I recently got a female Ball Python from my god-mother. They didn't want her anymore so I took her in.
She is a fairly sized snake; about 3 feet long (she appear about a foot shorter than her tank which is 4 foot) and appears a healthy weight, not too fat, not too skinny. We feed her once, monthly and have tried to get her to eat more often but she doesn't seem interested and never shows signs she's hungry in between. She is very very gentile; my godmother let her 6 year old play with her and she was just a sweetheart, very well mannered, never tried strike at him, ect.

She adjusted fairly well to my house; I keep her in my room and she comes out of her "hidey-holes" often to observe whats going on; go to her water dish; get in her driftwood area; sit on her heating pad, and it goes on. She is a fairly active snake, but not overly active and seems to love relaxing. We feed her live prey that's the size of the largest part of her (medium rodent).

I left to go to my best friend's house and when I came back she was really jumpy. I turned around and she was out on her heating area and I went towards her like normal when I notice shes out.. But she jumped backwards, almost like I snuck up on her. I didn't think anything I just assumed I startled her, but it happened more when I got anywhere near the tank; or anybody for that matter.

Is this normal? She is not timid at all; and occasionally tries to scale the side of her tank when she notices me standing by. This is really unusual for her and I am worried that she may jump backwards and get hurt by hitting something.