im a newbie but i might as well see what i've learned.

1. for a beginner snake, corn snakes,ball pythons,kingsnakes,garter snakes,things like that might give you a good headstart.

2. you can buy any of the snakes that i mentioned from a reputable breeder.buying them from a petco isnt the smartest idea unless they know what they're doing(i got mine from petco but i checked to see if he was in good health,which he was)

3. NEVER house any 2 snakes together unless breeding.a simple set up of a good size tub, fresh water, minimum of 2 hides, heat source, and a digital thermometer/hygrometer for checking temps and humidity.

4. you dont have to keep mice with you at all times. you can buy frozen mice at your local pet shop (like petco).all you after is take it out, and thaw it with warm water for a few minutes,check to see if the mouse is COMPLETELY thawed, then feed to the snake.

5. if they get sick, look for a good vet near you that sees reptiles.

6. well to them you're ALWAYS a predator but they can be tamed to get used to being handled.

7. i've ordered 1 snake online and had no problems.again, look for a reputable breeder.

8. DONT use heat rocks as they arent too reliable for heat. you can use lamps or heat mats.

9. male ball pythons get to about 3-4 maybe 5 ft.females get to about 4-5 rarely over 6ft. for boas...it depends which species you're looking for.

10. for diseases...not that i know of. but i think i remember readin on this forum that you can get salmonella if you "kiss" your snake when keeping it in unsanitary conditions.

11. the little bugs might've been mites,which means you might not wanna buy a snake from them.

12. captured breeding means that they were hatched by someone that bred the parents of the babies

13. simple...most likely they work for the money,not for the animals.people these days have no sense in working for animals.