Oh she certainly tried! I just read up after she took it that way if it was dangerous, and heard that it's POSSIBLE to hurt their throats on the legs. And since the rat was a bit on the big side for her size (Appropriate, but not a LOT of wiggle room.) I thought I'd try nudging it around with the tongs to see if she'd get the idea. She certainly did not, she just squeezed it tighter. I only gave it to her the right side after she'd already dropped it on her own later. :]
It was still one of the cutest things I've ever seen.