If your BP is under a year old or so, its still growing a lot lengthwise so they may not put on too much girth, and that it totally OK for them and nothing to worry about as long as they keep eating. Also, if your bp is 27" long, you should be about ready to switch them over to small rats. Small rats are very good for growing BPs, I was apprehensive about switching my bp over, and when she took her first small rat down I was truely amazed. Now she pounds them down like they're goin outta style. Just give it a shot and see what happens.

As far as the heating situation, I'd say that switching the lamp up on her was a bad idea. Too often, as keepers, we try to intervene due to what we think will be good for them. Truth is, they know what is best for them and if your bp wants to get warm, he'll go under the warm lamp. Thats just how it works. Now your bp is probably all kinds of confused that his cool safe hide is now heating up.