I need some advice trying to figure out my baby... I've had him for a few months and have been struggling to get him on a regular feeding schedule on the proper food.

- He went thru a bad shed when I first brought him home - retained eye caps.
- During that period, he would eat on occasion and only hopper mice. He would not eat any of the rat pups I offered, even though they were a more appropriate size. Every time I would offer a rat, he would display defensive behavior and hide.
- After a second bad shed, I took him to the vet who helped me get the eye caps off and he also gave him a vitamin shot as he was a bit under weight (115 gm).
- Now he seems to be hungry all the time.
- I fed him 2 hoppers on 12/3 and again on 12/8. I did the hoppers because I really wanted to get some food in him and he had always turned his nose away from rats. After the 12/8 feed, he sat with his head out of his hide like he wanted more.
- Yesterday, I went to hold him after giving him a couple days to digest. He was sitting with his head out of the hide and his wobble started - exactly like he does when he's looking for food. He actually tried to strike at me through the glass - I totally believe this was hunting/eating behavior. I then offered him a rat pup even though he had just eaten 2 days ago. He ate it SO fast... this was his first rat.
- Now today, he is again hovering with his head out of his hide looking like he wants to eat. When I lift up the towel to see him, he starts to wobble again and track me. Again, it looks to me like hunting/eating behavior.

My question is, should I offer him food again today? Maybe tomorrow? I know he hasn't been eating well since I brought him home, so I'm happy to see that he's interested in food again. It's been over a week since I've been able to handle him because I don't want to handle him 48 hours after eating.

I feel like if he's displaying these types of hunting/eating behaviors, then he's probably still hungry. My thoughts are I should perhaps give him a rat every other day until these behaviors stop. I don't like him going this long without being handled, but when he seems to clearly want food, I don't want my hand to become his target. A hungry snake is not going to be a happy snake to handle.

Any advice? Should I offer every day? My feeling is that he's playing catch up after 2 months of eating so poorly, but I'm not sure how to find the balance.

TIA.