Hello,
just figured I'd point you to a site that IMO, is a good substitute if you can't afford a book.
http://www.anapsid.org/
If you need to give the snake away, I know a girl who does rescue and is very good with balls. I would aslo advise giving Lickety a good break, like Seamus said, five days or even a week with as little interaction as possible. As soon as you get her new tupperware home, transfer everything in and lock her up tight, check in once a day and change the water every two-three days and make sure the temps/humidity stay in the ideal range.
If you seach this forum, over and over people ask how to get their balls feeding again, and people suggest all kinds of methods that seem to help. read through everything and take notes, and follow seamus's advice and use a variety of prey items, but keep them around the same size, if the prey is bigger around than the snake, DON'T OFFER IT! too big of a prey item can stress them out, if they don't est it, they can be afraid of the huge rat, or if they do eat it, it will take much more energy to digest something that big and make cause regurgitation. When she does finally feed, leave her alone until she is eating regularily. if she will eat straight through a month, you may be able to start handling her a very short time, move super slowly and breathe normally. if you are stressed, she will sense it and become nervous. do ever touch her head or move fast when holding her. if she stops eating immediately stop handling her.
i would recommend getting books about your animals as soon as possible. Otherwise, anapsid.org is pretty good info. If someone's site has anything about microwaving prey items (not the water to heat them in, the actual mouse or rat), feeding "unconventional" prey items (hot dogs, chicken legs, kittens , things that do not resemble prey animals a snake can encounter in the wild), then do not take advice from them. People who do not hold the animal in a supportive way (dangling them by the tail, grabbing their head) or who do things like leave live prey in the cage with the snake overnight and doing irresponsible things with their pest and should not be listened to. You have to develop a BS-radar and be critical of those who are telling you to do weird things. It helps to search the forums here with some keywords and read up on past advice people have given. Generally the more experienced regulars like Cat and Seamus have spot on solutions to common problems. All you have to do is write down some notes and study the information and ask here if you have questions about anything. But you alos have to listen to the advice. Few people here will steer you wrong, and usually someone will jump in to correct any mistakes that someone may tell you.
People can get snappy because they do have to rescue people's abused pets, or deal with unethical breeders. I myself have asked some dumb questions and gotten answers that were more harsh than necessary, but I got an answer by asking for as much detail as possible. I don't take it personally, i do what the experienced breeder with healthy snakes advise me to do. You DO have to ask why, people don't always think to tell you why not to feed chicken legs because for many snake owners, being told not to by someone who is in the know is enough.
anyways, sorry for rambling, but i hope the site is helpful for you. Study it well and it will hopefully give you some god insights.
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