First feeding and F/T rat question

Yesterday I tried to feed my new BP after having her for two weeks. I thawed out the rat pup in the fridge over the course of the day, then warmed it up in water and subsequently blow-dried it. While I was blow-drying, my shy BP stuck her head out of the hide curiously, looking like she wanted to eat, but whenever I opened the lid she cowered back into her hide. She struck the rat a couple times from within her hide but never latched and coiled. I ended up leaving the rat in the enclosure overnight to see if she would want it on her own terms. When I checked this morning the rat was still there :(

I've heard you can refreeze a F/T rat about once and try to feed it later, but since I heated it up and left it in the enclosure overnight is that still a possibility? I'm planning on trying again next week.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dramatron

Yesterday I tried to feed my new BP after having her for two weeks. I thawed out the rat pup in the fridge over the course of the day, then warmed it up in water and subsequently blow-dried it. While I was blow-drying, my shy BP stuck her head out of the hide curiously, looking like she wanted to eat, but whenever I opened the lid she cowered back into her hide. She struck the rat a couple times from within her hide but never latched and coiled. I ended up leaving the rat in the enclosure overnight to see if she would want it on her own terms. When I checked this morning the rat was still there :(

I've heard you can refreeze a F/T rat about once and try to feed it later, but since I heated it up and left it in the enclosure overnight is that still a possibility? I'm planning on trying again next week.

---

You can usually put it back in the fridge and try one more time, but since you left it out overnight, toss it...

I would not freeze that one again. I have never froze any feeders that have been thawed longer than an hour.

When heating a feeder you need to present it in the range of a live one. A live mouse has a body temp around 100F. I use hot water to do this.

I would never freeze a thawed rat again, the dollar or so you spent on the feeder isn't worth saving if you might get your animal sick.

I feel you go through a lot to thaw a meal, we just put it in hot water for maybe 10 minutes and that sufficiently will thaw and bring it up to temperature in time to feed!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AlysonAME

I would never freeze a thawed rat again, the dollar or so you spent on the feeder isn't worth saving if you might get your animal sick.

I feel you go through a lot to thaw a meal, we just put it in hot water for maybe 10 minutes and that sufficiently will thaw and bring it up to temperature in time to feed!

---

Have you ever tried to re-freeze one?

I speak from experience from doing it many times and have never had a problem. I don't like wasting money no matter the amount.

The important part is not freezing it again after being thawed to long. That's why I won't freeze it after an hour. That is my preference and it has worked well for me. After an hour it gets fed to another that will take it.