Welcome to BPNet and congrats on owning a wonderful ball python!

With the young ones, really with any new BP, the focus is on settling them in, getting them on a good solid feeding schedule, making sure they are shedding, pooping, etc. Handling is last on my list and only comes after all the other things are attended to.

That's hard because like anybody, I want to handle a new snake but I know handling is more for me than for the snake. Kind of an "I want" rather than "the snake needs" situation.

Take it slow and get to know the little one and it's unique reactions to things. We have BP's here, big and little, that could care less what's going on around them when they are out for handling - they are just very confident animals. We have others that the smallest disturbance has them tucked immediately into a protective ball - they are just more shy animals. We tailor the handling experience to what each snake can deal with.

As far as the F/T prey, as long as it's properly warmed up it should be putting off a scent and heat signature that your snake, with it's highly evolved sensory organs, can easily pick up on. The only reason I know to try and do scent transfer between different prey items would be when switching over prey types (mouse to rat, etc.) Sometimes that works but it never did for me.