Most effective and cleanest way to defrost feeders

I hate using hot water to thaw. If you put the rat directly in it, it can soak too long and explode when the snake hits it. If you use a plastic baggie in the water, you have to weigh it down for it to actually thaw. I just set the rats out on paper towels in the snake room (or on top of the cage) on feeding day. Pups should only take ~2-3 hours to get to room temp, then warm the head with a hair dryer for ~30 seconds before offering with tongs.

I hate the smell of blow drying the rat. I have a food saver vacuum sealer and I individually vacuum seal each rat to freeze them so I thaw them in hot water while they are in the bag. Zip lock bags should work also for thawing so the water doesn't actually have to touch the rat...

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http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...P-s-Food/page3

Just put the feeder in the fridge it'll thaw in about half a day, then put it under the heat lamp for like 4 minutes to get up to temp. Worry and hassle free!

Thanks for all the tips everyone.

I like the plastic baggy idea, so it doesn't get all waterlogged, plus I don't have to touch them bare handed and get the scent of food on my hands.

How long can frozen rats be stored in the freezer without starting to go bad? Just want to check before I go stock up later, because I don't know if they come in singles or packs at Petco.

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Originally Posted by Vinny 4

How long can frozen rats be stored in the freezer without starting to go bad? Just want to check before I go stock up later, because I don't know if they come in singles or packs at Petco.

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Rodentpro says 9mos. But I imagine its how they are packaged. Vacuum sealed will obviously last longer than a rat in a plastic bag, ya know? I think the frozens from PETCO have a use by date, but I could be wrong...

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It's pretty simple. What I do is plop 'em in warm water (or even lukewarm. NOT hot, because then you can get explodo-rats) for as long as it takes to soften up completely. And serve!! If you want, you can dry them off, but it's not necessary. I just like to.

If you have a picky eater, in addition you can try sticking the (thawed) feeder directly below a heat lamp for 2-5 minutes to give it the illusion of normal body temperature.

Here is what I do, it is mess and smell free and have never had one burst on me at all.

I lay them out in my snake room for a few hours and let them thaw completely, once they are thawed and dry. I blow dry them for a few minutes until they are warm to the touch. This has worked best for me.

When I fed ft I left them out over night then blew dry them for maybe 5 min. Works like a charm. Keep in mind that if you thaw in tap water do not use the hottest water you can get out of the tap. This can cook the rat and cause regurges and serious issues for the snake. Microwaving also never thaw with one of those. Bad bad bad all around.


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