Housing

Just remember, the more decorative items you put into the cage, the more cleaning and sanitizing you'll have to do!
You have to have your basics; heat source that creates a hot side of the cage (undertank heater is best; the ones from walmart without the auto shutoff are fine.); secure fitting lid; water dish that cannot be tipped over; warm hide and cool hide (one on each side of tank.) Not to mention a good hygrometer and thermometer (digital.)
For a beginner, I would suggest using newspaper as a substrate. It is a cinch to clean, and it is helpful with a new snake too since you can easily see any mites or ticks that may be present. As well as monitor the appearance of feces. Newspaper is also one of the best subs for feeding on, since it cannot be ingested like wood chips.

Good advice there on the cleaning and sanitizing - "as elaborate as you are willing to maintain" is key there not only in terms of cleaning but if you have a very active snake you may find the setup creatively rearranged "Snake Eye for the Sapien Guy" style. One of the main motives I had for simplifying is the setup would get regularly trashed during the nocturnal forays.

Funny side note on analog thermometers - we were at my parents (waaay out in the boonies) for the holiday and they have this huge analog thermometer outside on the deck that hovered at 40 wile snow fell and icecicles formed - had to chuckle to myself and give the nod once again to digital.

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Artifical Plants,Logs,Sticks

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These would be more for you than your ball python. They certainly won't hurt though (unless there's sharp edges), so as long as you're willing to do the extra cleaning.

well my cage is pretty heavy,so I will just stick to a log or stick and hides