New with questions!

[Shamri]

Thank you so much for the great links you guys! Now I have more questions

Can patches of moss be placed in the cage to help with humidity?

Do I have to cover the sides of the tank? The tank would be in a extremely low to no traffic area.

Do heat pads melt the tank?

Any tips on keeping humidity?

Patches of moss can be placed inside the tank and misted to increase humidity, but more often I see people advise putting damp moss inside a hide, as that will trap the moist air better and make a nice environment for the snake, especially when shedding

You don't HAVE to cover the sides of the tank, but in theory, it helps your snake feel less exposed and more secure.

Heat pads won't melt a glass tank, or a sturdy plastic tub for that matter, but make sure you have it connected to a thermostat so you can regulate the temp to about 90 degrees. Also, if you are using a UTH with a tank, you will want to make sure to putt little rubber feet on the tank to create airflow and avoid creating a fire hazard.

Also, should I invest in a 20 gallon tank instead? I wanted to get a male since they stay a bit smaller, whereas females can get up to 6ft.

Do I need a heat lamp and heat pad? Ive heard they don't like overhead heat.

I think a UTH is generally recommended to create a hot spot for your snake. Some owners get by with just heat tape, while others use both a UTH and heat tape in order to maintain temps. I think the guide will say around 90 for your hot spot and 78-80 on the cooler side. This allows your snake options to regulate its temperature. Most people with tank setups use lamps to help bring the heat up, but your snake doesn't need light. A good option is a ceramic heat emitter (CHE).

I'm not sure I saw what size tank you're using. If it's smaller than 20, it will work while your snake is young, but you'll want to upgrade eventually. A good rule of thumb is that your snake has outgrown its tank when it is as long as the long side + short side of his tank. Others would argue that an adult ball can live out their life in a 20 gallon, but given how active they can be at night, that would seem like a tight fit. If you go for a large tank, just make sure it's cluttered enough with hides and such that your snake doesn't feel exposed.

Humidity is a jerk in tanks. You can cover your lid with tin foil to trap humidity, but then you sacrifice airflow. You can mist, but that's very temporary. I use a humidifier + air exchanger, which is working well so far. Certain substrates will increase humidity, and others use reptifoggers. There is a current thread by Skiploder about humidity that you might want to browse