I'll try the mice approach. I just killed the rat (about an hr ago) I put the python and the rat in a small tub together for about 30-40 minutes and NOTHING. I am going to leave the dead rat in the tub over night and see what happens. It acts like it wants it, gets in the strike pose flicks it's tongue at the rat a bunch then goes back into the ball position. Do blood pythons require the same husbandry? I guess I shouldn't ask because I'm going to google after this is posted lol. I can always use a reason to buy a snake lol