Feeding f/t for the first time

[Slim]

I just wanted to know if waking him up from his sleep could be a factor as to why he wouldn't eat

Ball Pythons are ambush hunters. They can go from dead asleep to knocking the absolute cat crap out of a rat in no time flat. That's not your problem. Not having someplace to ambush FROM, might have something to so with it. But you already have your mind set about that.