Any tips on not wasting rats when my BP is off feeding?

I've been thawing a rat offering it and putting it back in the freezer or fridge when she doesn't take it. After 1/2 thaws the rat starts to get gross and I chuck it.

Any suggests on how not to waste them while waiting for her to start eating again?

Get a boa or two.

I kid, but that's what I am doing. If I expect any refusals I thaw out the balls food first and if any of them don't eat the boas always do.

Try fresh Kill then if they don't eat you can freeze that :)

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Originally Posted by ExotixTowing

Try fresh Kill then if they don't eat you can freeze that :)

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That is an option but I don't know how I would feel about killing a rat :(

I will usually buy about half as many rats as I need during breeding season, and just rotate them through the cages until they're eaten. My bank account loves this time of year, I only need about 1/4 of the rats I usually do.

In your case, this may take a little time, but try only thawing a one or two rats at a time, and then using tweezers, offer one to a snake at a time. If none eat, you're only out one rat, instead of several.

-Jen

Unfortunately I only have 1 snake so I can't pass the rat down the line

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Feed live and get a rat cage. If he doesn't eat just put the rat back in the cage and wait for next time.

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Originally Posted by DrDooLittle

Feed live and get a rat cage. If he doesn't eat just put the rat back in the cage and wait for next time.

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This. :gj:

Balls are too picky/unpredictable for us to even consider f/t, especially with the amount we have. Our smaller corns get f/t and that is it. Everything else gets live.

What I do with mine is while the rat is still frozen I take it and a hair dryer and hold the frozen rat over the cage (I have a screen top) I turn the hair dryer on low and blow it on the rat and into the cage. I know it sounds crazy, but I kept trying to figure out how to not waste the thawed rat. So the scent of the rat even though frozen will blow into the cage and I can see if my female comes out of her hide. If she does I take that as she is interested, if she doesn't I put it back in the freezer. It works for me.

You cannot refreeze rats like that. Think about why you can't refreeze chicken or steak or pork and then apply that to a rat.

Honestly, when your BP is off feed, I would learn the routine. I have a BP that goes off feed every single October/November ish and then comes back on feed anywhere from February to April. After his first refusal, I don't offer food anymore until February. If he doesn't take it in February. I wait til March to try again. If he doesn't take it in March, I wait til April. Once he starts eating, I feed weekly. It works well and he doesn't waste as much food this way.

Star

I minimize wasted rats by have 2 feeding days. One for half my collection, and another day for the other half. If one is refused, I attempt to feed one in the other group.

Although this year would be my first cold season(breeding season), what I have done since both of my males and one female have gone off food is that I offer them every 2 weeks with the same system with the 2 different feeding days, only for the ones I know are off food of course. For the regular eaters I thaw the normal amount of rats.

Also, depending on how long I've had the rat out of the freezer. I have refrozen some rats without a problem. As long as the rat isn't foul smelling I would feed it off no problem.

When all is said and done, I could also just feed my boa. She takes everything every time, even in shed.

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Originally Posted by Cally95

What I do with mine is while the rat is still frozen I take it and a hair dryer and hold the frozen rat over the cage (I have a screen top) I turn the hair dryer on low and blow it on the rat and into the cage. I know it sounds crazy, but I kept trying to figure out how to not waste the thawed rat. So the scent of the rat even though frozen will blow into the cage and I can see if my female comes out of her hide. If she does I take that as she is interested, if she doesn't I put it back in the freezer. It works for me.

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I would agree with you but but acts very interested in it but doesn't strike. I'm using the same type of rat I always do and heating it the same way I always do - let it thaw during the day and blow drying it warm.

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Originally Posted by weird_science04

You cannot refreeze rats like that. Think about why you can't refreeze chicken or steak or pork and then apply that to a rat.

Honestly, when your BP is off feed, I would learn the routine. I have a BP that goes off feed every single October/November ish and then comes back on feed anywhere from February to April. After his first refusal, I don't offer food anymore until February. If he doesn't take it in February. I wait til March to try again. If he doesn't take it in March, I wait til April. Once he starts eating, I feed weekly. It works well and he doesn't waste as much food this way.

Star

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This is my first year with her, 11 months, so I haven't had a chance to learn her routine. But clearly it is something that I will have to do going forward, thanks.

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Originally Posted by weird_science04

You cannot refreeze rats like that. Think about why you can't refreeze chicken or steak or pork and then apply that to a rat.

Star

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Actually you can re freeze beef, chicken or Pork !! As long as you know it wasn't frozen several times ! I don't see depending on the Thawing method not being able to refreeze at least once .

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Originally Posted by ExotixTowing

Actually you can re freeze beef, chicken or Pork !! As long as you know it wasn't frozen several times ! I don't see depending on the Thawing method not being able to refreeze at least once .

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"Refreezing
Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing. After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods. If previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion. Freeze leftovers within 3-4 days. Do not refreeze any foods left outside the refrigerator longer than 2 hours; 1 hour in temperatures above 90 °F."

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FactSheets/...zing/index.asp

Star

I ended up buying a live small rat and I barley dropped the rat in before it was being crushed.

I feed them to my snapping turtle.

You have 1 snake. Rats are 1 dollar each. If the snake is off feed then offer less frequently until it is eating again to save money and frustration. Every 14 days, perhaps? If you don't have 2 dollars a month for pet food...

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Originally Posted by MrLang

You have 1 snake. Rats are 1 dollar each. If the snake is off feed then offer less frequently until it is eating again to save money and frustration. Every 14 days, perhaps? If you don't have 2 dollars a month for pet food...

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Please tell me where I can buy rats for $1! A small rat at a pet store near me costs $5

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Originally Posted by Rusky

Please tell me where I can buy rats for $1! A small rat at a pet store near me costs $5

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http://www.rodentpro.com/catalog.asp...el=frozen_rats

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Originally Posted by mikel81

http://www.rodentpro.com/catalog.asp...el=frozen_rats

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Well yes, online they are cheap. I thought he was talking about buying them from a store. But while they are really cheap online, the shipping kills it.

I buy from rodentpro at the monthly local reptile show to save shipping.

You can refreeze without ill effect to the snake as long as you did not cook it partially during thawing. Snakes have much stronger digestive enzymes than humans so USDA standards are not necessarily applied.

I wouldn't thaw a chicken breast and then refreeze it for human consumption, but humans do not digest an animal whole bones and all. Bacteria that affects us is not even noticed in a snake.

I would not refreeze more than once.

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Originally Posted by Rylmad

You can refreeze without ill effect to the snake as long as you did not cook it partially during thawing.

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Re-freezing will increase your chances for having the rodent pop open when your snake constricts it.