I have just purchased my first BP. I am new to snakes, so everything I'm doing is off of advice. I bought him (not sure of the sex) from a local pet store. The pet store tells me that he is captive breed, and about 6 months old. But they also told me that he would grow to 6 feet long and live about 10 years. I hope that not too many people are angry with how stupid I was when I purchased him. I've learned quite alot just from reading the forums and other web sites.

For the enclosure, we purchased a 20 gallon tank with a 75 and 100 watt bulb ( we only use one bulb at a time), an under tank heating mat, thermometer( tank stays about 86 during the day, 75-78 at night), hide, and ceramic bowl for water.

The first night we had him home, he shed his skin! He did it inside the hide, so it ended up in a tight wad. The second night we had him home he pooped. The pet store told us that when he pooped, it was time to feed him. And they said that he was feed on thursday, and his bowel movement was on the following monday.

We have not fed him yet, as we would like him to get used to his enclosure first. He was handled quite alot on the day we bought him, and removed for the changing of the tank lining (astroturf) 2 days later. Yesterday (tuesday) he went to the vet, along with his poop, to get an evaluation. Turns up he had worms, and is being treated.

We were thinking of feeding him next week, to give him sometime alone to get used to his enclosure, as he bit my wife when she went to remove him to clean the cage.

Please help me with everything you can see that I'm doing wrong. I am very interested in the snake, but do not want to make any wrong decisions that may harm him or make him uncomfortable.