Congratulations on your new burm, They can be very rewarding pets and really aren't that difficult as long as you use some common sense. I've kept several burms over over the past 7 or 8 years or so, I currently have a pair of albinos which I've had for many years. There are a few things I've learned about them through hands on experience and through talking with other more experienced keepers.

First, I really dislike aquariums as cages. Aquariums are made for fish, they can work as very temporary housing for snakes, but I really don't recommend it. A 55 gallon aquarium is 4 feet long, but it's only 1 foot deep. It's a little cramped and doesn't give the snake much room to turn around in. Even a 3' X 2' cage is better then a 55 gallon aquarium. Yes width is important, but depth is JUST as important. Although bigger is usually better, I think a 4' X 2' cage is fine for a snake up to 8 feet long. I also shudder when I hear people say that they have plenty of weights on top of their cage, these are fairly strong snakes, and have ALL DAY LONG to try to test their boundaries and find a way out. Get something that latches securely.

Burmese pythons have the potential to be very large snakes, however a lot of people exaggerate. Yes I have seen 20 foot snakes, but they are exceptional and NOT within the norm. From the burms I've seen I'd say that AVERAGE length for a male will be between 8' and 12' and AVERAGE length for a female will be around 10' to 14' for adults. Saying that Burmese are giant snakes that'll get to be 20 feet long is like saying that any human being can get to be the size of Andre the Giant. Sure it's possible, but really unlikely. (now we'll pause for minute while dozens of people chime in to say that they're burms are 20 foot monsters. To which I'll say, 'get a tape measure and prove it'.)

On Feeding. I feed mine large to jumbo rats, I never feed rabbits, only rats. Many years ago I tried feeding rabbits to one of my larger girls but she wouldn't have anything to do with them. I actually sewed a rat onto the head of a rabbit one time to try to force her to eat the rabbit, it was the weirdest thing I've ever seen a snake do. She swallowed the rat up to where the rabbit was, then she paused for a few minutes trying to figure out what was going on. Then she put a coil around the rabbit and pulled. She kept pulling until the stitches tore out and then she finished swallowing the rat and left the rabbit lay there. I'm sure a lot of people won't believe me, but I swear it's true. Since then I've only fed rats. I feed 2-3 large/jumbo rats at a time, but I only feed about every 3-4 weeks or so, and a lot of times I just won't feed them for a month or more. My snakes maintain a very HEALTHY weight. A lot (maybe most?) people feed larger meals more often, but then again I've seen a LOT of very obese burms. Obesity is no healthier for your snake then it is for you. Burms often have a reputation for being prone to respiratory diseases, personally I believe that being over weight has a lot to do with that.

Get a hook. When I take my snakes out of their cages, the first thing that goes in the cage is the hook, I usually will scratch the snake on the top of or just behind their heads and use it to guide where they go. I NEVER use it when I'm feeding. (I've got a nice 30" long hemostat for that) They've come to associate the hook with NOT being fed. Once they see the hook and realize they're not being fed, they're pretty easy to handle.

I keep my basking spot between 86-88 degrees, some people go hotter, this has always worked for me and I think it's just a more comfortable temperature for them.

There is a lot more, but I don't want to write a book. I think I already came close to doing that.

Well, congratulations and I hope you enjoy your new pet.