our new snake will not eat.

Question
QUESTION: hi there ,how are you ?i just recently got a baby ball python from my girlfriend about 2 weeks ago now.when i got him i was in toronto and the next day put him in a small container and drove him home to london witch is about an hour and a half!we set his tank up and put a hide box in that had 2 door ways on it and he never went in it.also about 5-6 people were holding him and checking him out .then we put him back in and one week later had tried to feed him and he never bothered with it at all and wasnt intrested what so ever.he would go right up to it and just look and go by so i took it out and left him for another week and i actually put a better hide box in and he uses it now.he is very active,and docile and the last few days he seems to be getting his night and days back on track.now i tried putting a baby rat in again and no intrest at all.im not sure if i need to put him in a smaller container but its been like since the 18th since i got him of august.he was fed the day before i got him.he is a baby of my girlfriends snake,and he was bread at a petstore so he gave her a male  and he is only like 7 weeks old and he looks very healty.do you think he is stressed with the long ride and everyone handling him??when should i be concerned after how long when he doesnt eat?should i b giving him pinkies instead.can you give me any suggestions please,thanks alot gord

ANSWER: I start all ball pythons on "hopper" mice.  A mouse whose eyes are open, ears are up, and they walk around on their own.  I do not think stress is a factor anymore, but perhaps handling should be put off until he is feeding well.  DO you KNOW he ate the day before you got him or were just told he did?

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QUESTION: when the guy gave her one of the babys he had just said that he gave him his first rat pup the dat before we took him ,but ive been trying the little white hoppers for about 25-30 mins and he doesnt pay mind to it !he is in and out of his hide box all the time and he lies out .he seems comfortable but he looks like he is starting to get thin .im not so sure he has even ate on his own or not.nobodys been handling him at all.i really dont know what do do .i can take him in to a pet store and the can feed him but will i always have to do that?can you help me?everything seems to be fine with him except he will not eat!it is almost like he doesnt know what it is hes supposed to do.thanks alot,gord

Answer
If the pet store can get him to eat (on his own) then why won't he do it at home...  try leaving a dead mouse in the cage over night.  Try a rat pup.  If neither of those things work he might need to be force fed or exchanged.  That's where the pet store comes in.  If they force-feed him, make sure you watch how to do it. So that you can do it at home next time.  Usually after a few forces they get the idea and start eating on their own.