So I'm getting a snake, a ball python. I've done all the research and reading up on them as well as bought all the equipment, but there are still some things that haven't really been answered due to conflicting opinions.

First off, what kind of heating bulbs should I get? I've been told to get both a regular heat lamp and a red bulb to switch off and on to heat up the tank then help cool it down to simulate nighttime. Others have said you only need a single heat bulb. I have a heat mat ready to use but do I need a heat lamp too? I have a 40gl tank so I'm not sure if I need more heat sources since the tank is large.

My other question/concern is humidity management. Any pointers other than a large bowl of water and heat? I've read you can mist the inside of the tank or will that help at all?

I think that's all that's been unanswered for me right now x_x Anyway, this is gonna be a new experience for me so I really appreciate any advice given :)

I recommend both a cool spot and a warm spot in the tank. The heating mat you have I am sure does not take up the whole bottom which is great. Typically I have a heat lamp, and keep it on the side with the heating mat. Snakes move around depending on their comfort, so as long as you give the snake both a cool spot and warm spot he/she should be fine! Also there are these "rugs" you can get, which make cleaning their tanks way easier, and also keep them from burning on the heat mat.

I am sure you will be feeding it mice, and when it grows up a bit rats, and a word of advice is to never touch a rat or a mouse or anything it touched before touching your snake because they will bite the crap out of you. Don't move towards its face, and the best thing to do is open the tank and let the snake come to you, you do not want to make it feel threatened.

Be careful what you use to clean the tank and water bowl. A lot of things are too strong, and can really hurt the snake.

Snakes are awesome pets, but don't expect it to be like a dog (obviously) they are more like cats, they do what they want when they want. Do not leave the tank open and walk away unless you are okay with crawling around looking for the snake. They are fast and very good at disappearing.

Anyways, if you have any questions you can ping me, however I am not an expert the best thing you can do is talk to the people who sell you the snakes or the rats, a local pet shop typically has at least one person who knows what they are talking about.

Goodluck! Love that snake!

As Zakery said, have a warm spot and a cool spot for your snake, make sure you have a hide spot too, a 40gal is a big tank for one snake so make sure it has an are where it can feel small and cozy. Depending on the size of the snake, you may want to even get a few temporary tanks so it does not get shocked when you put it into the large tank. You do want to keep it pretty humid and a spray bottle helps a lot, you can also get fake moss to put in the water dish or just dunk it in water and put it somewhere in the tank every now and again. Don't make the bedding super wet, or you snake will get scale-rot which is nasty and very harmful to them. Feel free to ping me if you have any questions as I currently own 13 snakes and a good portion are ball pythons :3

I know this has been a bit, but...you don't need heat lamps. Not at all for a ball pythons. It'll just dry out the tank waaaay to much for him. Use the heat mats only. If you have a large tank you may need two. Be sure to get a thermostat with it! Otherwise, the heat mat will get way too hot! Over the 100's. A thermostat helps control the temperature of the mat. Amazon has a cheap Hydrofram that works pretty good. I've used it and it takes some tweaking to get the right temperatures. Just make sure to check temperatures often from a different source (the thermostat comes with a temp gauge, but I bought one from Wal-mart with a humidity gauge as well and use it to double check. I think the type was an Acurite?)

Also, ball pythons like to hide and curl up into things. If you get a big tank, put lots of stuff inside for them to curl under and hide. It's recommended for smaller tanks for ball pythons. Too big and open can make them stressed. If you get a glass tank, it's a bit hard to keep the humidity. Use something like plastic wrap or foil to cover a good portion of the top (or anything with an opening). Leave a bit of it open for air, of course. I usually just leave a can sized hole in the top. This will help trap the humidity in and as long as you have a bowl of water inside, it'll be more then enough for him. When he sheds, just lightly mist the tank. Or as mush_room said just use some moss. Dip it in water, squeeze it out till it's just lightly damp and put it around and perhaps into some extra hides, giving him the ability to choose if he wants the more humid hide. I generally kept my humidity at about 40 percent on a normal day and up'd it to 60 percent when shedding.

It'll take you a bit to tweak everything, but once you've got it running good, they're very easy to maintain. If he's just a tiny young one, I'd suggest making something to keep him in a smaller section of the tank until he's bigger. Like I said...big wide open spaces can make them upset and nervous. Ball pythons are not very active. The only time mine ever came out was to move positions, or when they were hungry and seeking food.