Hey all, I just bought my very first reptile, a ball python! I've had him for a day now and I haven't handled him since yesterday at the store. I'm just worried about him not having the right amount of heat/ humidity. Yesterday I had the lamp on the opposite side of the cage from his hide, he stayed in it all day long though.
Today I went to get some extra things for his enclosure (another piece of wood, some fake plants, and a background) and after inserting them I also switched the bulb to the other side of the enclosure where his hide is. I don't want to mess with him like this when he's still trying to get settled but I also want to make sure he's doing so in the most comfortable way possible. Should I keep the heat lamp near his hide, on near his water on the other side of the tank? Should I get a heat in pad? And if I should, do I need to put it on the same side as my lamp? It's a 20 gallon by the way, and my basement is already quite humid but I've kept my mister near his cage the entire time to make sure of proper humidity. Thanks for the help!