Hi! My boyfriend and I are getting our first ball python, a pastel female from The Snake Keeper at ballpython.com (any experiences with them?), probably sometime in the next 2-3 weeks.

We have a 30x12x16 sliding door habitat from Tetrafauna, and tonight we got ReptiBark, which I read varied opinions on, and combination hide/water dish.

Next up we are putting together an order for an under-tank heating pad and possibly lights for the top, and a thermometer and hygrometer. We were looking at ordering from Drs Foster and Smith.

What size heating mat should we use for a tank that size? Are the stick-on-the-inside-of-the-tank analog therm and hygro useful, or should we get something better?

It is my understanding that BPs don't need heat from lights, but that lights can be used for aesthetics. I also read that using lights that are too bright can cause stress to the snakes as they are nocturnal. Thoughts on this?

We'd also like to get some plants and decorations for the terrarium, but that's secondary to the essential care items so I thought I'd ask about them first.

Thanks very much in advance for your help! We are very excited and just want to do everything as well as we can.