Hey All!,

So getting my first BP has been a slow process for me, but have spent a lot of time reading and lurking and next week I'm going to finally pull the trigger on the cage, which is rather important so I want to make sure I get the correct additional features. I'm still undecided on which to get between the T8 and T10, I know the only difference is the height.

Going with Sliding Glass Doors and of course getting locks for it.
Flexwatt - Should I go with this or go with an after market heating pad? I plan to use a decent amount of substrate so not sure if the Flexwatt that comes with the T8/T10 will be good enough.
White Fluorescent Fixture - Is there a better way to get lighting for the tank or is this a rather good option?
8" Stand - Anyone get/use one of these? I don't have stand but was thinking of going on Craiglist and seeing what I could find.
For an AP cage, will Flexwatt/UTH be enough or should I look into radiant heat panels as well?

Thanks

- Oh and if you have any other thoughts on the T8/T10 that I didn't ask about please feel free to post it. Want to make sure I do things right the first time around as I want my first snake to be as stress-free as possible (I will worry regardless as I've never had a snake before but that's why these forums are fantastic!).