Feeding questions

[lance]

Well I see so many different methods for people feeding there ball pythons all of mine feed on frozen thawed and I was curious to people's method of how they prepare your frozen thawed rodents for feeding. Such as what are the steps you take, how long do you de-thaw, what methods of de-thawing do you use, etc...?

Thanks kindly,

Lance

[el8ch]

Hi Lance,

Right now I'm feeding 20g - 29g F/T rat pups - I take them out of the freezer usually two hours before feeding and place them in a zip-loc bag. I place the bag with the rat inside into a bowl or hot water and let it sit for an hour and a half or so. Once I have verfied that the rat is fully thawed I refill the bowl with hot water to heat up the core temp of the rat again before feeding. After I take the rat out of the bowl I give him a quick blow dry with an old hair dryer to get his head nice and stinky grab him with my tongs and usually within the next 30 - 40 seconds he is dinner.

So yeah, thats my process - works for me and Tango. =)

[Jeremy78]

Careful with the above post. Rapid de-thawing in hot water can cause the rat to "explode". It also may cause the rat to cook on the outside and still be frozen on the inside.

I take out my rats the night before. Let em sit somewhere at room temp for 8-10 hours. Then when they are fully thawed I pop em in a ziploc face down. Fill a small lunch cooler with hot tap water. Pop the rats in the bag in the cooler for 30 minutes to an hour. Then the rats are about 98-105F... Bon appetit!

If the rats are any less then 90F the snakes won't touch it. Any hotter then 105F and I dunno, I don't go hotter lol.

[Sarin]

I just take out what I need the night before and throw it in the fridge. Then in the morning I take them out and let them thaw in a spare tub in the rack for a couple hours. Dip the head in hot tap water and feed. Works perfectly.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

For few snakes that get F/T or when they get F/T I thaw at room temp next to their enclosure and warm up with a hair dryer.

[el8ch]

[QUOTE=Jeremy78;1500230]Careful with the above post. Rapid de-thawing in hot water can cause the rat to "explode". It also may cause the rat to cook on the outside and still be frozen on the inside.QUOTE]

Hey Jeremy - point noted, thanks! I haven't had a problem to date as I thaw using more tepid water than hot, but given some of the responses and further reading looks like I'll just change methods and rather be 'safe than sorry'

[lance]

Thank you all for the help I have been looking for this advise and been given so many different ones and now I am confident with what you all have shared that I can be more comfortable with feeding them now thanks again all.

Lance