I want to learn all

Let me introduce myself, my name is Steven i am very new to the world of ball pythons. this does not mean i am illiterate to reptiles, I am very knowledgeable of Iguanas and Tegus. This being said consider me a sponge for information. I know i can read a million care sheets, i however prefer to reach out to a community forum. Now a little background, yesterday i met this guy outside the store with mom around his neck and youngster in his hand, he was convinced and would have sworn and argued with you that they were burmese pythons. I have had limited contact with balls but i knew without thinking that it was a ball and not a burmese. so reguardless i bought it anyhow.
so i would like to ask a few questions to start and confirm some things i have read.
what i have read tells me 80 degrees with 90s in the basking area, hide box or boxes, 60% humidity tops, no temps falling below 75.
now she is aprox a foot in lenght give or take a inch or so. i have no idea when she last fed, i have bought a gerbal pup today they had no rat pups, she does not seem intereted atm. how long should i leave the food item for herand how often if not taken should i offer the food item. how large of a prey item should i offer and what type of food item is best at her size? is there a way to tell outside of probing the sex of the snake. how often should she be handled and what signs do i look for that she wants to be left alone. I have a 30 gallon tall for her right now, would a solid top with vent holes be best to hold in humidity ? right now i have a regular house light bulb for heat and a heat pad underneith. this i do not believe is doing the job it should. i think i have a che left over from when i had my tegu whiuch i can use to increase the heat, i am unaware of any way to keep humidity inn the aquarium besides regular misting. perhaps putting some moss in there would hold in the humidity better?
sorry if i have alot of questions but genral care sheets are very general and i have always prefered to ask those that do the actual caring so i can get a better rounded answer. i will probably post up a picture of her later or tommorow.
thanks in advance

Pictures please so we can confirm if its a ball or Burmese not doubting you just need pictures .

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http://s1322.photobucket.com/user/St...tml?sort=3&o=0

i realise i have posted this in a non specific area of the forum admins may delete this i will post it in the correct area

ballpython

So you just bought a snake without knowing what it was? What would you have done had it been a burmese, and was going to be 20 ft long, and big enough to eat you in a few years? And I kinda tend to shy away from forums for info for the simple reason you can ask a question of 100 people, and you will get 100 different answers, and everyone will swear theirs is the ONLY correct way, and they all bash anyone who dare disagree with them. As for the gerbil, unless it is prekilled they are a very bad idea, as they can get viscious, and will attack snakes unless you provide constant supervision the whole time the gerbil is in the tank. Sorry I just don't agree with impulse purchases without some investigating before hand
to determine what your new pet will need for a proper set up!!!!!:colbert::colbert:

well where shall i begin, on the note of the gerbil it is a pup has no hair yet, so i doubt it poses a threat. it was just all the pet store had atm. i was 99.9 % positive that the snake was a ball and not a burm, either way i could have sold it to someone who would actually want a burm way before it got too big to be a problem. as far as getting 100 different answers and people being mean, i think i can handle it. i would have to imagine on a BP forum that at least more than half the answers i get will match. i expect to have wacky answers to questions. also i never said i had no clue on the proper setup i just wanted to define it better than a stock care sheet. im sure that people that live in hot climates have less trouble with heat and humidity than people in colder climates, in fact having raised 2 Iguanas to adulthood living in connecticut where we get long cold winters. i can tell you its very difficult to maintain a room which was their enclosure to the proper temps.
i have no intentions of taking this lightly i will read and listen and take everything that is said with a grain of salt. its not hard to tell the people that care about the animal as opposed to the people that are raising it becasue its "cool"