Thawing = Wet Mouse

We fed our new BP for the first time today, after letting the mouse-icle thaw for several hours. By the time we opened the bag, it was wet.

Is it OK to give wet rodents? Or should we have dried it first? I didn't know if the scent of the paper towel would deter the snake or not, and so didn't dry the mouse.

I kind of wrap them in a washcloth and give a quick "squeeze" to get some water out, but they're still moist when I feed em and I've had no issues. Im guessing it's harmless and helps hydrate the snake, as most of the water they need they get from their prey.

There are no adverse health effects from feeding a wet mouse.

Oh, whew, good to know! It feels like the first few days with a new baby again, back when we didn't know a thing, didn't know what's normal, or what was safe/harmful, so you fret over every little thing.

BTW, Mainbutter, I like your avatar. The markings on our new snake are similar, and actually look like E.T!

LOL I now just how you feel, let alone my gf is freaking worried so much about ours that she wont sleep at times lol

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Originally Posted by Patricia

Oh, whew, good to know! It feels like the first few days with a new baby again, back when we didn't know a thing, didn't know what's normal, or what was safe/harmful, so you fret over every little thing.

BTW, Mainbutter, I like your avatar. The markings on our new snake are similar, and actually look like E.T!

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I remember my first feeding, I was pretty nervous, it went off a hitch though! Sounds like your doing great so far.

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Originally Posted by stefanivanski

LOL I now just how you feel, let alone my gf is freaking worried so much about ours that she wont sleep at times lol

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Haha, taking care of a ball python is nothing to lose sleep over :)

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Originally Posted by Lewdogg3

I remember my first feeding, I was pretty nervous, it went off a hitch though! Sounds like your doing great so far.




Haha, taking care of a ball python is nothing to lose sleep over :)

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Lol dont I now, sometime I wish she worried about me like that but what can I say she loves the snakes

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Originally Posted by Lewdogg3

I remember my first feeding, I was pretty nervous,

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Oh gosh, hubby and I were both worried. First it grabbed one hind leg, and I was afraid the critter would get stuck going backwards at an angle. Then it chomped it around the middle (like eating a banana sideways?). Hubby tried jiggling the mouse, and it did lunge for the head but then let go. We were so nervous! After 2 hours we looked in and saw no mouse and one contented snake looped around twice like a lasso. Whew! :gj:

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Originally Posted by stefanivanski

Lol dont I now, sometime I wish she worried about me like that but what can I say she loves the snakes

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LOL I think my girl feels the same way that you do, She is always telling me that I pay more attention to the snakes and worry about them more. I always tell her "So what, they can't take care of themselves like you can"

She hates it, I just kinda laugh.

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Originally Posted by Patricia

Oh gosh, hubby and I were both worried. First it grabbed one hind leg, and I was afraid the critter would get stuck going backwards at an angle. Then it chomped it around the middle (like eating a banana sideways?). Hubby tried jiggling the mouse, and it did lunge for the head but then let go. We were so nervous! After 2 hours we looked in and saw no mouse and one contented snake looped around twice like a lasso. Whew! :gj:

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HAHA, if they eat it butt first its okay, It happens. It might look funny but it happens and is no biggie

Mouse-icicle is not a good sign :P
If it's covered in frost or ice before it thaws, it's definitely going to get wet with time
What I do is use a tupperware container with holes in it, line the bottom with a sheet of folded paper towel and let them thaw out at room temperature for a couple of hours
Even if the rat gives off any blood or moisture, it will be absorbed by the paper towel
Thawing in a bag seals in the moisture and results in your wet mouse
Hope this helps :)

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Originally Posted by Pandora

Hope this helps :)

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Very much so, thanks! We have a dry mouse thawing on a paper towel at the moment. :)

I am currently feeding a small adult mouse to my ball python. I buy them in 6 at a time and they come individually wrapped in a sealed plastic bag. I will then fill a glass of hot water and let the packaged mouse thaw in the water for 15 minutes. In 15 minutes the mouse is thawed. Because the mouse will be damp I then dry it with a blow dryer for a minute or two........the blow dryer adds heat to the mouse. This is what works for me.

It's just fine to give your snake a wet mouse, just wipe it with a cloth or paper towel to dry it up a bit. My snakes don't mind eating a damp mouse, just as long as they get to eat! Lol. It's totally fine to feed your snake a wet mouse though, they don't seem to mind it much.

Also, instead of waiting hours for a thawed out mouse, I suggest putting the mouse in a container of really hot water. Let it thaw in the water for about 5-10 minutes, maybe longer if the mouse still needs to thaw a little longer (15 min). Right when you take out the mouse, dry it off with a cloth or paper towel, then offer it to the snake while still warm. If the snake doesn't take it after a minute or so and the mouse feels a little cool then dip the mouse in the water for 30-60 seconds.

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Originally Posted by Patricia

We fed our new BP for the first time today, after letting the mouse-icle thaw for several hours. By the time we opened the bag, it was wet.

Is it OK to give wet rodents? Or should we have dried it first? I didn't know if the scent of the paper towel would deter the snake or not, and so didn't dry the mouse.

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Just to double check here, you did warm up the mouse after thawing it fully - correct? The use of a old blow dryer on an f/t rodent can be very helpful. Dries them off fully and helps give them a stronger heat signature for the snake to track, always important in non-living prey.

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Originally Posted by Patricia

Very much so, thanks! We have a dry mouse thawing on a paper towel at the moment. :)

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You're offering a second one? There's nothing wrong with 2 prey items for a snake that needs that but normally they are fed during the same feeding not many hours apart (or perhaps I've misunderstood your posts).

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Originally Posted by mainbutter

There are no adverse health effects from feeding a wet mouse.

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nice to know lol

I thaw rodents in plastic bags in warm water. Sometimes, the bags leak, and I wind up with sodden thawed rodents. The snakes do not appear to mind if their food drips a bit. I guess it helps it slide down better. ^_^

With my BP, I just dangle it by it's tail and when it strikes I drop it. He missed a feeding because I just decided to leave it alone in his cage. He likes the movement I guess. Just don't bite me in the mean time, lol.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

You're offering a second one? There's nothing wrong with 2 prey items for a snake that needs that but normally they are fed during the same feeding not many hours apart (or perhaps I've misunderstood your posts).

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Well, yes, but that second one was 5 days later. It first ate last Wednesday, then again on Monday. I read that youngsters need to eat more frequently, and it lunged at it instantly, so I'm taking that as a sign that it was hungry and ready to eat. (And hopefully that all is well in its world.)

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Originally Posted by Lewdogg3

HAHA, if they eat it butt first its okay, It happens. It might look funny but it happens and is no biggie

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I once saw a Hognose eat a mouse from the middle in the lab , the mouse just folded in two, I thought it would turn the mouse so didn't interfere but it never did turn it and next thing I know all four feet and the tail were all that was visible, but the snake was fine. I am more careful now to make sure the at least eat from one end or the other. Now that looked funny going down.

As for wet mice, I just pluck the size I need from the thawing bucket, ring out the mouse/rat a bit in my hand and give it to the snake, they don't seem to care.

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Originally Posted by BallPythonLOVER

Also, instead of waiting hours for a thawed out mouse, I suggest putting the mouse in a container of really hot water. Let it thaw in the water for about 5-10 minutes, maybe longer if the mouse still needs to thaw a little longer (15 min). Right when you take out the mouse, dry it off with a cloth or paper towel, then offer it to the snake while still warm. If the snake doesn't take it after a minute or so and the mouse feels a little cool then dip the mouse in the water for 30-60 seconds.

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Really hot water will literally cook the prey...not good. I suggest putting it in a sealed bag in the refridgerator the day of feeding. Then you just need to run the bag under WARM, not hot, water for a minute or two. Or, take the prey out of the bag and use a hairdryer on it. We may like our meat cooked, but it's not good for bp's.

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Originally Posted by mrshawt

Really hot water will literally cook the prey...not good. I suggest putting it in a sealed bag in the refridgerator the day of feeding. Then you just need to run the bag under WARM, not hot, water for a minute or two. Or, take the prey out of the bag and use a hairdryer on it. We may like our meat cooked, but it's not good for bp's.

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Actually, I like sushi.