Room temp thawing over night?

For some reason, using hot water on a medium rat takes forever! Can I thaw the rats out at room temp overnight??

I would use the fridge if you want to over night. I just get them soaking before dinner, then feed afterwards.

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Originally Posted by Yodawagon

I would use the fridge if you want to over night. I just get them soaking before dinner, then feed afterwards.

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Problem is that my roomie seems to think if I use the fridge it will contaminate everything in there despite the fact it's sealed in a baggie

What weight are these rats?

You could try hiding them in a tupperware box or a paper bag?

Avoid take-away containers as it may only be fun at halloween. :devilish:

My wife doesn't like them in the fridge either. I put them in a canning jar to thaw.

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Originally Posted by dr del

What weight are these rats?

You could try hiding them in a tupperware box or a paper bag?

Avoid take-away containers as it may only be fun at halloween. :devilish:

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120g, then there's 3 smalls at 50-70g each. I ended up getting up super early and started thawing so if I fall asleep they'll be at least partially done

My wife has the same issue. No way she'll let me thaw mice/rats in the fridge. I bought a small office fridge for $80 on sale at Walmart. I'll end up using that. Have to keep mama happy.

It takes my medium rats about 3 hours to completely thaw in warm water. That's not too bad.

Get some opaque plastic containers with lids large enough to hold the feeder. Put the feeder in the container, put the lid on, put it in the fridge overnight. What the others in the house don't have to see doesn't bother them.

Now that said, I just get a large mixing bowl, throw the feeders in, and stuff the bowl into the fridge wherever I can find room. My house, my kitchen, my rules. ;)

Changing the water our frequently will help thaw it out faster. I usually put the vacuum/zip lock in a tub, in the bath and change the water every 15 min or so, flipping each time, and they will be thawed out in about an hour. The only ones I leave overnight in the fridge are the jumbos (I mostly keep boas). Be careful with too hot of water, that can cause the feeder to pop when being constricted and ... eww what a mess.

I defrost them in the snake room where the temperature is at 80F.

I take out what I need around midday and they're ready to go when I feed the snakes. I know it's more to do with the quality of the rodents, but coming home to mice in warm water that smelt rancid and decomposed is not a smell I want to experience again. It took a day for that smell to disappear! The downside of buying frozen.

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

Changing the water our frequently will help thaw it out faster. I usually put the vacuum/zip lock in a tub, in the bath and change the water every 15 min or so, flipping each time, and they will be thawed out in about an hour. The only ones I leave overnight in the fridge are the jumbos (I mostly keep boas). Be careful with too hot of water, that can cause the feeder to pop when being constricted and ... eww what a mess.

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Yup, gut bombs, very messy! :taz:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

Changing the water our frequently will help thaw it out faster. I usually put the vacuum/zip lock in a tub, in the bath and change the water every 15 min or so, flipping each time, and they will be thawed out in about an hour. The only ones I leave overnight in the fridge are the jumbos (I mostly keep boas). Be careful with too hot of water, that can cause the feeder to pop when being constricted and ... eww what a mess.

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That is what I do, (sort of) and it does help to dump most the water out and add new hot water from the tap about 20 minutes after the first soak. My water is pretty hot right from the bathroom tap. Usually one fresh hot water add does the trick. I use an old foodlion 5 gal ice cream bucket and one small to medium rat with no bag or anything. ( I have only one snake) It takes about an hour and a half. I clean out the bucket with some soap and about a teaspoon of bleach when finished.
And your room mate might not care that your rat is in something. My wife draws the line concerning the fridge. She allows in the freezer but ain't no rat going in the fridge if I have it locked up in a safe. Just the thought of it in the fridge probably turns your roommates stomach, can't say I blame them really. Also I have a friend who use to own a pet store and sold snakes and other reptiles. He said if you just thaw out at room there can be ice crystals deep inside. He recommended putting it in water because snakes don't care if the rat is wet. But I use a hair dryer on high and low to dry and warm the rat after taking it out of the water. And I measure the temp with my infrared temp gun. I put it over a hundred and let it cool to about 87 and serve. But I have learned to wait about 10-14 days between feed times otherwise she is not hungry enough and turns her nose up. 10 days it's one sniff and bamb.