My F/T rat exploded......sick.

I don't know if this is my fault somehow or if this last batch of rats that I got was just not right. The previous batch of rats (batch 1) that I got they took with zero issues, but they just don't seem as interested in this batch (batch 2). They came from different places. As soon as I got the rats, I separated them all and put them into freezer bags. I thaw in hot water, then heat with a blow-dryer until they are warm to the touch.

Meatball usually is a secretive eater, he's only stuck at a rat twice since I've had him, every week I usually just leave his rat in his tub and he eats it within about an hour of me leaving the room and turning the lights out. Last week he didn't eat (a rat from batch 2). We are still waiting to see if he is going to eat tonight.

Larry is usually a strong eater, paces the front of the tub as soon as I start blow drying the rats. As soon as I open the tub, he strikes and feeding time is done. Last week, he didn't even strike at the rat (a rat from batch 2) so I left it in his tub and it was gone in the morning. Tonight, he paced his tub like usual, but again, didnt even strike at the rat (a rat from batch 2) and now I am waiting to see if he is going to eat it.

Nautis is eating well. I got him about a month ago after one of my boyfriends friend's said he was going to let him go outside. The rat I gave him tonight exploded as soon as he coiled it (a rat from batch 2). It made a huge mess everywhere in his tub and he didn't eat it. Luckily, I had another one (a rat from batch 2) thawed and he took that one and ate it just fine.

Suni and Crank ate just fine. The rats they had were from the previous batch (batch 1). Neither of them have ever missed a meal.

Is it possible that they think something is wrong with batch 2? And that is why they are being weird about eating the rats? Why did the one explode?

When I used to feed my BP f/t sometimes if I warmed it up in too hot of water it would explode. Or sometimes if it sits out for too long then all of the fluids inside the rat will go with gravity and soak its way through the rat and explode once it gets constricted. Sometimes they even would explode in the water if it was too hot. That mainly happened when I would defrost them and try to warm them up in a plastic baggy. Then I realized that most BPs will eat a damp rat and just threw the rat strait into the water and then dried it off right before I fed. Never had a problem doing it that way. I think it is because the body would absorb some of the water and keep the bodily fluids away from the surface of the rats skin. But I dont feed f/t anymore unfortunately cause my girl wastes too many.

Partially cooked rat will break open. Sometimes if it has been frozen and thawed and then re frozen the stomach walls weaken and break open as well. Hard to say which try thawing in the fridge over night and then allowing to come up to room temps and heating that last bit with a hair drier. Are we speaking of adult rats or weanling or fuzzys?

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

Partially cooked rat will break open. Sometimes if it has been frozen and thawed and then re frozen the stomach walls weaken and break open as well. Hard to say which try thawing in the fridge over night and then allowing to come up to room temps and heating that last bit with a hair drier. Are we speaking of adult rats or weanling or fuzzys?

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Meatball, Larry & Nautis all eat medium adult rats.

The other two that took fine (Suni & Crank) are small and fuzzy rats.

Where did batch#2 come from? I know the only time it happened to me was when I got a rat (frozen of course) from Petco. It smelled different from the moment I opened it. My normal rfused it so I put it to my pastel who is a feeding machine. It ended up being quite the mess.Yuk!! So I've never gotten a rat from them again.:P

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Originally Posted by CCfive

Where did batch#2 come from? I know the only time it happened to me was when I got a rat (frozen of course) from Petco. It smelled different from the moment I opened it. My normal rfused it so I put it to my pastel who is a feeding machine. It ended up being quite the mess.Yuk!! So I've never gotten a rat from them again.:P

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Came from a local breeder. Honestly idk if I will buy from him again, I have never had them be weird at feeding time until I got this bag. After they finish what's left I'm going to order offline again.

yeahhh... its not pretty.. the things we put up with for our reptiles..

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Originally Posted by zach_24_90

yeahhh... its not pretty.. the things we put up with for our reptiles..

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It makes me want to switch to live, lol! I think I draw the line at guts!

It's because of the hot water, it happened to me with a mouse for the first time around a year ago, not fun at all. It cured me of ever using that method again. These days I just put them in a large bag all wrapped together in a paper towel or two and thaw for 24 hrs in the fridge. When I decide it's feeding time I use the blow dryer. This way no exploded rodents, just perfectly thawed and heated T.V. dinners for my creatures.

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Originally Posted by lasweetswan

It makes me want to switch to live, lol! I think I draw the line at guts!

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I have had the same problem sometimes feeding f/t. Usually happens when the rat is too warm or too wet. I do prefer live but no matter how careful you watch when the snake doesn't get a good hit it can get bit and scratched. It only takes one wrong hit for the rat to get a really good bite in. Even when watching with tongs in hand to stop from bitting. I do hate waisting when they refuse meals had one lil girl waist over 20 bucks in rats. I still will feed some live when they skip a meal or wont take that week. But man one good bite on a snake that I love and that also cost more then my truck just kills me lol. One other option you can try is p/k. Any just my experience, best of luck and hopefully no more exploders lol.

Sean