Uneaten rats.

[ratchet]

Not really sure where this question should be posted, but just a quick one that I'm not sure about.

If you leave a f/t rat with the snake and it doesn't eat it and the rat sits there over night, throw it out or can you freeze it again? I personally was thinking it'd be better to chuck it after it sat there all night after being thawed out, but what do you guys do?

Thanks!

[EL-Ziggy]

I have re-frozen prey items that were left out for a few hours but very anything left out overnight. Will on of your other snakes eat the leftovers?

[Tsanford]

When I used to feed F/T I would Chuck them. I feel that after heating them up, then letting them sit out all that time, that parasites would start growing.

I wouldn't eat old left over food, because I wouldn't want to get sick. I would want that for my snakes either.

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[JoshSloane]

Did you leave it in the hot or cold side of the cage? I usually throw it out, as they usually smell pretty bad after a day. In the wild snakes will forage and eat previously dead items, but they have an enhanced immune system that our domestic animals don't. To be safe I would toss it.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Overnight?? Trash it.
Safe to refreeze once after a couple house but I never did.
My reason for feeding live, no wasted life.

[GoingPostal]

Toss it. I feed refused meals to my youngest dog, she'll eat anything.

[JoshSloane]

Toss it. I feed refused meals to my youngest dog, she'll eat anything.

Uh what? Tell me you're joking...

[PitOnTheProwl]

Uh what? Tell me you're joking...

Why? I have a rodent patrol. Should a rat make a run it usually doesnt get far.

[ratchet]

Thanks everyone! Like you guys, I'll freeze them again if it's been an hour, maaaaybe two, but I imagine bacteria and nasty things forming inside a warm, dead rat if left too long... gross. I hate throwing out rats, though, so I was wanting to see what everyone else does.

She is my biggest snake so any leftovers from her can't go to another snake, unfortunately. She sort of hid it behind her hide, I thought she had ate it because she struck and constricted it! This was her second rat, so maybe she was just wanting a little fun but was feeling full from the first one. I'm not complaining too much, eating one after she's been sick has made me very happy.

[MrLang]

The rate of decomposition is dramatically higher with whole prey compared to a chicken breast or a ground beef patty. I don't refreeze after an hour or so of being thawed. I have noticed snakes refuse those previously frozen rats at a much higher rate as well. I believe the snake can tell when it has gone bad.