best way to thaw?

With 40+ mouths to feed I just don't have the time to deal with any "method" I just toss them on top of a screen that lets air flow above and under them. About 45 minutes and I feed all the pinks and fuzzies, at about 70 minutes I feed the hoppers and weanlings and then about 95 minutes I go back in and feed the adult mice and rats.

I try to make sure I know who is about to go into blue, etc to minimize turn downs and what ever does not get eat I see if any of my growing guys or gals want seconds.

Oh ya and Sunday is feeding night so I am just about to go feed the little guys their pinks and fuzzies :carrot: my new baby Okeetee is so cute tackling a pinky!

I generally feed my balls live, but everybody else gets frozen thawed. I also thaw my mice useing warm tap water with the mice in a ziplock bag. Boiling water is not a great idea, it will actually cook the mice and change the smell and consistency of the prey, I've had some of my pickier colubrids refusing boiled mice but eating mice thawed in warm tap water with no problems.

Mark

yea my method of boiling water and letting the water stand for a little while and then letting soak worked pretty good today.... thanks for all the suggestions!

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Originally Posted by jjspirko

With 40+ mouths to feed I just don't have the time to deal with any "method" I just toss them on top of a screen that lets air flow above and under them. About 45 minutes and I feed all the pinks and fuzzies, at about 70 minutes I feed the hoppers and weanlings and then about 95 minutes I go back in and feed the adult mice and rats.

I try to make sure I know who is about to go into blue, etc to minimize turn downs and what ever does not get eat I see if any of my growing guys or gals want seconds.

Oh ya and Sunday is feeding night so I am just about to go feed the little guys their pinks and fuzzies :carrot: my new baby Okeetee is so cute tackling a pinky!

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Isn't that a "method"?

I toss mine out on the bbq right next to my vegetables and beef tenderloin. Gives my food (and Thor's) a nice flavor.

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Originally Posted by shag

Heres what i do before i even think about thawing it out i'll let it sit out close to the vent holes in his enclosure to let him smell it if he doesn't poke his head out after 10min. or so i know hes not interested and i toss it back in the freezer. Even when its frozen the smell is still attractive, if he pokes his head out it goes in a ziplock with the air squeezed out and into a sink full of hot water. 20min. or so later its thawed and if it not warm i use a blow dryer for 10min or so. Next a put it back on the enclosure to get him going again, if after 15min theirs no action going on and hes not interested for one reason or another i'll toss it back in the freezer ONCE ONLY. Refreezing more than once can get a little messy so i've heard, following this procedure i've yet to waste any feeders or have a messy exploded rat to clean up.

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Great idea to avoid waste of a life, time, and money. Thanks for the tip.

Just be careful the second time you thaw it...they get pretty fragile, and often tail tips will come off, or the stomach will split open with little pressure.
Gruesome, I know.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Just be careful the second time you thaw it...they get pretty fragile, and often tail tips will come off, or the stomach will split open with little pressure.
Gruesome, I know.

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Google?

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Originally Posted by chz

Isn't that a "method"?

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Um come on you know what I meant, :sunny: I meant I don't heat them I just put them out to thaw at room temp. My "schedule" is only due to the fact that the smaller ones thaw faster. I put them on a screen just so they don't get all "soggy" as they thaw. Soggy dead rodents are :puke:

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Originally Posted by jjspirko

Soggy dead rodents are :puke:

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i agree with a previous post that said they slide down easier lol not that ive tried it or anything :P