Hello. Need help with my sunbeam snake

[chairman]

Sunbeams are beautiful snakes but I don't keep any because, well, they're a poor match for most keepers.

Most sunbeams in captivity are wild caught. I don't know if yours is or not, but they can occasionally carry parasite loads. I'd consider getting a fecal sample to a vet for analysis to see if there's anything to treat for.

Sunbeams generally hate being handled. Just hate it. People that keep sunbeams and try to handle them as frequently as they do cornsnakes, boas, pythons, etc find themselves with a snake that dies from stress related issues. When you get everything squared away then your sunbeam will likely end up as a pet tank of dirt that you keep stocked with clean water and the occasional mouse.

All those critters crawling around in the dirt were likely springtails. They are very helpful additions to tanks of soil that house fossorial snakes. You are going to want to hope that they come back, they'll make your life much easier. You should also add other helpful bugs, including isopods if you can get your hands on some.

In the grand scheme of things, you've greatly upended the life of a very shy species that hates being bothered. I'd give it at least a week, maybe two, of zero human contact, then try offering food again. Hopefully once your snake has a chance to get used to its home and feel safe then it'll come around.