How do you thaw frozen mice/rats?

I've decided to switch from live to f/t after my hopper colony started looking sickly and eating eachother. That was fun to witness.. Anyway, I was wondering how everyone here thaws their mice?

I just throw it on top of the tank for a several hours then heat up a cup of hot water and leave the rat in the bag or change it over to a baggie and heat in the water for 1-2 minutes.

I put mine in ziplocs, place them in ambient temp water fo about 1/2 hr, and then in warm water for another 1/2 hour. they usually thaw out with this process. after that i heat them up with blow dryer next to container where i keep the snakes, and that gets them real interested. my balls like them real hot so i blow dry them for about 5 minutes and then i just dangle them in front of them, they usually take it in 1.1 seconds flat.

The last couple of feedings my balls grab and constrict and then go into their hides, I take the rat pups out and heat them up again, they grab constrict and eat on the second offering, WHY? I dont know but they have been doing that the last couple of weeks.

hope this helps.

whatever you do, don't boil the rats!

I drop the mouse directly into a cup of warm water, and then right before I'm about to feed I replace the water again to get the mouse good and warm for the snake. I also think that soaking in water gives the BP some extra hydration, but I've heard some people saying their BPs refuse wet mice.

I pull them out of the freezer and pack a few of them into zip lock bags. I leave them so that they warm to room temp (few hours) and then I put inside a heating pad to warm them up.

Thawing them too fast, in my experience, leads to busted bellies...and that smell makes dog poo smell like roses

i put them in ziplocks and put them in a cup of hot water for 10mins, then pour out that water, and add more hot water for another 5mins. The second time in the hot water gets it warm enough for my snake.

thanks for the advice!

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Originally Posted by justin81

i put them in ziplocks and put them in a cup of hot water for 10mins, then pour out that water, and add more hot water for another 5mins. The second time in the hot water gets it warm enough for my snake.

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same here

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Originally Posted by Nate

I pull them out of the freezer and pack a few of them into zip lock bags. I leave them so that they warm to room temp (few hours) and then I put inside a heating pad to warm them up.

Thawing them too fast, in my experience, leads to busted bellies...and that smell makes dog poo smell like roses

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but leaving them out for long period also creates bacteria.

I remember the time I had my first, and only, so far..., busted belly experience. It was a MESS! I couldn't pull the mouse away, the BP was still constricting, blood and guts everywhere, horrific smell, snake wallowing in blood and filth, I was pretty much traumatized.

Started using cooler water after that!

Warm water :)

I put a few quarters in a baggie with my frozen prey inside so that it sinks under the water and defrosts the rodent without getting it soaking wet.

With picky feeders I use plastic bags.

With everyone else I don't.
I run them under warm water consistently for about 20 minutes.

Also, I've been feeding f/t to my corn for about 3 years, and have never had a busted belly. ;]

I put my mice into a jam jar with hot water and then refresh the water again once they have defrosted just before I feed them so they are nice and warm.

i throw em all in a tub of HOT water and wait an hour or so... i really dont even dry them off. its more water for the snake.

12+ years and no busted rodents. :gj:

I put the frozen rat in a ziploc bag and put it on the floor for about 4 hours.

I put them in a ziplock and leave it open. I set that on top of the tank to let the scent fill the tank as they thaw. After a couple hours, I seal the bag back up, throw them in hot water for a couple minutes on each side, and present them to the snakes, making them dance with my forceps. They snatch them up and constrict like they're live.

I thaw them at room temp near all of the snakes.

When the rodent tummies are thoroughly smooshy, I open the bag and really allow the scent to permeate the snake enclosures. By this time, it is about 9pm and the snakes are on the hunt!!

I take each rodent and warm them further with a blow dryer for about a minute.

Result?

Happy snakes!!!

I put them in a zip-loc bag and put that in the snake-room with the bag open to scent the room for an hour or so, then put them in the hottest water that comes from the tap until they're fully thawed and pretty warm. By then all of the snakes are at the front of their tubs ready to eat.

I just finish wright this on my cheezey web site:

This is how I feed f/t.

Defrosting:

After I select my feeder(s) I place them in a sealed bag inside an old pot (used only for defrosting feeders) with warm to hot water. Do not make the water to hot because you don't want to start cooking the feeders. I bring the pot with the feeders in to the reptile room (In my case its my bedroom) and let them sit there to defrost. You may feel the need to change the water if it gets to cold depending on how many or how big your feeders are. You do not have to change the water because the feeders will still defrost in cold water. it just takes longer. The reason I leave the defrosting feeders in the same room as my snakes is because it scents the room, making them more likly to eat.

After the feeders are done defrosting I use a hair dryer to heat them up. Using a Temp gun I try to get the head of the rat up to 90-100 deg. I heat up the whole body but pay most attention to the head.

Feeding:

I have both a 24in Tweezer and Hemostat. I use which ever I grab first and hold the feeder by the skin on the back of there neck. I open the cage door or pull out the rack draw and wiggle the feeder a few inches from the snakes head. DO NOT stick the feeder right up to the snake's face or touch it to him. This can and most of the time will scare the snake and he will not eat. Remember to be safe when feeding. that why the long tweezers. When I feed my bigger snakes I pull out the rack draw out a little bit and place the rat on top of the tub wall so the rat is half in and half out. I close the draw leaving enough room for the rat to be pulled in. From the outside on the rack I gently tug on the rats tail with my tweezers. This works for me and keeps me safe from a missed strike.

i just take the mice throw in a ziploc bag and put that in a coffee mug and fill it with hot water. Let it sit there for 5-10 min then its good to go
Mark

I didn't read all the replies, so forgive me if this is a repeat. I take mice out of freezer and place them in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set outside for an hour or so (depending on temperature). Then I bring the bowl inside and uncover it and set it in the feeding box. After a few minutes, I remove them, put Alice in the box, and while he's exploring I hit the first mouse with the hair dryer, blowing the scent in his direction. He gets so excited...it's fun to watch. Grab mouse by tongs, offer to Alice, perfect hit every time!

When the first one is down, I offer the second one in the same manner. Works like a charm! :banana:

Robbin

I was using really hot/boiling water and they were exploding occasionally, so I changed over the pretty hot water for 10 or 15 minutes, refresh water for 5 more minutes. I keep the mice in a ziploc bag submerged in the water, they are damp, but not wet when I remove them. I wave one in front of the open tank for about 10 seconds and that's enough to get them interested. Lower the mouse in with the tongs, and i get a constriction every time!

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How do you thaw frozen mice/rats?

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Hovabator. :D

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Originally Posted by extensive

i throw em all in a tub of HOT water and wait an hour or so... i really dont even dry them off. its more water for the snake.

12+ years and no busted rodents. :gj:

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if they are in individual baggies that is how i do it but the feeders are often contaminated with ecoli as it comes out of the rats butts when they are dead so that is why i don't do rodentpro anymore, i got some feeders on sale form them and i think they were just too old and contaminated at the thaw out and they were bursting and breaking into pieces and all kinds of kuck...no rodent pro for me...

Thaw in warm water
Heat with fiance's hair dryer
Feed to snakes




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I put them in zip lock bags, put the bag in just warm water, let defrost, takes about 15 mins. Then change water to hot, soak for 2 or 3 min, till temp gun reads 115 then by the time i offer it , its cooled to about 95 and ready to eat. whole procedure takes about 20 mins.

Put them in....oh wait this thread is almost 8 years old 😉

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