concerned new BP owner

[Krysta893]

I will post a photo of the tank in a few moments but for now I can describe it! It is a 20 gallon glass tank with one side covered with a terrain photo ( I wanted to cover 3 sides but I didn't realize how small the one I purchased was). I have a rock cave that sits on top of a heating pad on the right side of the cage and this is where my BP spends most of its day. On the other side I have his water bowl a log and then two fake plants for more covering. I also have a lamp above but I don't know much about bulbs and have had multiple different people tell me different things so for now it is your generic blue bulb. I also have to thermometers on opposite sides of the tank.

I got him from a pet store where the owner new a well known local breeder and he personally got this snake for me. I haven't been able to feed him because he won't eat but the pet store clerk told me he will eat rats which I tried and no take. I don't know how much he weighs but I have been told he is a big boy. I also haven't been able to handle him that much because of how much he strikes, but when I do finally get him after all the strikes he balls up as tight as possible and hides his head as deep as he can in the center. I don't know if I am doing something wrong but I really just want him to be comfortable with me! Its driving me crazy.

Do you have a thermostat regulating the under-tank heater?

Also it wasn't clear in your post, is your under-tank heater inside the tank or stuck to the underside of it?

Do you have a hygrometer? Ball pythons have to be humid.

The UTH is stuck inside the tank and no thermostat regulating it I didn't really know of this, yes I have a hydrometer too thou!