That is a long shopping list if we are starting from scratch (meaning you have absolutely nothing but the thought and desire of owning a snake).

First is the enclosure. A LOT of people suggest that a bigger cage will stress out a ball python. This is not true in my experience as long as you have enough places for it to hide and keep it crowded. These snakes are naturally born into thousands of acres of land so a 40g tank for 4 month old ball python wont hurt him/her.

So first thing first is the enclosure. You can go cheap (if you plan on getting a baby snake) and get a small 20g long that comes with some accessories. This will not last but it will work for about a year or two until you are ready to put the money towards a 40g or something homemade. Here is the link to pet smarts bundle.

http://www.petsmart.ca/reptile/habit...pfm%3Dcategory

This set comes with one ugly hide, one ugly water dish, a more then good working heat pad, top screen lid, useless heat lamp, and aspen bedding.

Of course if you want to get JUST the enclosure and not a bundle here is another good one...

http://www.petsmart.ca/reptile/habit...pfm%3Dcategory

Next comes the heating (if you do not want the bundle). You can get really cheap with thisby getting heat tape but if you do not feel comfortable setting up the electric yourself, you can always purchase a heat zoo med or all living things heat pad. To control the heat pad, any dimmer switch will do but you may have to keep adjusting this as temperatures raise a fall during the day and night. For one snake, a dimmer switch is all you need. Paying $200 for a thermostat is a little extreme for one snake but this will prevent a lot of work for yourself and guarantee the perfect temp at all times.

Next is the substrate... Aspen, newspaper, paper towels, coconut husk, repti bark, cypress mulch or a combination of the last three are the best. This is a personal choice and is it based on all you. You may have to try a couple of these before you find out which one you prefer.

Now, the thermometer and hydrometer. Digital with probes is the best way to go, I personally use a temp gun to check for temperatures but this is not necessary for a single snake. It is up to you whether $20-$50 temp gun is really worth it over the $5 thermometer.

Water dishes can be anything. Deep enough for your snake to soak in if he/she desires but not too deep that he/she can drown. I use dollar store pet dishes. Wont spill if the BP tries to tip it over and who can argue $1.25 for a water dish? But if you want a fancy one, just get one that will fit your ball python's needs. These can run as high as $50 though, so keep that in mind.

Hides can also be made of almost anything. I use PVC hides. Cheap and simple, but if you are looking for fancy, any hide with a hold will do as long at the snake can fit in it (tightly with some wiggle room). Do not forget you need two, one for the hot side and one for the cool side.

As for decorations, you can use anything a pet store sells in the reptile section. Fake plants, sticks, cork bark, drift wood, even sphangum moss can add some nice details as well as help with humidity.

A reptile convention will most likely have better decoration items for your snake them petsmart will, plus cheaper.

So your list,

Enclosure
Heat pad
Thermostat
Thermometer
Hydrometer
Water dish
Appropriate sized rats/mice
Substrate
Hides x2
Decor