New Bull Python owner needs condensation help

Hello.
I am a new Bull Python owner and thought I'd be OK setting up my tank and looking after my new BP but I'm struggling a bit. I have a 3ft wooden vivarium with a glass front and in the rear it has 3 fairly big vent holes (2either side at the bottom and 1 centre top). I have a heat mat set up on one side set up to 31c and I'm using small bark substrate and a medium water bowl (4inches x 3inches). I have only had this set up for 2 days now so it may need time to settle but the glass front keeps misting up which is ruining my view of my snake but more importantly I'm hoping the snake is OK with this. The bark substrate seems to be damp when I out it in the tank so this may be causing it but under the snake hide on the heat mat it seems to be wet so I'm worried about him. Any advice on this or just general health care would be much appreciated.

I'm sure the community will fill you in. What i wanna add is when your ball python goes off feed (which it will at some point) don't freak out. Ball pythons are seriously notorious for being picky feeders or will just go off feed especially around winter. When ball pythons go off feed it can and does stress out the keeper more the the bp. Funny how that works. My pied male didn't eat for nine month back in i think 2014. They can handle it.

Thanks for the feeding info. I have read this comment so many times but I know I'm still gonna worry when he stops eating I think it's just human nature to worry even if we know it's OK. Hopefully the forum can advise me on the condensation problem as well.

Cheers

If thé bark is damp it's something you want to adress before a bigger issue arise.

You should provide proper humidity however your substrate should not be damped, damped environment can and will lead to scale rot.

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Morning Deborah,

Last night before my local store closed I quickly went up there and purchased some aspin bedding went home completely cleaned out all my viv and started again using the aspin instead of the bark and everything seems great at the moment. The temperatures are right and the Humidity seems to be fine and I am a lot happier in the set up of my tank now as I think the damp bark like you said was causing the problem. Mr slithers was only in this environment for a few hours so fingers crossed no damage has been done to him and from now he will be happy and have a healthy life.

If you have any other information or guide lines for me that would be great even if it seems silly to you it may be a great piece of information to me.

thank you for getting back to me to confirm it was my bark and not the tank set up.