As far as the feeding~~~ if your having a problem with him feeding it is stress related most likley. No Ball python wants to be held for 5 hours a day.. 3/4 times a week for 20 min is normal. Also dont forget when you have him out he has no heat. Stress from coming home with you, handling for 5 hour a day, soaking him for a couple days ect.. This is all a recipe for him to get stressed & sick. A ball pythons immune system declines with stress. Give this lil guy a couple weeks to get strait. Several new owners want to hold and play with these cute snakes and I hear about and see hundreds die from stress all the time. Another big problem is Respiratory infections. Stress can be a major factor in that when there immune systems worn down.
Put this lil guy in his enclosure, cover the glass for security and let him get use to his new home.
Some of it might sound to strict, but every week new keepers post on here "my Balls a month old and I found him dead"..
These arent domestic animals, they Tolerate us but thats all and some tolerate better than others.. Just trying to help you so you and your family have him/her to enjoy and he deserves a good safe place too.
Woah, lol I THOUGHT I read everything. 5 hours is a really long time to have the snake out