Ummm....there's some confusing inconsistencies in your description...


A 3 year old BP is no longer in the "rapidly growing phase" of life.

A BP large enough to eat a medium rat (which, in my opinion is too big even for an enormous BP) is far too big to live in a 10 gallon aquarium.


How long have you had him and where did you get him?

And to answer some other questions: Yes, a high-traffic area CAN cause stress and lack of security. Perhaps covering the sides of the glass with something opaque will help...but if there's lots of vibrations and thumping going on, it may not make much difference.

Fluctuating temps can also cause a BP to not want to eat.

As well as a prey item that is far too large.