Thawing F/T How do you guys do it?

I that frozen thawed by taking the frozen rats and putting them into hot water for an hour then I feed them after warming them up in another fresh hot water bucket. I have recently noticed that the rats are not warm enough and hence the reason some of my balls aren't eating. How do you guys thaw any way thats more efficient? Let me know. Thanks

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Originally Posted by gulfexports159

I that frozen thawed by taking the frozen rats and putting them into hot water for an hour then I feed them after warming them up in another fresh hot water bucket. I have recently noticed that the rats are not warm enough and hence the reason some of my balls aren't eating. How do you guys thaw any way thats more efficient? Let me know. Thanks

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I pull one out the night before the next morning I put it in a Tupperware container with warm water and the lid on tight. After I get out of the shower the feeder is ready. dry off the extra water and feed.

Heat it up with a blow dryer for a few minutes after fully defrosting it

I would not put the FT rodent directly into the water. Water will hasten the decomposition of the dead organic matter. You wouldn't throw a nice steak directly into hot water unless you wanted to mess it up. :D

Rodent in ziplock bag.
Ziplock bag in container of hot water.
Wait a few hours.
Remove rodent.
Feed to snake.

Sometimes I will do a second container of hot water at the end for 5 or 10 minutes to warm up the rodent a little before feeding.

I just drop mine in warm water let sit change the water let sit a little while longer then dry off the rats and feed. If there pinkys or anything smaller then an adult mouse i dont change the water at all

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i pull my rat out hours b4 time make sure its full defrosted at room temp .. put water in tub microwave it for 5 min so its real hot then take the rat in the sandwich bag n put it in the hot water for like 3/5 min i feel the rat to make sure its warm enough then i feed to who ever wants to eat

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Originally Posted by steve_r34

i pull my rat out hours b4 time make sure its full defrosted at room temp .. put water in tub microwave it for 5 min so its real hot then take the rat in the sandwich bag n put it in the hot water for like 3/5 min i feel the rat to make sure its warm enough then i feed to who ever wants to eat

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Doesn't the microwave destroy the protein in the feeder tho?

I always thawed mine at room temp in the snake room for a few hours and then placed on a heating pad for a few minutes after they were fully thawed.

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Originally Posted by fishdip

Doesn't the microwave destroy the protein in the feeder tho?

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The rat never goes in the microwave. He's heating up the water, and putting the rat in after. But yes, microwaving the meat is not good for the snake.

I generally let it thaw out in the fridge overnight, then drop it in a container of hot water to warm it up. This works for the different prey sizes we use for the kings and for the BP.

Since I feed many multiple sized prey, I just throw it all together in a bucket, fill it with warm water let it sit, maybe 30 min, till the water is cold. Then I dump it and do it again, usually takes 2 to three times until the largest prey is thawed through, then I fill it with the hottest water from the tap and feed.

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Originally Posted by 200xth

Rodent in ziplock bag.
Ziplock bag in container of hot water.
Wait a few hours.
Remove rodent.
Feed to snake.

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This :number1: Except I hit them with a hair dryer before feeding. The hair dryer adds a little heat and gets the sent moving around the room. I usually shoot the rat with a laser temp gun right before I feed, so I know I'm in the right temp range. Too hot is just as bad as too cold.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Do any of you take them out the night before? I do like the fridge idea overnight that would probably be perfect and would be a natural thaw just like meat. I have always just thrown them in water but that may be the problem. I should try feeding them dry and not wet. Thanks again.

I like to avoid feeding them wet because I don't think the sent molecules are as easy for your snake to pick up when the hair is wet. I have nothing scientific to back that up, just antidotal evidence and experience.

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Originally Posted by Slim

I like to avoid feeding them wet because I don't think the sent molecules are as easy for your snake to pick up when the hair is wet. I have nothing scientific to back that up, just antidotal evidence and experience.

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I would have to agre. Maybe my thawing methods are why not all eat every time? I'll will try a different method next time.

I do the fridge the day before for small feeders but really large feeders get at least 2 days in the fridge.
Place in warm water untill warm all the way through.
Feed to hungry snake.

I place directly in water only because I feel like its a little "bath" or rinse before my snakes eat. Rinses off bedding, poop, or anything else that may be stuck to them. I have had trouble with some going after wet rodents. For those picky eaters I have used hair dryers and warming in baggies in water so they don't get wet. The latter is much easier.

I'm going to try the temp gun to see what temp I actually am feeding.

I have that will only eat thawed if its thawed with ambient temps. She want touch it if its thawed out in water period. Maybe scent issue. Also take its head to a heat lamp for a minute or so makes the whole process easier.


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My method:

1. The night before feeding, I put the prey item in the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
2. On feeding day, I take the prey out of the fridge when I get home from work and let it come up to room temp while I'm doing other stuff.
3. When it's time to feed, I put water on to boil in a tea kettle.
4. I put the prey in a little Tupperware dish I have and cover it with tap water.
5. I then add hot water from the tea kettle until the prey temperature is 100 - 104 degrees. I try to get the head warmer than the body. I use a probe thermometer pushed against the prey to measure the temp.
6. When the temp is right, I use tongs to remove the prey from the water and dry it thoroughly on a paper towel.
7. Hubby uses tongs to grab the prey by the tail and offer it to the snake. He wiggles the prey a bit and keeps it just about head height.
8. Usually within about half a minute, the snake zaps the prey and coils.

My little boy is a strong, aggressive feeder. He sometimes zaps the prey so hard that my husband is left holding nothing but a rat tail in the tongs.

*cough* microwave *cough*

no, seriously, all is fine as long as you do not use a microwave oven.

simple and fast: drop them in tap water (cold / lukewarm / doesnt matter), then maybe warm water, but you can skip that. then dry with towel or paper towel, then blast them with a hairdryer.

overheat and they explode when constricted and innards go everywhere.

the thing is that it takes a lot of energy to turn ice into water, and when you turn water into ice a lot of energy is released. phase transitions. cold or lukewarm water will get it done, once its fully thawed, dry it with a towel and give it a hairdryer blast.

I thaw mine at room temperature (in the plastic packaging it comes in) for about 2 hours and then I put it in warm/hot water (not boiling) for about 10-15 minutes. My balls eat them within seconds.

I get the sweats real bad. So I take them from the freezer and strap them to my arm pits for about 30-60 minutes. It warms them up fine and it cools me down in the process. I've had no problems with this.



What I really do: Place frozen rodents in pitcher(not one I drink out of), add hot water, let sit for 10-15, repeat, serve.

ok, I think I have been going at this all wrong and is why some snakes will eat and others maybe don't like the scent. Thanks to all! I will report back next feeding day.

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Originally Posted by Slim

This :number1: Except I hit them with a hair dryer before feeding. The hair dryer adds a little heat and gets the sent moving around the room. I usually shoot the rat with a laser temp gun right before I feed, so I know I'm in the right temp range. Too hot is just as bad as too cold.

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Where can I get a temp gun??
I thaw mine in a bowl full of the hottest tap water until the water is cold; dump water and add fresh hot tap water (as hot as it will go). Feed. I don't dry mine off, though.

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Originally Posted by Lubana

Where can I get a temp gun??
I thaw mine in a bowl full of the hottest tap water until the water is cold; dump water and add fresh hot tap water (as hot as it will go). Feed. I don't dry mine off, though.

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Anywhere online. I research for about a week and decided on this one from amazon TG1 tempgun from amazon. Its the same one they sell on reptile basics but different brand and cheaper.http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/03/ase3ysyd.jpg


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Thanks! :)

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Originally Posted by Lubana

Where can I get a temp gun??

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This is the one I've been using for a couple of years. Love it!

http://www.reptilebasics.com/412l-thermometer

I just pull my frozen feeders and place in warm water to defrost while still in their ziploc or container bag. Then I heat up the head region with a heat lamp before feeding.

We put all our rodents (about 40 at a time) in a lowes 5 gallon bucket of hot water until water gets cold then dump and repeat. Once we are ready to feed we pull a rodent out dab it a few times with a rag and offer. Its that simple. Sometimes we have picky eaters that have eaten live before or just want a hotter meal so we place under a heat lamp for a few minutes.