down the corner of the tank and into the substrate? If so, how would I secure the wire to the side of the tank if not by tape?

Thanks for your help!!