I have had my black rat snake for 14 years. I have been breeding rats and mice for 14 years also. He will only eat rodents that are nursing. For the past 2 years he has been eating large hopper mice. I kill them first so he does not get injured. For 12 years he had always eaten large, live rat pups. I moved across the country and do not have a breeding facility for rats. He eats right out of my hand and will only eat when I feed him. I have tried all different ways to get him to eat something else, since he is almost 8' long. I can give him a nursing mouse, then a non nursing mouse from the same cage and same size, and he will spit it out. Then he will continue to eat the nursing mice. I have tried to trick him for years and still do. I have also tried putting several mice in a bowl, nursing and non, he will only pick out the nursing ones. Can anyone help me figure my kid out. Thank you