I feel for you. I went through the same thing when I fed a rat last summer. My biggest female got it around the lower half of the rat's body and there was NO getting her to adjust her grip. We ended up killing the rat ourselves after realizing it would be a very long, painful death if we didn't.

I keep a snap trap and locking forceps around for just that reason. I am no good at snapping necks with my hands (call my a wuss, but the grind-click of it gives me the heeby-jeebies). But the forceps do a great job.

And of course, f/t will solve the problem all together. If you find a full-proof way of getting them to switch, SELL IT! We'll pay plenty for such a solution, lol.
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Lincoln, NE
0.1 Pastel, 1.0 Pastel het Pied, 0.1 Pied, 0.1 Cinn, 1.0 Black Pewter, 1.0 Woma (hidden gene?), 0.1 Yellowbelly
2.0 Normals, 1.0 Thayeri, 0.1 Thayeri X Alterna, 0.1 crazy cat, 1.0 husband

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• I may have just...(graphic image) - kingofspades, Thu Sep 23 23:48:46 2010
• RE: I may have just...(graphic image) - Bolitochrome, Fri Sep 24 07:34:20 2010
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• you won't feel badly iF - JYohe, Fri Sep 24 14:58:46 2010
• RE: you won't feel badly iF - kingofspades, Fri Sep 24 19:12:33 2010
• RE: I may have just...(graphic image) - JoshMolone, Fri Sep 24 16:28:47 2010
• RE: I may have just...(graphic image) - kingofspades, Fri Sep 24 19:13:46 2010
• RE: I may have just...(graphic image) - Watever, Sat Sep 25 08:39:11 2010
• RE: I may have just...(graphic image) - DiamondFlame10, Sun Sep 26 21:25:47 2010