I bought a BP this week, and had a lot of confidence that any questions I had could be answered by the local pets at home (boy was I wrong.) they sold me a bearded dragon viv which i am trying to make suitable for my 18month royal python, I could guess around 3-4feet long.
The python wont eat and spends a lot of its time at the cold end of the tank behind the hide, in the corner. I was also sold a heatmat bundle that was too small for the tank meaning all I have to work with are now the thermostat and the gradient air measure that came with set as the heatmat is no use.
In a dire attempt to get some heat into the tank I bought a 60W daylight basking light that could be fitted to the top of my tank ( as its meant for beardies). this heated it up reletaively so but was still not enough. I then bought a 100W bulb which seemed to be a bit better but couldn't be left on over night, so now I've bought a 100W ceramic bulb in the hood that's mean to case the basking bulb as one of my last attempts to get some constant heat into the viv as I know the snake is most probably stressing out.

Currently I have two shelters sold to me but i am doubting that the one is big enough. any recommendations for shelters?
and the only form of heating i have in the tank is the one ceramic bulb in the hood mounted externally to the cage, which is attached to the thermostat meant for the heatmat. the viv is long but not all that high and the bulb recommends being mounted 40cm away from pets and my tank is only 42cm in height so I figured this is the best I can do with the resources as the hood also helps keep some humidity in the tank.
I am worried for my snake and more than willing to spend the money but I have no faith in the store near me anymore as they'll agree with you on whatever you say aslong as you pay up. I have attached some photos (hopefully if its works this time) anyone can make any recommendations?
how to maintain a constant heat with what I have in terms of a viv granted I know its not ideal?
Where can I buy shelters that I feel may need to be bigger?
Are the probes in the right places? (The probe for the ceramic light is in the cold end and the probe for ambient air is just right of the ceramic light, common sense would tell me this is wrong as the light could affect the reading but without drilling holes I don't really know what else to do)
Is it normal for the snake to not be eating and what appears to me to be not basking and spending a lot of time in the colder end behind (not even in) its hide?

I'm sure a lot of these questions may seem idiotic to a regular but I had far to much faith in the local pet shops and have been kindve left in the deep end. I am pretty well aware of the needs of the snake, but not the equipment or how best to deal with what has been sold to me
Any help is greatly appreciated.