Worried about my BP

[Bogertophis]

For best results (& forgive me for sounding like a "broken record" here!) do NOT handle any new snake (of any age) at all until AFTER it is eating regularly for you at normal intervals (typically once a week if a younger snake) for at least 3 meals with no refusals. That is the best way to assess that a new snake is "settling in" & feeling at home in their new surroundings, since they cannot talk.

Kindly remember that even "captive bred" snakes are WILD animals...they rely on their instincts, & in the wild, the ONLY thing that picks them up is a predator that's about to EAT them...so you can see where the stress is coming from, can't you? Most will in time learn to feel safe when you're holding them, but eating is JOB #1.

The other stress is not having your husbandry dialed in yet...right temps., right humidity, & enough privacy all goes a LONG way for a snake to relax enough to eat.

A BP of about 5 years of age has NO trouble fasting for a month or more, & keep in mind that older snakes are often more upset when re-homed...hey, we ALL get "set in our ways"...even snakes! Hatchling BPs are typically the best (most reliable) feeders anyway...many adult BPs fast even without apparent reasons, so this is sorta "normal" but still not desirable...you still need to get the temps. & all dialed in correctly.

STOP using Neosporin...that can CAUSE the shedding problem you're having (not shedding intact). If you use it in a pinch, use the least bit you can & briefly, not long term. Better choice is Vetericyn...some pet stores carry it or buy it online.

Offering food too often just stresses snakes into more refusals too, btw. Stop offering for 2 weeks (you said she's probably in shed now anyway, & that's probably why you heard some breathing noises too) & wait until she acts hungry. Watch for these signs: in evening hours, peeking out of hide. Don't offer food when a BP is cruising around their cage, they seldom eat out in the open...they're ambush-predators! They want to grab prey that's cluelessly passing by them within reach. DO not allow prey (whether live OR f/t) to appear to approach the snake either...real rodents do not volunteer to be dinner, & that boldness can also scare snakes like BPs into not eating. For now, wait until she is done shedding & until she acts hungry before offering food again. Remember, hands off (other than minimal maintenance).

Feeding: always in the enclosure where the snake lives! The handling you do to put them in another location can make them refuse to eat!
NO rational reason to move a snake for feeding, & many good reasons NOT to.

Also: regarding substrates, it's best to imitate her previous home as best you can. And personally I don't recommend newspaper at all, since it's slippery & snakes cannot get traction. They have no limbs, they rely on traction to move. Would YOU care to live on an ice rink, even if it was warm?