New Ball Python... how long to become accustomed to surroundings?

[baazi1]

Hello BP.net!

We finally got our new Ball Python, she's a beauty! Adopted her from a reptile show in northern Cincinnati over the weekend. She's a little under 2ft long, skinny little thing

Anyway, at the show and when we took her out of her carry home cup, she was just fine and wonderful. Slithering along, saying hi to everyone. We put her in her new home and she went wild trying to find an escape route but mostly just checking out her new digs (we got her from a breeder who has 1100 or so snakes, I'm sure her new living environment is much nicer and larger than what she is used to.

Anyway, the heat lamp time came on around 6pm and she slithered her way to the top of the skull to bask in the heat, she seemed pretty excited. Around 8pm we decided to get her out and show her around. She stayed curled up in her ball and I could generally sense that maybe she wasn't wanting to be handled. My 8 year old held her fr a moment and gave her back to my wife and when the kiddo went to pet her again, she struck. Freaked him out, lol.

At this point, I could easily see how uncomfortable she was... all of us really, the way she was handled at the show, all of my fears concerning snakes went away. This is going to be easy, I said to myself, she a wonderful creature and I can't wait to care for her. Then as I saw her scared and wanting to go back to her home, I get a little freaked out. So did my wife, who was holding her. She gently walked over to the cage and as she was placing her towards the cage opening, the snake struck 3 times, very rapidly, at the heat lamp. N0 injury or harm, just a general, holy wow, wtf. LOL

I'm convinced we took her out to soon. She hadn't fed since Tuesday/Wednesday of last week and we took her off of her nice warm skull rock that I'm sure she was enjoying immensely.

Is that what we did wrong? Should we give her a week or so to get acclimated? Maybe give her some yummy mice before we handle her again?

Also, the cat and the dog... are their any concerns with them? The dog is very curious and can prop his front legs up to see inside the cage. The cat can obviously walk around the cage. I assume this is probably causing some agitation? Again, giving her some days to get used to her surroundings will probably do wonders.

Thanks for any advice!