OCD free with each snake purchased LOL! Along with the other great advice you'll get here I'll just add a few points from when we got our snakes (we are very new as well so pls keep that in mind).

The digital thing Ray mentioned is an Accu-Rite from Wal-Mart that runs about $15.00 or less. If you buy one put the unit itself on the cool side, run the probe to the warm side and tuck under the warm side hide. Push a few buttons and you should be reading....warm side in hide temp, cool side temp, and humidity. We run our probe line up and out of the tub and back in as it's a very long cord and you don't want the snake tangling in it. With the Accu-Rite you can get your temps and humidity sorted out. Depending on your enclosure many here can give you advice how to adjust it to get within recommended numbers on that. I believe someone here has a pic of an Accu-Rite set up if they'd like to post it. Home Depot also sells these units under another brand name in the outdoor weather station/thermometer area for around $17.00.

Best thing we were told was to get our enclosure (we use a Sterlite tub) set up and regulated, add a heavy water dish and two hides (one for cool and one for warm side) and then leave the snake alone. No poking, proding, cuddling or attempts to feed for a week or two. It's very hard to do but best for the snake to settle in. We start our snakes off in our bedroom which is the quietest, darkest place in our house but then we have 4 loud kids LOL.

We were advised to put a new snake on a layer of papertowels for bedding so you can see any mites that might be there and also to easily see when the snake poops or pees and collect some if you needed to see a vet.

It's a lot to take in but everything you do now will only benefit you and your snake. Ask tons of questions, I did and it was sooooooo helpful!


~~Jo~~