Hi there! First post.

So, I went to an event held by the local Reptile Club and while I was there, I entered the raffle. I won a male Ball Python I have called Reznor and what I believe to be a 20 gallon long for him. I had considered getting a Ball Python and was overjoyed when I won him.

Now I am thinking of redoing his tank and I have an idea for it, but I want to make sure is is safe for Reznor before I do it.
For the substrate, I think I want to use Eco Earth. I do not feed in his tank (to avoid tank aggression) so the bedding getting into his food will not be an issue. Is it still safe for him? He likes to burrow a lot - is this going to be a problem?

The other thing I wanted to do was have a small pond with a pump in place of a water dish. Rez can swim quite well and the pond would be shallow, so drowning doesn't worry me. What does worry me is that it will take up too much space. What do you guys think?

Other things to consider: I have a rock hide (which he loves) and he's on a heat pad.

Any help is much appreciated!

~ Liz