Paper towels are pretty common for new snakes...easy to clean and easy to spot problems like mites, blood in stool/urates, or runny stool. You didn’t mention if there is a thermostat to control the heat sources, but if not, that should be one of your first investments. An inexpensive starter option would be a Jump Start thermostat from Amazon ($35 +/-). There’s a lot of great info on the forum to insulate and boost humidity in tanks. For a young/small snake, the tank should be fine to start with. You can always upgrade as she grows.
Before you do much handling, I’d try to get her to eat at least three meals...general rule of thumb you’ll see most of us recommend. Ball pythons typically do exactly what you describe when nervous, ball up and hide their heads in their coils. Once she’s eating regularly, you can start picking her up. I usually start with once per week, giving at least 2 full days after feeding...or 3 full days if the meal leaves a significant bump. The key is calm, gentle handling. I’ve yet to be bitten by any of my bp’s, but it does happen. You can start out with gloves if that makes you more comfortable. I’m also a big fan of hook training.
Best of luck and please keep us updated.
Reply With Quote