Gourmet Rodents.............really?

[Smitty33]

Thawed this small rat out for my BP Saturday night. As they come in white bags I couldn't see it until I opened it up. Since moving him into his T8 enclosure Walter has not struck and coiled but has ate fine by leaving it in front of his hide. Well he smelled around this piss soaked rat and would have nothing to do with it. Does gourmet mean they marinate them in rat pee? I mean come on this thing was virtually solid yellow I don't blame him for not eating it.

[Yodawagon]

Maybe it's a new rat morph? Banana maybe?

[Smitty33]

Maybe it's a new rat morph? Banana maybe?

No it was nasty, actually the picture doesn't do it justice as it looked a lot worse in real life. Also makes me wonder how exactly they kill these before freezing that makes them pee all over. Thankfully this Saturday is k-zoo expo and I can stock up on some decent rats.

[PitOnTheProwl]

When gassing any rodant or other animal for that matter they do "let go" of whatever they have been holding.
Thats why I dont freeze off huge quantities at one time anymore .

[frostysBP]

My old gas chambers would hold 10 rats and I never had a problem.I made a new one that I could do 75 in and the came out looking like that...

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[Smitty33]

My old gas chambers would hold 10 rats and I never had a problem.I made a new one that I could do 75 in and the came out looking like that...

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

Thanks good info, did you ever notice your snakes refusing a rat because it was like this? Maybe my thinking is wrong (yea like that would be the first time) but with snakes seeming to rely a lot on their sense of smell I'd just think they would be more reluctant to eat something that smelled nasty. I'm sorry but there just doesn't seem anyway possible to me anyway a rat soaked in urine would be very appealing to a BP.

[Reinz]

My last jumbos were soaked just like that, I buy local.

I used three right away, after thoroughly rinsing. The snakes ate them because the urine had not had much time to marinate.

Two weeks later, after marinating in the freezer, my Ball, and Boa refused.
I was shocked that my Boa refused!
And this is the time of year that my BP goes on strike, so I was not surprised by her reaction.

I offered it to Lizzy, one of my Coastals, and she would not strike. But she very slowly and gently pulled it off my tongs like a very gentle dog taking a treat.
She knew something wasn't right.

I think the only reason that she took it was she IS a garbage disposal! The previous owner would lay out chicken wings and drumsticks for her.

[Smitty33]

My last jumbos were soaked just like that, I buy local.

I used three right away, after thoroughly rinsing. The snakes ate them because the urine had not had much time to marinate.

Two weeks later, after marinating in the freezer, my Ball, and Boa refused.
I was shocked that my Boa refused!

I offered it to Lizzy, one of my Coastals, and she would not strike. But she very slowly and gently pulled it off my tongs like a very gentle dog taking a treat.

I think the only reason that she took it was she IS a garbage disposal! The previous owner would lay out chicken wings and drumsticks for her.

Lizzy's a beautiful girl !!! Yea thanks for the reply, if the boa wouldn't take them that says something. Hopefully I can plan it out a little better and keep my stash of f/t rats up to par with the local guy at the expo. I just got to swamped out with things going on to make it up there last couple months. Not only better quality rodents but a lot cheaper as well.

[wolfy-hound]

I buy directly from Rodents on the Road and never have an issue.

Almost all rats will wee a little when they die. Most of the rats also wee when the snakes constrict them. So I wouldn't think that a rat urine scene would bother a snake used to eating rodents.

That said, could it be that the rats also thawed some and then re-froze? Maybe the rat itself smelled off too?

When I've killed larger quantities of rodents at one time, I make sure they have bedding so any urine tends to go into the bedding and doesn't pool up to get all over the rodents. But they do sometimes pile on top of one another(as even live rodents tend to do) and the urine will soak the bottom ones.

Maybe try a good rinse first? A little blow drying, some brushing to fluff the hair, maybe do a little styling... wait.. too much? Too much.

But yes, try rinsing it off good if you find another one like that. A good frozen thawed rodent shouldn't smell "off" especially to our poor noses.