I plan on getting my first ball python April 6 and was wondering if any keepers have tips regarding anything at all. Also how do you guys acquire your F/T rodents? Are the frozen rodents at chain pet stores a bad option? How do you thaw your rodents? Would butcher paper be an acceptable substrate or is something that holds humidity better? Do your feed with feeding tongs? What brand of feeding tongs if so? Is a snake hook over kill for a BP? Do you ball pythons climb occasionally? I have been seeing black plastic hides with small openings on the forum. What brand are those hides? Some members suggested I black out 3 sides of my 40 gal tank. Would blacking it out be best? What is a snake product you couldn't live without? Do you typically let a snake adjust to its environment and not touch them for a little bit? If so how long do you let them adjust?

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. If you can answer a question or two it would be greatly appreciated.