Aggresive feeder strikes coils but doesnt eat the rat help!

[Bogertophis]

Snakes are at risk from OTHER predators when they're busy eating- so instinctively BPs are ambush-predators that normally feed at night (dim light or in the dark), & usually from a place of safety- not out in the "open", even in their homes. They usually feel safer when offered prey at night when they're peeking out of their hides. Is this what you're doing???

Are you using feeding tongs? I suggest you do, because yes, your hands (or rather their heat signature) is a distraction because not only are they moving, but they're warm too. Yum! Maybe...?

Some snakes are very EASILY distracted when eating- I have a corn snake that once she grabs her f/t mouse, I have to stand STILL & wait until she gets it partway in, otherwise she drops it to chase MY MOTION! Talk about "optimism", lol. But just remember, snakes don't identify things (or us) using vision. They see motion & either fear it as a potential predator, or try to eat it, hoping it's prey. So learn to be more of a ninja when you feed this snake- "be the background". Some snakes have a very poor attention span.

I assume you're talking about dead prey, not live? How are you thawing it & warming it? It sounds like the prey may not be warm enough when first offered, & since they cool off quickly, that's why she's looking at you instead.

Other issues may also result in food refusals- such as seasonally lower temperatures- what are the temps. in her enclosure? (lowest & highest) What kind of hides. Pics of your set-up might help too.

Have you changed the type of prey or increased the size lately? How often do you feed her? (Any chance you're over-feeding her? or just offering more than she wants?)

Again though- BUY some LONG feeding tongs, & keep your yummy hands out of range, lol. Then you can remove the prey & quickly re-heat it, instead of discarding it the next day-

Snakes sometimes 'want to eat' but refuse because they sense cooler temperatures & don't want to chance eating. (getting stuck with undigestible food in their stomach can kill them). They also refuse when they sense a shed cycle coming, but usually that doesn't involve more than one meal being refused, unless you're trying to feed her too often.