So I've decided I'm an adult and I can get a tatto if I want, dangit...most likely something snakey related.

Anywho, what advice can you give me on:
- body location: I was thinking on the ankle.
- how to shop for a tattoo artist/shop.
- best practice for looking for/creating a design: I kinda don't want a "cookie cutter" tattoo since I don't want to see someone else with the same thing but I'd like to hear best practices for working with the artist to get what I want.
- how much I should expect to pay: the design swimming in my head is, I think, pretty simple. Maybe 2" x 2" all black silhouette of a stylized snake. Thoughts?
- how should I prepare the skin or other physical attributes to prepare for the actual tattooing: wash/don't wash the skin, shave/don't shave, drink lots of water, take advil?

Thanks in advance!