Just a couple of questions from someone new to snakes!

[chris-uk]

Some of them just seem to love burrowing, our albino checkered is normally borrowed and has her favourite spots (ironically one of her favourite places is in the substrate under her cold hide). She will get more active as she settles more, she's still in her first week or so with you - our albino took about 2 weeks to settle, our normal checkereds varied from 2 days to a week or so, our Cuitzeos are still skittish 2 months later (but that seems to be their nature from the little info available about them). So each snake will take a different period to become accustomed to their new home.

You asked about handling, I like observing my snakes but at the same time I want them to like being handled, so we handle ours fairly frequently. Like the settling in, it varies from snake to snake as to how comfortable they are to be held and how long for. Our most active checkered is happy to come out a couple of times a day, and she she knows where to come if she wants to come out - we have a low plant on the front right and from there she can get out of the door when it's open, so I tend to wait for her to come out of the door into my hand. Our other checkered has a back problem and sheds badly so she's been handled a lot to help her shed, and not necessarily the sort of handling she enjoys, however I make a point of checking her at least every other day to look for signs of the next shed or any worsening of her back. Our Cuitzeos are odd, they hide a lot, but are happy to be held (after a minute to settle in your hands) the female prefers to be held by me, the male hates me but loves being held by my wife (he can be settled with her and then freak out when I come into the room or try to touch him, ungrateful @%#&#@ its me that usually feeds him.
So when you handle your girl you should get an idea as to how often and how long she's happy with, it's a case of learning her preferences and schedule.

[zendragondrew]

I fed my snake fish for the first few weeks I had her (though one every five days doesn't seem to be enough, depending on her size). She switched to thawed pinkies very easily. She'll eat anything other than bugs, so maybe she just isn't fussy. If yours won't eat pinkies at all look to some of the advice above about scenting, I was prepared to do that, but never had to as she ate the pinkies with no fuss at all. If the mice are too big for her you can cut them in half, but watch out for the smell, it's very nasty.

I handle mine fairly often, I think she likes coming out to play since her enclosure is, unfortunately, quite small (10 gallon).

Sometimes I wonder what she ate in the wild before I found her, she was living on the street in New York city, couldn't imagine there were many non-bug options.

[guidofatherof5]

Bugs?

[Jaded815]

I found her hanging out on her leafy vine thing today! It's the first time I've seen her hanging out out in the open since I got her! So I'm happy

[EasternGirl]

That's a good sign that she is getting more comfortable!