I just posted a thread about this...the title was something about not being a killing machine. Simon eats like a champ, but he doesn't waste any energy in doing so. He doesn't strike his prey, and he only bothers to coil it if he tries to eat it backwards and can't get past the hind legs. If he tries to eat it backwards, he will flail around and coil a bit before he gives up and takes it from the head.

I have no other snakes to reference, but Simon is a great eater, and he has never struck at anything (rodent or human). I believe I've compared watching him eat to watching a cat eat dry food (he's that exciting, lol). I'll take that over a finicky eater any day, though.