Thinking about getting a corn snake...

Hey all,
I'm thinking about getting a corn snake. I've wanted a snake since I was about 6 or 7 actually. :P

I've heard that corn snakes are the easiest/smallest snakes to care for, so thats what I'd like to start my snake career with XD.

A few things:
- I've read the caresheet by, I think it was, karagain. Its very informative. I was just wondering if anyone had anything to add onto the caresheet.
- What is recommended for heating (I've read you can use UTH or overhead heating lights), as in, the best choice for a corn snake?
- How often/much do you feed them. I'm assuming frozen or live rats and mice. What about babies, what do you feed them, and how much?
- Is it OK for corn snakes to be on flat substrate? Or do they prefer something they can dig in, like the wood chips?
- Is a 10 gallon tank really big enough? Like I know, its the minimum, and bigger is better, but really, do you think 10 gallons is too small for a corn snake? (Like we say 10 gal min for a leo, but we always recommend around 20 gal to help with temp. gradient as well as just space in general).
- What is the general startup cost, and monthly cost of owning a corn snake? (I'd like to make sure I have plenty of money saved before even trying to buy one).

And the LAST, most IMPORTANT thing.
- How do I convince my mom to let me get one?
LOL! My mom says she doesn't like snakes and wouldn't want one in her house. YET, she said the same thing about the leopard geckos (and now she has pretty much adopted Miracle from me :P). No one I know owns snakes, so I can't try to get her to fall in love with one, and seeing them at stores hasn't convinced her yet... LOL
Any ideas are welcome.

Thank you!

Ask her to come with you do to daily maintenance for your geckos, and have her tag a long when you do deep clean maintenance. It's all about proving you have the knowledge and skill to take care of it; that's usually parents problems. They don't want to get stuck with a live animal when the child gets bored with it.

I actually was 19 before I got my first snake, and only cause my wife felt bad for me, lol. But, just show her you know what you're doing and maybe take her window shopping for morph's of corn's you like.

My mom was also unsure about my having reptiles, but she is quite besotted with my leo Ripley and my baby beardie Newt. Though shes still adamant about NO SNAKES. So if you find a trick that works let me know!! haha