My adult BP girl is an ok eater... she sometimes refuses but when I offer again she almost always eats it if she's hungry.

But she has a fear of white rats. I have been trying to feed this small one to her for a long time, but she doesn't even stalk it or look at it like she's interested. When it pokes at her hide box, she gets out of the hide and goes in her water bowl. I think it's the coloration that is freaking her out.

So I just put the rat in for the 4th time (I wait at least 3 days before offering again, and in the meanwhile I fed her a black and white rat which she ate readily), and she's out of her hide, poking around looking for ways to get out, avoiding the rat. It's been about 20min, she's still trying to get out.

Should I leave it in for longer? I was thinking a couple hours. Don't worry, I am here in the room with it, and in the time we've had the rat (a long time), it has been really friendly. I doubt it will hurt her, and if it does, I will know and immediately take Cu to the vet.

I love her too much! I feel like such a terrible person when I leave the rat that is scaring her in. What should I do?