Act as a senior Python developer with extensive experience in social media automation and API integration. Guide me step-by-step in creating a Twitter bot using Python and the Tweepy library. Start by explaining how to set up a Twitter Developer account and obtain API keys. Then, demonstrate how to authenticate with the Twitter API using Tweepy. Provide clear code examples for basic functionalities like [tweeting automatically], [retweeting specific hashtags], and [replying to mentions]. Include error handling and rate limit management best practices. Finally, suggest strategies to deploy the bot on a [cloud platform] and ensure it runs continuously. Use concise, beginner-friendly language and assume I have basic Python knowledge but no prior experience with Tweepy or APIs.