best way to thaw?

i put my rats in a pot with boiled hot water.... is there another way?

Yea, there are several.

-let it sit out for 30 mins to defrost (although this provides time for bacterial growth)
-put it in the microwave (although you're liable to cook the prey and lessen it's nutritional value)
-set it under a heatlamp (quicker than just letting it defrost on it's own, but does still allow time for bacterial growth)
-setting it under the exhaust pipe of your car and letting it idle (all around HORRIBLE idea)
-create a blowtorch out of a lighter and a can of aerosol WD-40 (once again, HORRIBLE idea...)

There really are countless ways to do it, just need to find a way to warm them up all the way through, and without taking TOO long to allow bacterial growth, or heating it up too quickly and causing the body to fall apart...

EDIT: PLEASE DO NOT USE THE LAST TWO SUGGESTIONS, MY BAD HUMOR GOT IN MY WAY!!!!

I just keep them in the bag and put them in in hot water and let them sit for about 15-30min depending on how long it takes for them to completely thaw. A friend of mine had a boa and thaws his on the poarch when its warm out... Talk about a shock when someone walkes up to the door and almost steps on a dead rat in a bag-lol

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Originally Posted by Gooseman

-setting it under the exhaust pipe of your car and letting it idle (all around HORRIBLE idea)
-create a blowtorch out of a lighter and a can of aerosol WD-40 (once again, HORRIBLE idea...)

EDIT: PLEASE DO NOT USE THE LAST TWO SUGGESTIONS, MY BAD HUMOR GOT IN MY WAY!!!!

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just out of curiosity..... what would happen if i already did that.....











JUST KIDDING! :rolleye2:

The method you're using is probably the best...but I would advise against the boiled water. Just the hottest water out of the tap does it. Boiled water is so hot it increases the risk of exploding prey. Just set the rodent still in the bag inside the hot water for about 30mins, then dry off/spot thaw with a hairdryer on low setting a few seconds. :) Works like a charm.

This has been working for me:

Put the rodents into a sealed bag, squeezing out as much air as possible.
Put them in the bottom of a large coffee cup.
Use a butter knife to weigh them to the bottom.
Fill the cup with the hottest water I can get out of my tap.
Let them thaw for 15 minutes.
Pull out the largest and check behind the head and at the widest part of the thighs for still frozen bits. If still cold I start over again.
If nice and warm I offer them up.
A minute or two back in the bag/cup will re-warm a rodent for a slow to grab snake.

Yeah, hot tap water works for me. The smaller the rodent, the faster it thaws. If you change out the water for hot again a time or two during the process, you'll have even a medium rat thawed in no time. I have never used a hair drier, the rodents come out of the hot tap water at just the right temperature to hold warmth until they get to the snake.
If the bag leaks, you may have a soggy rodent. The snakes don't usually seem to mind this, though it's a bit messy.
I figure it slides down the throat easier that way anyhow. :)

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Originally Posted by 2Devious

This has been working for me:

Put the rodents into a sealed bag, squeezing out as much air as possible.
Put them in the bottom of a large coffee cup.
Use a butter knife to weigh them to the bottom.
Fill the cup with the hottest water I can get out of my tap.
Let them thaw for 15 minutes.
Pull out the largest and check behind the head and at the widest part of the thighs for still frozen bits. If still cold I start over again.
If nice and warm I offer them up.
A minute or two back in the bag/cup will re-warm a rodent for a slow to grab snake.

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That is exactly what I do (the silverware to weigh it down and all)! Except I change out the water once or twice. Also, to entice the snake, right before offering, I hold the mouse under the CHE for a couple of seconds just to warm the head a tad more. Gives a nice heat signature where mammals are naturally warmest. It solved my problem once or twice when Mr. Snake seemed finicky.

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.

I tried microwaving a f/t mouse once... it's not that it cooked... it kinda exploded and we had to get a new microwave...(the smell wouldn't come off)
So don't do it at home!! lol
Just putting it in warm water for 30 min. is fine... no other way that I know of that works good.

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

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Originally Posted by JASBALLS

Google?

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Is this free word association?

Umm....

rototiller?

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Is this free word association?

Umm....

rototiller?

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Clueless?

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Originally Posted by JASBALLS

Clueless?

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Completely random, off-topic, and annoying?

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

=Completely random, off-topic, and annoying?

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We have a Winner!! Took you awhile, But you got it!!

And you're hijacking a thread with random comments directed at me exactly why?

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

And you're hijacking a thread with random comments directed at me exactly why?

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Idiot?

Yeah, I'll leave it at that, and give the mods less to clean up, hopefully. Just rude, you are....

Well I feed most of my collection live now, but for the few I keep on F/T this is how I do it.

I thaw at room temp (time will vary depending on the size of the rodent) I than warm the prey up with a hair dryer.

Doing so also contribute in pre-scenting the room which entice my snakes to eat.

I used to thaw in warm water; it was faster however it also increased the number of exploding rodent incidents, which is always :puke2:

Not sure if it is the best for everyone but it is the best for me and I believe everyone should experiment and find what is best for them.

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Originally Posted by Argentra

The method you're using is probably the best...but I would advise against the boiled water. Just the hottest water out of the tap does it. Boiled water is so hot it increases the risk of exploding prey. Just set the rodent still in the bag inside the hot water for about 30mins, then dry off/spot thaw with a hairdryer on low setting a few seconds. :) Works like a charm.

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Thats the way I do it... it takes about 1hour in the sink with hot water (depending on the size) and then blow dryer to warm it up so the snake thinks it was just killed... and it helps dry the wet rat!