take at least a month to research and find out everything you can about the particular snake you are looking into before you buy it. spend another two weeks making purchases and getting the setup clean, tested for temps and humidity, etc., and ready to go. once you have it up and running with consistency, then post some pics, ask questions, etc. it is imperative that you do this before bringing a snake home with you. snakes can make wonderful pets, but they do NOT make good impulse buys. they require a certain amount of work and knowledge both ahead of time and during ownership. you don't want to end up regretting buying one. if you are prepared beforehand you and the snake will be happier and healthier.