There are many ways to encourage a picky snake to eat, and wacking it on the head with the prey item isn't one of them.
I'm using scenting at the moment, to transition my snake on to rats (she rather likes mice, so I'm tricking her).
A lot of snake owners wiggle the dead prey in front of their snake, to induce a strike. I used to do this, but my snake has caught on that all her food is dead, so I just put the prey in the tank, and she helps herself in her own time. Lazy girl.
