Keeping mice in freezer, is it safe?

[whymengy]

Hi everyone, I'm new into keeping BPs and since I bought mine 1 mth ago, I've been keeping mice in the freezer for feeding. The freezer I'm using is also being used to keep food. Although i Keep the mice well wrapped in 2 layers of plastic bags, but when i take the mice out to feed my snake, my hands would have come in contact with the frozen mouse, and would have touched the parts of the fridge (door handle, etc).

My questions are:
1. Is it safe to keep mice in fridge with food?
(risk of infection/zoonosis?)
2. What can I do to avoid buying another fridge?

Thanks!

[Skittles1101]

I keep my rats next to my frozen burgers and popsicles lol. I keep mine just wrapped up in a bag inside a bag, haven't had any issues yet. We are eventually getting a separate freezer simply because of space, I'm not really worried about the safety. It doesn't touch the food.

[Freakie_frog]

if packaged right they are just as safe as any other frozen critter like cow, pig, chicken, deer, turkey. Remember feeder rodents are captive breed for the highest quality food item they can be, just like the other critters I mentioned. So yea they are just as safe when packaged and handled properly.

[whymengy]

if packaged right they are just as safe as any other frozen critter like cow, pig, chicken, deer, turkey. Remember feeder rodents are captive breed for the highest quality food item they can be, just like the other critters I mentioned. So yea they are just as safe when packaged and handled properly.

Thanks, for the prompt replies. I'm actually worried because although the rodents are captive bred, i've read reports of some pet rodents carrying leptospirosis. I work in a hospital setting and I've seen many cases of very bad leptospira infections, some even causing death/disability. Also, leptospira can survive in rodent kidneys even after subzero temperatures.

Was chatting with my colleague today about my new pet and he mentioned about leptospirosis and me keeping frozen rodents... that's what got me worried all of the sudden.

But I think you're right, proper handling is important, since I only have one rodent supplier in my area (but i think the quality should be ok), I will probably buy a plastic container to keep the mice from now on to keep it separated from the food physically.

[KatStoverReptiles]

They have a vaccine for leptospirosis in dogs...perhaps they have one for people?

I kept mice/rats in my freezer next to my food until I got a separate freezer. Just kept them double bagged and remembered to wash my hands!

[Freakie_frog]

But I think you're right, proper handling is important, since I only have one rodent supplier in my area (but i think the quality should be ok), I will probably buy a plastic container to keep the mice from now on to keep it separated from the food physically.

Bingo! I mean raw chicken or raw fish can be as dangerous. So wash your hands and don't set thawed rats in your ice maker to refreeze them and you should be OK.

[Gbusiness]

For me, I put my frozen rat's in a large old ice cream tub with blue handle in the fridge with the food. It has a nice well fitted lid. When I take out a rat on a feeding day? I never touch the rat with my hand for any reason at all. Frozen or not. I don't want any scent on me at all. I just use a 10" tweezer that I bought from petco to manuever the rat's.

[Dabonus]

Been doing it for years and not dead yet.

[loonunit]

Yeah, after hearing about the salmonella outbreak originating from that frozen rodent supplier in Georgia, I gave up believing frozen rodents were perfectly "safe". They might actually not be anymore dangerous than chicken when they're in the freezer. But my dad is immuno-compromised, so I didn't want to take chances I didn't have to.

There were a lot of chest freezers for sale on craigslist for $50-100. I wound up buying a new one from Best Buy for $150.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Everyone always asks about catching salmonella from their reptiles. I've never heard of such a case, but years ago my boyfriend actually caught it from a mouse in a mouse trap when he picked it up to throw it away. He then didn't wash his hands and ate.

I think caution should always be used with rodents. Wether dead or alive.