Hey there!
Congrats on your surprise addition!! And welcome to the site! Ball Pythons are generally very docile and even tempered animals. They make a wonderful first snake.When I snake wants you to leave them alone, they will let you know. Most often, they pull their heads back toward there body in an "s" shape. In this position, they will track your hand if they are nervous or considering biting. They will also usually hiss if they are unhappy about something. Simply approaching your hand isn't necessarily indicative of a food related interest, but snakes generally do better if you pet their side a bit to let them know you are there and/or just pick them up. Confidence is good.
Just go for it. Unless of course he or she reacts poorly. Most likely however, if scared, he or she will just ball right up. At which point, just pick him or her up and pet him or her softly until a) she calms down, or b) she doesn't after a few minutes, and then you should put her back. Short handling sessions are best to minimize stress. 10-15 mins is a good range.
Again, congrats and welcome to the addiction!
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