Using Eco Earth or Cypress will also massively aid in humidity. There are a lot of weaknesses with aquarium tanks, as you will find out. I have that static cling fish tank background stuff on all sides of my tank, minus a window on the front, to keep my girl from feeling exposed at all. And foil on the sides to help with ambients, but you obviously don't have that problem.
As for feeding live... I will take my critter keeper (my girl used to be picky so I fed her live for awhile. Now we are on to frozen rats
) Go pick up an appropriate sized feeder. I get mine at the snake breeder's from whom I got my snake. Depending where you are and what resources you have, might have to do research to find a place that sells live feeders (as places like Petsmart don't) Rats if they have one in the right size category, a mouse if not. Feeder should be about as big around as snake's largest girth. Should leave a noticeable but not huge bump after feeding. I always wait til it's dark. I get off work around 11 pm, come home, husband will have turned off all the lights an hour before. Just open the tank carefully and let the feeder go run around. Stick around and watch in case the feeder tries to go after the snake. Mice are less aggressive, but I have seen some rats which I would be afraid for me, much less my girl. If it's like a fuzzy rat you can gently hold it with tongs or use tongs to set it in front of the hide. Either way I would expect snake to notice the smell pretty quick and show up looking hungry. Once they have it wrapped and dispatched, you can step away; snake knows how to get the rest of the job done safely.
Meow for note, feeding live can come with other issues. If snake refuses to eat you will be stuck with a live feeder. If it is a rat pup, you have the added issue of it not being old enough to take care of itself. I have a mouse cage and all the accessories for such an occasion. Orrrr you can learn how to properly and humanely dispatch the feeder yourself in order that you could add it to your mousecicle supply. I don't have the heart for this though. Or if you're super lucky and feel like the extra drive, some breeders may let you bring it back and owe you one next week. That's what I did for awhile; just took it back if she didn't want it.
Hope the insight helps.
Originally Posted by anicatgirl
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