My grandparents are letting me keep my snake (), but he hasn't eaten since last November.

We are picking up a frozen medium sized rat today, but I have two questions that need to be answered.

1. How do you safely assist feed?
2. What is the best way to thaw?

They temperature are all correct (90* in the warm side of the tank, and about 80-85* in the cool side). He stopped wandering, he shed a few weeks ago, and pooped last week.