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.
I've had them refuse them too if they've been thawed out a second time. Those ones get thrown out for sure.
06-30-2015, 07:27 PM
Jamiesniper
Re: Uneaten rats.
If a snake refuses on me, it usually goes to another but if no others will take it, it gets thrown out.
I treat their food like I do my own, I wouldn't defrost food then refreeze it, so it doesn't happen to theirs either
0.1 Spotnose, 0.1 Fire 0.1 het pied, 1.0 het pied, 1.0 Lesser, 1.0 Pastel, 1.0 Normal
06-30-2015, 10:07 PM
J&A exotics
Re: Uneaten rats.
I throw out any thing that gets left in over night. I hate wasting but afterits sat in tub overnite i can't see how it be good anymore. I do know that they will eat dead food in the wild but i guess thats cause there really hungry at that point. They have a amazing digestive system so im sure it could handle it but to me not worth the risk of getting any of my snakes sick cause i wanted to save a couple dollars.
06-30-2015, 10:41 PM
lorrainesmom
I throw it out. I feed right before dark, so either the owls get it, or one of the stray cats in the area. The rat is gone by the next morning.
06-30-2015, 11:49 PM
Monty's_Mom
I throw it out, even if it means my snake might go hungry next week before I can get more.
07-01-2015, 11:31 AM
GoingPostal
Re: Uneaten rats.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoshSloane
Uh what? Tell me you're joking...
Why? This may shock you, but rats are made of meat and dogs are also carnivores. Unfortunately my cat and ferret seem to think rats are inedible or I would give it to them. Don't see any reason to waste it. If I can't find a place to take them I feed my retired breeders to my dogs as well since I don't have any snakes large enough to eat ones that big.
07-01-2015, 11:49 AM
HVani
That is why I have a boa! He will eat anything. I only give 30 minutes max to eat. In my experience if they don't take it in 15-20 minutes they won't over all. I don't like to leave them overnight. I would rather try again another night. If they don't eat it, the rat is reheated and fed to my boa.
07-01-2015, 01:28 PM
Reinz
Uneaten rats.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HVani
That is why I have a boa! He will eat anything. I only give 30 minutes max to eat. In my experience if they don't take it in 15-20 minutes they won't over all. I don't like to leave them overnight. I would rather try again another night. If they don't eat it, the rat is reheated and fed to my boa.
I wish my boa ate f/t for that reason, haha. She's the only one I have that eats live! Got her at 2 weeks old and I couldn't switch her over and neither could a friend of the breeder I bought her from. So live it is. [emoji14] It switches it up for feeding time, I don't mind watching the action instead of making the action while making rats zombie dance.
