Hey guys, I have some questions... here is my setup:

I bought my python a couple days ago, she's a female albino about a year old. I thought I had her fairly set up, but after reading through these forums I realize I am not really anywhere close. I have a 30 gal tank with a UTH on one side (no rheostat) and a 150W basking bulb above (mounted a couple inches above the cage so it's not heating the mesh up) again with no rheostat. They are both mounted on the same side.

As of today, she only has one hide which is now obviously too large (could fit 3 or 4 of her). The only thermometer I have is a crappy stick-on temperature gauge that I got today because I was scared I was cooking my snake... no store in town has the thermo/hygrometer digital gauge. They do have the seperate thermometer/hygrometer combo so I'm going to buy two of those for each side tomorrow.

I'll be buying a second UTH tomorrow (a small one) for her cool side, and a rheostat that's able to control both of the UTH's. I'll also be getting a ceramic heat bulb as well as two more lamps with a nighttime/day time bulb in each. I'll be running them on a timer that will give her 12 hours of light and 12 hours of night.

I've been running the bulb during the day and turning the UTH on during the night, but the UTH doesn't have a rheostat, so will it burn my snake? She has about an inch and a half of substrate... maybe less where her UTH is because she's packed it down. She seems to like it over there because during the day because she lies there constantly. I've been trying to keep it humid by misting the cage/her a couple times a day, but until tomorrow I won't have any way of measuring the humidity level.

She hasn't even used her hide (or not that I've seen, she might use it at night) is that because it's too large?

I have no repti-pad to put over my UTH/stick the thermometer probes in, is there a substitute material I can use instead?

Since I got her I've been handling her lots because they told me to (the person that owned her before me never handled her so they said she was skittish) and she's been great. She curls around my wrist and wrests her head and the top of my hand and seems to be content with being walked around. I know everyone suggests giving them a week to acclimate because she'll not want to eat but I fed her yesterday and she gobbled the mouse up real quick. Is this because she's older?

I'll also be doing up a foil cover for the mesh top and some border for the outside of her glass enclosure.

I'd really appreciate any answers or advice you guys may have for me... I bought her with a setup that the guy at the store said would be fine but I realize now it's not. Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to give you as much info as I could. I want to educate myself and make her as comfortable as possible.

Thanks!
Jordan