First off, welcome.

Get the sand out.. and more important get that heat rock OUT! Hot rocks are famous for burning snakes. The best way to heat a tank is with flexwatt plugged into a thermostat to control it. Matt at http://www.mgreptiles.com/ can get you everything you need.

Lamps often take too much humidity out of the air.. with flexwatt, you shouldn't need lamps.

Since he is still settling in, you shouldn't hold him much at all. Just a few minutes at a time. Ball pythons are very shy creatures.. this is why he spends most of his time in his hiding spots (completely normal)

Black/dark brown eyes are totally normal. If the eyes look to have a crinkly appearance, that would mean stuck shed, but if they look shiny and smooth, they are fine.

A mouse fuzzy is way too small for a juvenile ball python. Feed something the same size as the snakes' belly is at the widest point, and there is no need to put him in a separate container when you feed.. just feed in the tank.

The care sheet we have here will help a lot.. give it a read through: http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules....warticle&id=52