Our big girl, Osiris, did the strike push away thing for a two or three weeks. We just kept trying her with the rat every week and eventually she took it. We didn't try to switch to mice or anything like that. If they strike twice and don't grab it then we pull it out! The other thing was she was starting to shed when it all started and when she finally took the rat she had just finished shedding that morning. So it could have something to do with shedding that causes that type of reaction!