Hatchling feeding frustration!

[JulieInNJ]

Okay, I'm really just venting because I'm super frustrated.

I have a hatchling that just flat out refuses to eat (she's on f/t rat pinkies). When I open her tub, she's more interested in trying to get out and see the world than attack. Last week, she escaped for a few hours on feed day. We caught her, put her in her tub, and almost had a successful feeding. I say almost because she didn't exactly strike as much as she just daintily took the rat from the tongs. But then today, we're right back to square one. At one point, the rat got curled up with her body and was cruising around the tub on her back. Stellar.

I've done everything I can possibly think of (with lots of suggestions from bp.net members) EXCEPT for feeding live - I can't bring live rodents into the house out of respect for my family. I HATE assist feeding her because I know how much it stresses them out.

I think I have the ball python equivalent of an anorexic socialite. She belongs in Hollywood. Anyone want to be her agent?