F/T rats and how to thaw?

[BCS]

I feed about half of my collection F/T and I have never really had an issue. I have always thawed rats by putting them in a sandwich baggy and then placing them in a bowl of hot water. I used to buy from one supplier but the rats would always explode no matter what. It was gross. So I decided to switch to someone different and had much better results. The rats stopped exploding, for the most part. I would have one here or there but never like the first supplier. That was really bad. The issue I am having now is (after a year with my new supplier) the rats are again exploding. Only small to mediums are. Pup rats are fine... they stay in tact. Am I thawing them out wrong? Is there a better way of doing this or is there something wrong with my rats?

[KMG]

It could be from leaving them in the water too long, or the water is too hot. Every once and awhile one may pop but it should not be a regular thing.

A rat/mouse has a living body temp just over 100F. I thaw my rats in warm tap water for about 45-60 mins. These are S, M, XXL. After they are all thawed I refresh the water with water just over 100F to get them into the correct range.

I used to use freezer bags and try to keep the rats dry but the bags almost always leak so now they go straight into the water. I put all the feeder in small plastic tub and thaw them in it in the bathtub. Then when I refresh the water I carry the entire tub into the snake room so they stay warmer longer. I then offer them without drying them at all. Stuck substrate has never been an issue.

[BCS]

It could be from leaving them in the water too long, or the water is too hot. Every once and awhile one may pop but it should not be a regular thing.

A rat/mouse has a living body temp just over 100F. I thaw my rats in warm tap water for about 45-60 mins. These are S, M, XXL. After they are all thawed I refresh the water with water just over 100F to get them into the correct range.

I used to use freezer bags and try to keep the rats dry but the bags almost always leak so now they go straight into the water. I put all the feeder in small plastic tub and thaw them in it in the bathtub. Then when I refresh the water I carry the entire tub into the snake room so they stay warmer longer. I then offer them without drying them at all. Stuck substrate has never been an issue.

Yes, but every time the rats get wet I always have the issue of the tails falling off or having them explode. I guessed it was because the tissue got too soft so I do my best at keeping them dry. And I usually only thaw them till they are fully thawed and warm to the touch. Usually takes about 45 minutes.

[KMG]

It may be that they are not good. Maybe they thawed during shipping and weren't frozen enough to ship or etc. I once got a bag of small rats that had a good amount of issues like you are having. I fed them off and have not had another bag like that since. Maybe try that source one more time but if it continues I would switch.

I have had tails pulled off by ferocious snakes but never just from thawing them out.