Hey all! New to the forum but I used the care-sheets provided for some tips/advice. I was hoping to make sure I am prepared before I get my first BP in early February (so excited!). Attached are some pictures of my set-up. Thermostat with UTH on the right, red heat bulb on the left, two separate light switches controlling [one 2UVB 26W light (back right) and two 25W night lights (back left)], Baked Repti-bark, two water bowls, two hide boxes, and a Thermometer/Hygrometer combo.

My main concerns are that sometimes my hot side (left in the pictures) will get up to 92 F during mid-day (85 F at night) and my cool side (right in the pictures) ranges between 79 and 83 F. Also, even with spraying, two water bowls and a towel/plastic combo, my hygrometer readings sometimes get down in the 40% range. Stupid arid Colorado humidity. Are these significant problems?

And yes, I am very sorry that I did not take the plastic tub advice but I am hoping for just one pet as I am in grad school. Yes I heard that snake owners are notorious for not being able to have just one :)

Another question is should I buy food for the snake before I pick it up at the Denver Reptile Expo? A lot of posts recommend purchasing prey slightly larger than the diameter of the snake (but I won't know how large that is). I am planning on buying a female hatched in the past year or so feeding on F/T.


Thanks for any help/comments!










Extra Info: I have vinegar for cleaning the tank, plenty of baby wipes, combo lock, large hand sanitizer, and a great attitude! I also know I should let the snake chill for the first week, feed it, and then wait maybe two weeks before handling.