I recently bought a Ball Python from a Pet Supermarket near one of my friends house. I had looked at all the Ball Pythons at the local pet stores and this one seemed to be in a clean aquarium and the young lady I talked to said that she had been taking him out frequently and getting him used to people.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Question One:
I took the snake home and upon taking her out of the box I noticed that she had a couple raised scales. It almost looks like a bit of shed skin is stuck to one scale. That is on a couple of scales along the top of the snake. I'm not entirely sure if this is scale rot or just a raised scale. I truthfully don't know very much about either aside from scale rot being caused by slithering around in their own excriments. But the tank was completely clean of all excriments everytime I entered the store. Is this something I can clear-up by rubbing her back with water or should I take her to the vet and how much would taking her to the vet cost.

Question Two:
I also fed her the day after I took her home because they had fed her a week before and I read that you should feed a young adult once a week. The only problem is I think I fed too big of a mouse. She ate it fine and didn't regurgitate it but now she doesn't coil up in her half log. Instead she leaves the back portion of her body outside of the half log. Is she going to be okay?

Question Three:
I'm new to Ball Pythons so I don't know their attitude but do they not like their head to be touched? I used to handle my Corn Snakes frequently and I was able to lift their head by gently lifting it with my finger by the button of the head. Whenever I get close to my ball pythons head she pulls back.

Question Four:
How long should it take for them to feel at home. I know it stresses them out when you first bring them home because they are in a new environment but I just want to make sure that she will feel at home with no problem. Does anyone have any information on ways to make her more comfortable in the tank as well as being held?

----------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks in advance for all your replies. If you would like to see pictures of the scales I will gladly post some up just let me know.

-Ifland