Greetings,

I purchased a 6 month old or so ball python snake from a pet shop 4-5 months ago that refuses to eat ... no matter how i approach feeding him, he just seems completely disinterested or frightened. After 3 months of not eating i decided to force feed him with success. That was about 1 month ago, and since then he still refuses to eat by himself. I have been following these instructions: keep good temp and humidity in the tank, leave the snake alone for a few days before feeding, feed during the night time, i have tried dangling the dead rat on a string in front of him and even leaving the rat in his tank over night. I was told to thaw a frozen rat, then let it soak under hot water so the rat becomes warm and then attempt to feed the snake using tongs. He has shed only a few times since i purchased him, his most recent shed being a few days ago. Am i going to have to force feed him for the rest of his life? If someone could help me i would greatly appreciate it! Please pardon my ignorance...