Definitely try feeding later, about 6-8 pm should be a great time. With your prior experience with snakes I'm sure you have a good technique for feeding frozen/thawed to your snakes. Are you trying the blow dryer to the head trick? Perhaps you can leave the rat in the cage over night under the heat lamp? I have on occasion found one of my ball pythons to be somewhat shy about eating and would wait until the room was dark and quite before taking her meal. If too much time passes between meals you could always try feeding live. I personally switched to live and have rarely if ever had one of my snakes refuse a meal.

As far as the movement is concerned ball pythons will be much more active at night. I personally like to handle my snake and set her back into her tank opposite where I know she likes to go so I can at least witness her slither trough her tank on her way to her favorite spot lol