Mangrove Snake Questionsq

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: Hey everyone. I posted this under the rear-fanged forum as well, but wanted to go ahead and post it here, so that I can get as much feedback as possible. : I'm considering getting a mangrove snake for my first "hot" snake, and I have a few questions that I'd appreciate if anyone could answer. I have a cage that is about 4' tall and between 2.5 to 3' deep. It has a wire top, two sides are wire and two are wood, and a wire bottom. The front door is a locking wooden door. I'm thinking it would be nice, since they are arboreal, to get a live plant that is fairly tall and put in there. Ok, so I'm wondering....Is there anything about the cage that might need to be adjusted? The wire is small enough that the snake would not be able to get out if it is large enough. I'm wanting to go ahead and get an adult snake or two, simply because I don't have the facilities for a young one, and I don't want to take the chance of raising a delicate neonate or something like that. I'm thinking the cage is plenty big enough, is it? I realize these snakes get large, so would I, if I got some medium-sized adults, have to move them eventually? I have a large hide box, and today came up with the idea of suspending it in the cage with wire. Would that be okay? Now as far as heat lamps and a basking spot...could I suspend the light from the top to..say..use the top of the hide box as a basking spot, or something like that? Or do these snakes even use a basking spot enough to really even need more than just a generic reptile lamp? : Sorry I'm rambling on, but I'm just about finished. My last questions involve feeding. Do these do well on eating mice and rats, or is their diet a little more exotic? If they usually eat other types of animals, can they be switched to mice. Lastly, when feeding, do I need to separate each snake if I get a pair, or are they okay to be together? I guess I'm also wondering what these guys' appetites are like. : Again, I'm just considering getting a mangrove as my first hot snake. I have plenty of experience with herps, and I'd like to keep a hot that won't hospitalize me if I'm ever tagged (however, I can happily save I have never been, by venomous or non). I know mangroves are known for their beautiful, flowery temperments (total sarcasm here, I know they can be vicious little b@stards), but anyway that's really why I want to keep one, so that I learn to really stay on my toes around large, agile snakes. King of like using it as a 'training snake' for more dangerous ones. That, and I've always liked the mangroves for some reason. They really are gorgeous snakes, no matter what kind of attitude they can dish out (though I may be changing my mind after keeping one, lol). Anyway, if anyone can help me out I'd really appreciate it. Sorry this post is so long.

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