Congrats on the new snake!
You can stuff your large hide with newspaper or paper towel to make it feel more snug and secure for your snake. Like Lgray, I also use dollar store bowl hides. They work great.
I would get a temporary lamp dimmer/rheostat to regulate that UTH.
If you can't do that, then don't use the UTH. It's better for the snake to be a little cool, than burn on an unregulated UTH. You can get a cheap thermometer to measure your temps and humidity from Walmart for $12. It's an indoor/outdoor thermometer with a probe.
I offer hatchlings food every 4 days then bump up their feeding schedule to 7 days once they reach 500 grams. But these are intended/current breeders.
Growing snakes need food more often than adults. If the snake is strictly a pet, I would feed him every 7 days then bump him to a 10 day schedule once he's older (yearling perhaps).
Reply With Quote