Didnt say force (ASSIST FEED). Thank you. I know what worked for me. The amount of weight lost already means time for action not play with this or that. If they are sick or have health issues then ASSIST feeding isnt going to make things worse. Especially starting with a pinkie. If the guy has several snakes that size I would assume he knows the basics. Im sure he needs more help then checking temp and humidity. Also starting with a pinkie is just a beginning step. Its to see how the snake reacts. Im sure your lack of success is because you didnt follow the right steps. As I said it worked for me several times over.