I agree with you about being able to handle your snakes, but if she has spent her life not being handled, now may not be the time to start. However if the last owner DID handle her and now she's reacting differently it's time to look for a reason.
This is a stretch - but you don't wear any strong smelling products like aftershave or hand lotion do you? It's an important factor in handling many mammals and I wonder whether it may extend to snakes?
