Alright this will be a pretty long post so I apologize for the length in advance. As the title says I'm going to get my first snake soon. I've been doing research constantly over the past month or more and have read care sheets, forums and videos and I'm feeling ready to get one soon. I've currently own 4 dogs and 2 cats but I've also owned many hamsters, guinea pigs and fish although I've never owned a reptile before. I've always wanted a snake but never seriously considered it until recently. I am aware that some snakes will live 20-30 years and I have talked to my family about when I go to college. I'll be going to college in my town so I won't be leaving town and will probably be at home for a few years yet. But in case I had to leave somewhere my brother would look after my snake so I have that sorted out.
Now onto husbandry. I'm going to be getting a ball python specifically and am aware of how some can be difficult eaters but I've learned to not worry about that and to double check it's husbandry, be patient and keep trying each week. I've done research and have a list of supplies that I'm planning on picking up this week. I'm going to get all the supplies a week or two I actually get the snake so I'm 100% sure I have everything I need and everything is setup correctly. I'm going to buy a 20 gallon long aquarium but I will upgrade to a 40 gallon when it's needed. I'm going to get an UTH that's appropriate for the size of the tank. I will also get a thermostat to control the UTH also. I'm going to get 2 digital thermometers and a digital hygrometer. I'll get 2 hides with only the one entrance and make sure the snake can fit snug in there and a water bowl that's big enough for it to soak in if needed. I'm going to use either aspen or that Reptibark substrate for humidity. I'll get a heat lamp if needed or just one of those bulbs for light. I'm going to also get it a piece of wood and possibly some vines for security. From what I've read each care sheet and people say different but I'm assuming the temperatures should have a warm side between 85 - 90 F and a cool side of 72 - 78 F. Humidity should be 50-60% and during shedding should be upped to approx. 70%. I'm fairly certain I remembered everything I needed to buy but if you have any suggestions or if the temps I've listed are wrong please let me know!

As for actually purchasing the snake it will be a week or two after I have it's home setup. I've looked at the options I have of where to buy the snake. I live in a small town in Atlantic Canada and I've looked for any reptile expos around but there are none around here from what I've found. I've looked at getting the snake from a breeder. I also looked for a local breeder but there isn't one. I mainly just want a normal ball python so I'm not looking to spend a whole lot right now and shipping here is sort of expensive. Honestly my only option is to go to the Petsmart in my town even though most people say to avoid buying reptiles from the big chain stores. I checked out my local small pet store but they only have a corn snake. Anyways, I have been into the Petsmart just to look for any sort of bad reasons why I should not buy from them. I first went in and talked to one of the staff there and spent 45 minutes talking about snakes and just asking questions. The person I talked to owned a ball python and mainly dealt with the ball pythons at the store. They were helpful and were able to answer all my questions. I could not handle the snake though as it was currently in shedding although I had held an adult male ball python before and made me want one even more because of how friendly they were. I then went back to the Petsmart and talked to the same person. The snake was just finishing up shedding so they got it out and the snake was stressed and pissed of and struck at me so they put him back and misted him. As for the conditions in the cage the ball python wasn't very old. It was in a fairly small tank although most are and had a hide and water dish. I checked around the cage and saw no signs of mites around and the snake appeared to be healthy. I didn't get to ask about what size it's currently eating and how well of an eater it was but I'll be sure to find that out before I buy the snake. If someone could just give me their opinion of whether I should buy from my local Petsmart please do as that's my only option but I would prefer to not have a sick snake and a bad eater.

I just have a couple questions about ball pythons but I'll keep it short for now as this is currently way too long.

1) Should I place the probe from the thermometer under the substrate on the glass ontop of the UTH? If so how do I keep the probe in place?

2) What are the overall chances of me having to feed live prey? I would prefer not to feed live but if I ABSOLUTELY need to then I will for the snake. I'm just curious of the chances of having to.

3) Should I feed in a separate enclosure or not? It seems to be preference but I'm leaning towards feeding in it's tank.

4) How exactly do I keep the cool side at the right temp? I'm just assuming I'd use a heat lamp or something and keep it at the recommended temp. but if anyone has a better idea let me know!

5) When should I setup the tank and everything? I'm buying the supplies on Thursday but won't be getting the snake for another week or two. I was planning on setting up the tank and just letting it sit there till I get the snake to allow me to get the temps. and humidity beforehand.

6) How often should I completely clean the tank and everything?

7) Should I buy the snake before or after I move? I'm going to be moving across town about 10 minutes away in May and I plan on getting the snake in early April but would that end up being too stressful for the snake?

I think that's all the info I can provide and all the questions I can think of but if I think of anymore I'll include them in the post I do when I have the tank setup! Once again I apologize a lot for the length of this post but I am worried that I won't do something correct and will end up harming the snake. I'm mainly looking for advice and a second opinion on the supplies I'm buying and where I'm getting the snake and I'd love to have my questions answered too! Thank you for reading and any advice in advance!