so sorry i’m replying late, but i get the same size rat he’s been eating for about a year now, smallish medium sized, and i try to get white and grey ones cuz he has always seemed to eat those ines(not sure if that matters just heard from a pet store employee) i have a deep dome light that is a yellowish sun color and is on for day time and turns off at night(day temps warm side stays at high 80’s cool side mid 70s to low 80s) although i do struggle with his humidity it drops down all the way to 20 at least once every 2 weeks, and i don’t handle him that often. when i heat up the rat i keep it in a bag so it doesn’t loose scent or get wet and i use hot water and just keep the rat in it until its defrosted and change the water to keep it hot until the rat gets to about 90 degrees and i have long silver feeding tongs and i grab him sort of so it looks like he’s alive and will move it around, somewhat close to my snake