Got my first bp this past friday!

[BPLovah]

So this past Friday I got my first BP, though i would have prefered to go to a breeder i did indeed go to the petstore. It didnt have any signs of sickness - vents eyes and cloaca were clear.
I asked if it was a good eater and they said it indeed was and had eaten last friday -the week before i picked it up. So after a thoughtful decision i decided to take him home with me, of course with the setup pre prepared.
I figured since he had eaten a week ago i figured the next day i would give it a whirl and see if it would eat, though not getting my hopes up knowing how notorious they can be for going off food. So i got the f/t rat out, jiggled it around for a few seconds and...BAM he took it like a champ and had it down in a few minutes.
So now for my question after that long thrilling tale, him/her eating on its second day can be a sign of it getting comfortable and finding the habitat...enjoyable i guess is a word i could use, am i correct in thinking so if not lemme know! Oh and here it is- i do still need to think of a name!

oh and thats the feeding box not its habitat!

[BPLovah]

Oh and the petstore said he was a pinstripe morph, is this correct aswell

[Mr. Misha]

First, welcome to the forum. Congratulations on getting you first BP! He/she looks awesome. The pet store is right, he's a Pin with a really cool pattern.

In regards to doing things right, if you want more feedback describe your setup and post a photo and we'll go from there. I think the most important thing is heating and having a reliable way of reading temperature and humidity levels. Most people get the pet store's circle analog dials which aren't very accurate. Plus you want to measure temperature and humidity where the BP spends most of his/her time, not way up like most people put them. I'd personally recommend getting a digital temp/humidity thermometer. They're usually around $10 bucks at Walmart.

Something like this:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Acu-Rite-I...mometer/896347

http://www.walmart.com/ip/AcuRite-Di...nitor/16888914

[C2tcardin]

Congrats, nice looking pin. As Mr. Misha said get a good set up going first mainly temperature and regulation of your heat source. I would suggest a plastic tub for a feed box if you prefer to feed outside the enclosure. You will get a lot of opinions regarding feeding in vs outside the enclosure, do what you're comfortable with. I do either depending on the snakes size and weather or not I need to clean their tub. The smaller snakes I'll toss in a tub to feed then return them when they're done. The larger ones I usually feed right in their tub. The reason I say to get a plastic tub though is if you're feeding live mice or rats they will usually pee when killed by the snake so the cardboard won't last.

[BPLovah]

I am using a 10g glass tank with dark pieces of construction paper on aprox 1/2 the tank on the end where its hide is so it can feel more secure. I am using a ceramic 60W bulb wich gets the hot spot to 90-93 depending on my room temp- which usually doesnt fall under 74 - and the hot side to about 85 and the cold side right around 75-80. I am using a uth which i have connected to a repti temp thermostat so it doesnt get too hot. I am planning to get a digital thermometer after this wonderful blizzard has passed.
For bedding i am using repti bark which is aprox built up to an inch, inch and a half in some spots. I also am using sphagnum moss in a small tubaware container to help boost humidity. As for water i also am using a small tubaware container with an inch of water. I have the sphangum moss next to the water tub and the water next to the hot spot, should i switch these around or is it fine where it is? I am using a piece of store bought drift wood and a plastic bamboo looking stick with suction cups on both ends incase it wants to climb and have provided fake plants on the cool side so there are hiding spots. The humidity on the warm side stays around 40% if i do a light misting and the cool side around 50% to 60%.
I use tinfoil on the top of the screen cover to keep himidity in but im thinking about using a moist towel on top for extra humidity, do you think thats a good idea? I know that fog and moisture that sticks in the walls means that there is bad ventilation, and i currently have none of that. I am also using 6 clamps because my screen top folds up.
I am also feeding frozen thawed what the petstore called "hopper" rats, i personally dont want to feed live just incase he doesnt eat for a week or two, I have nowhere to keep it.

[PitOnTheProwl]

You look to be off to a good start.
Welcome to the addiction with your new pin.

[Reinz]

Congrats on your pretty Pin! And Welcome to the forum.

[Mr. Misha]

Looks good to me. I think you're doing great.

Later on when your BP gets a lot bigger and you're looking to upgrade the enclosure, i'd recommend looking into a PVC enclosure like Animal Plastics. They're fully enclosed terrariums so keeping up heat and humidity becomes a breeze. Plus, they're aesthetically pleasing and make good display tanks (even though most of the time you'll be staring at a hide and a water bowl).