If you're getting good response, but no real strike try getting longer tongs and keeping your body as far to the side as possible to keep from him being able to see you. If he's in a tub opening it as little as possible. Don't turn the lights on to start with, offer the meal in as dark an environment as you can to help from being seen. Once a snake is coiled around prey he becomes vulnerable to attack, sometimes they want to eat and are hungry they are just too afraid of the risks to take the reward. Good luck!