Baby feeding struggles!!

[keebs]

Hey guys!

I got a baby beep a couple weeks ago and she has been refusing to eat, which I had been expecting. This would have been her third week of no food, and she's slightly less than a month old, so I was starting to worry about her, although I know that BPs can go for quite some time w/o eating. I had been reading around and had seen things varying from 'you need to get this snake eating ASAP or it'll die' to 'It's fine, just leave her alone until she feels like eating' so today I decided to err on the side of caution, kinda, and I attempted an assist feed.

I should mention that she had been started on live rat pinks and I can't get those anywhere in my area whatsoever, nor can I get any live subadult rats or mice of any age, so my options are kinda limited on the live front. I defrosted a mouse fuzzy of considerable size and took her VEEEERY gently, I mean barely even holding her, behind the head, and just barely touched the little mouse fuzzy to her mouth and she went NOM and coiled around it and sucked it down super quick.

Now, I have attempted feeding f/t before (using tongs) with no success using multiple methods of heating the rat pup ranging from dunking it in super hot water right before offering it to blowing hot air on it with a hair dryer. I also managed to get a super super small adult mouse and I tried offering that to her, but there was no interest in it whatsoever. I should also mention that I had handled her twice - and that was when I first got her, and then once again to change out the paper towel in her tub that she had peed on. Other than that I have left her in her tub, secure with two hides and paper towel substrate and a good sized water dish with fresh water. Her temps are 90-91 at her hot spot and cool area I just checked is currently at 81. Humidity has been consistent at about 50-60% and i dont disturb her. When I first got her, she had a stuck shed on her butt that I got off very easily with a lukewarm, moist washcloth

OBVIOUSLY, I never want to have to assist feed ever again. Even though I was gentle and even though she took the fuzzy like a champ, I know it was stressful for her and I never again want to have to do that to her.

Do you guys have any suggestions for what might make it easier to get her to feed, or when I should start worrying about getting her to eat? I know that when she starts to lose 10-20% of her body weight I should be worried, but I really do not want to have to wait for her to get to that point, if it can be helped. Again, I got into this hobby knowing that beeps are notorious butt-pains with regard to being consistent feeders so I'm not opposed to doing anything and everything I can to help her thrive, so all suggestions are welcome.

If the consensus is that I need to calm down and not worry so much, I am fine with that and will do my best to do that too! In any case, I'm glad she's got food in her belly now, but I'd like to make it easier on her (and me) in the future.

Thanks!