Snakes will eat f/t. It is just like a parent trying to get your kid to eat their green beans. It is simply a matter of being consistent, persistent, and sometimes a little creative.
Some ways to get a picky snake to eat f/t:
* Feed 1 smaller than usual live one, then offer the next frozen. They are in the eating mode now and may just go for it...
* Try freshly killed instead of f\t the first few times (take a live, give a wack on the back of the head to stun, then feed to snake)
* Use tongs to move the rat around to appear alive and trigger a feeding response
* Pre-scent. Let the rat thaw in the room with the snake. Hold the rat near the snake's enclosure and blow on it to really get the smell in there. Let the scent linger for a while and most snakes will come out of their hide and start looking around ready to strike.
* Add an extra scent (lizard smell, rat, mouse, chicken broth, tuna, etc). Some snakes seem really turned on be certain smells.
* Be sure rat is warm when offered. Thaw in warm water, then use heat bulb or hair dryer or other to warm up just before offering. Dangle with the tongs and see if they strike. Try re-heating a few times.
* Try feeding at night
* Try leaving the rat in the cage in a dark room for a few hours
Some have the same response regarding converting from mice to rats. "my snake won't eat rats"
Again, they will if you try. My snakes all came to me eating live mice. In only a few weeks I had them all eathing f\t rats.
* Give a small mouse then a small rat as the chaser.
* Thaw them together in the same bag to mix the scent
* Phase out the mouse
Others just use tough love and go cold turkey. Offer them a frozen\thawed rat after 2 weeks of getting their new snake. If it refuses, offer again at one week intervals. Eventually, hunger wins over and they eat it.... Snakes can go several months with no eating with no problems...