The uth needs a tstat. You said "might take it out." It goes under the tank not inside it. Turn it off until you get a tstat. Don't go cheap on it. You get what you pat for. I like these.
http://www.spyderrobotics.com/home/products.html
Many snakes will not feed during a shed. Your snake well go into blue (fogged eyes and dull coloring), clear up, then after a couple days shed.
The feeder should be as big a the snakes thickest part.
A pic of your setup could help us help you.