Hi,
I am currently about 2 months in with my first BP, but I have been keeping reptiles for a while. Here is my take on things
1. I would consider the idea of a tub as a temporary setup for a young baby. Based on my research they just do better, feed better ect. My perspective on this is that while I would like to display my baby, it isn't what is best for her at this time. I can save that for when she is older. I would also encourage you to look at animal plastics display cages as an alternative to glass.
2. While you can make an adult sized enclosure work babies are much better off in small spaces, hence the temporary tub.
3. As for equipment brands, I have a lot more experience here. Flexwatt heat tape or flukers heat mats are the best I have found for UTH. Herpstat is the best thermostat I have ever used, but will run you about $100 for entry level. Jumpstart is the only non proportional thermostat I have had good experiences with, but they can fail so you have to watch them. I like the exo terra thermometer hygrometer combos, but there are lots of other good brands out there.
4. As to what snake to get: I started with a hatchling and have had good success, but I have experience with other reptiles, and i think that makes a difference. Most of the advice i have seen is to get a snake that is a bit older/ bigger but maybe not fully grown. But you are right in that babies are more readily available. I think you can make it work with a well started baby. If you do end up with a baby, I would try to get one that has been well started on frozen thawed prey of appropriate size. It should have shed and had at least 3-5 meals without refusing.
5. Have you considered a food source? I would make sure you either have a local source for feeders of various sizes or find an online supplier. If you are unsure of the snake size you will be getting, it becomes more important to because you cannot pre order feeders.
Reply With Quote