Bought my first snake the other day...

[Aaron_S]

1. Your enclosure sucks
2. To keep heat and humidity in do something about the top. Cover it with wrap or custom make one so there's not so much ventilation. Or like me, use a rubbermaid.
3. Eco-earth is fine if you choose. Coco-husk and aspen "beta" chip are my second choices if I wasn't using newspaper.
4. Your hides are very large. Snakes like tight fitting places. Yes you need two. Use cardboard boxes for the time being if need be. Easily thrown out when soiled and replaced.
5. Do not feed in another enclosure. Better chance you'll get bit that way and the snake will be fine if it ingests anything if your husbandry is correct.
6. Raise your temps. I keep my hot spot at 96 for my ball pythons. You can stand to raise yours a couple degrees.
7. It can eat rats now. I feed f/t and so should you. Rat pups or whatever they are called there would be fine. Yes, you can decide to feed it mice but you'll be feeding it roughly 10 - 15 per feeding at one point. Pretty pricey.