checklist - PLEASE READ

hi,
I'm getting a bp soon and made a checklist of the things i need. please let me know if theres anything I've missed.
thanks :)

• vivarium (what size should i get?? I'm getting a baby)
• substrate (aspen bedding)
• 2 hides (one for cool side, 1 for hot side of viv)
• water bowl (big enough for him/her to fit in)
• things for the snake climb on, hide under, etc (e.g plants)
• tongs for feeding
• heating (what do you thing is the best way to heat the viv??)
• lighting (again, what do you think is best?)
• food (pinkie mice/rat pups)

thanks again :)

Now these are just my opinion.
1. Vivarium-20 Long
2. Aspen is good
3. Hides are good
4. Water bowl of course, won't live long without it
5. Personally I never put things for a ball python to climb on, they are ground dwellers so it simply isn't needed
6. Tongs are a must have
7. Snake require belly heat, so a UTH is a must.
8. Snakes do not require lighting such as lizards do, and are perfectly fine without it.
9. Food is always good.

Everyone has their own way. Here are a few things I would do.
A must is a UTH with a thermostat, not a thermometer. You will need a thermostat to insure the UTH does not get too hot and burn your snake. There is no exceptions in my opinion.
I do have plenty for mine to climb on and she is a climber. I would put something in if it's even just for her to feel more secure and have somewhere to hide behind while crawling around.
They do not require light but I do have them for ambient heat and to give a day night cycle. It's not required, but I only have the one snake so it's not a hassle for me to do a little more. If you keep your house cool in the summer and you use a 20 gallon tank you will probably need something to raise the air temps. You can use a heat lamp or ceramic heat emitters.i just like to cycle the day and night with the bulbs. This will cause your humidity to lower and you will have to mist your substrate to keep the humidity up.
I'm sure there is a lot more I could say and I'm certain others will post their opinions as well. Take all the advise you can get!