I got my male normal ball python about a week after he hatched. I fed him his first meal. After 3 live hoppers in 3 weeks I transitioned him over to frozen thawed. He ate frozen/thawed for the next 8 months. Then all of a sudden he wouldn't touch a frozen/thawed mouse or rat for anything. He will only eat live now. It took me 2 months to figure that out. Silly python!