Well if the owner wasn't lying to you, then it's probably a husbandry issue. How reputable was the seller? I know many people that "say" that the bp's on f/t but in actuality is not. My ball python didn't eat for 4 weeks after I got him because he refused f/t then I fed him live and he was on that for 5 months before I switched him over to f/t recently and now he is a great eater. Best advice is to get a rat pup that live (with its eyes closed). Rat pups are as big as a adult mouse but can't hurt your snake. As for the boa story, I call bs. Snakes aren't stupid and they know if the prey they are strangeling is alive or dead. It's natural instict that they were born with.