Re: enclosure size. Honestly it seems to come down to individual snakes. While young Ball Pythons are definitely sensitive to enclosure size and setup, there are some that do absolutely fine in a large enclosure as long as there are LOTS of hides and heavy clutter available. Others really need to feel very snug and secure, and nothing other than a small tub enclosure will make them comfortable.

You'll be waiting forever for that AP enclosure, so in the meantime you could put together a small tub setup very inexpensively. That way you will have it on hand just in case your new snake is one of those that simply cannot settle down in a big enclosure.

And welcome, by the way! I've found this group is often a breath of fresh air and good advice in a world where a lot of reptile social media is people just yelling at each other about who's right or wrong.