How refreshing to see a "newbie" go to such length to have everything RIGHT for their new snake!! Kudos to you
You are already doing FAR FAR better then many others have (me included when I first started out way back..)
Its a good thing you removed the "sticky" thermometers for all the reasons given. You don't have to worry about suction cups or digitals laying in their enclosure. As long as there is no tape...
Actually it is a good thing to have "some" substrate over the UTH. They can burrow a bit if they want warmer or just lay atop. They will figure it out. Just make sure you do not have a layer that is 2 inches thick, and you'll be just fine. Up to an inch is great, they move it around if they want to.
He probably stretched towards the ceramic heater because it is a "heat source" and he was trying to figure out what the big heat signature from above was. Make sure you don't heat up the entire enclosure to much, esp. since the ceramic heater can turn the cool side into a warm side pretty quickly. As long as your ambient in the room doesn't go below 75 you should be fine. If anything, add the ceramic into the middle, you do want to keep part of the enclosure "cooler" then the rest.
Don't move him for feeding, don't change the substrate. Let him keep settling in for now. When you do feed, heat the rodent up well (not boiling hot of course) dry it a bit and fluff it up with a paper towel if its wet and offer it. He might take it right away. Or it may take several tries. If he turns away and acts "bothered" by it, then try again a few days later, or leave it by his hide overnight. Don't "bother" him with it to much, esp. if he shows no interest.
You will do fine, you already are. And he is quite the pretty snake
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