They eat mice which are readily available. These were important considerations when I was deciding on a species to keep. Their housing is simple and easy to keep clean. We use glass aquariums big enough for the snakes to stretch out. Each cage has a screened top with clips to keep it on.
Snakes are strong, and can push up an unfastened lid.
We line the bottoms with clean newspaper and provide some kind of house for them to hide in. Snakes like to hide, and will go under the newspaper if nothing else is provided. Under each cage, we have placed a heating element especially made for this purpose. This keeps a portion of the cage warm. The snakes can regulate their temperature by moving from place to place in the cage.