Have you spoken with the seller about the issue? Was he feeding her in a particular manner? I know I have a female that simply will NOT touch her rat unless she's in a covered tub with lights out. It took a while to figure out that she prefers it this way. I'm working on getting her to start accepting food readily w/o all the extra prep work but for now it's what works for her. You might try offering food in a way that excludes all possible distractions. Have you tried closed paper bag or cardboard box?
Think of the smaller feeder animal not as a real meal and more as an appetizer (literally) - something to get her back into the swing of things. You mention that she was taking live small rats from her previous owner. If she has had any incidents with live feeders, a poorly placed strike and resulting bite or scratch for instance, then she may be more reluctant to take another live rat. Taking a step back and offering smaller (less threatening) prey animals can help rebuild confidence and feeding response.Originally Posted by lesserlover
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