so i was wondering if i have everything i need before i get my ball python tomorrow.
-large plastic sterilite tub (106 quarts or 26 gallons) with a lot of small holes drilled into the sides
-newspaper substrate
-3 hides (one on warm side, one on cool side, and a big cup laying on it's side in the middle)
-a heavy water bowl in the middle
-a tiny but heavy water bowl on the warm side to get some humidity going
-an infrared thermometer gun
-1 non-digital hydrometer/thermometer for one side of the cage (don't worry i'm getting another tomorrow for the other side and i'm buying a digital one with my next paycheck. i will check with gun often)
-a heat pad on one side of the cage
-a rheostat connected to the heat pad so that it doesn't get too hot
-two rocks because i heard they can help with shed (i boiled them beforehand to kill all the germs and such)

and i think that's it. i will get a digital scale eventually and until then i will take her to the pet food center near my house to be weighed. here are the temps recorded with my temp gun.
warmest part - 95
middle section - 76
coolest part - 76
i'm having some trouble making an effective gradient since it seems like the parts that aren't covered by the heat pad are the same temperature. do you think it will even out if i add more humidity? i haven't messed with the humidity yet other than putting the small water bowl on the warm side.