Re-freeze rats or pinkies?

[Coyotemoon]

I was just wondering, if you thaw a rat or pinky and the snake doesn't eat the first, second, or third day you try can you re-freeze them?

EDIT: How long can you keep a thawed pinky in the fridge?

[ladywhipple02]

I figure you can do it at least once... It's not going to hurt it any, especially if you haven't had it out very long. Now, leaving it in the cage overnight and then refreezing it... I don't know. You'd lose a lot of freshness.


I guess I think of it in terms of what I would eat. If something's killed and frozen immediately, it's good. If something sits out after it's killed, there's plenty of time for all kinds of things to get on it or in it and it's not something I'd want to touch... like a frozen steak being left out overnight. You wouldn't wanna refreeze that and eat it, right?

[Shelby]

Only if it's left out for a few hours. I would not re-freeze after leaving out overnight.

I can't say about the fridge.. I guess until it starts to stink. I personally keep rodents out of my fridge.

[SatanicIntention]

Have you ever personally refrozen a rat or a mouse? I sure have and never will again. It is purely disgusting the second time you thaw it out. At the slightest squeeze, the belly busts open and usually the internal organs burst as well. It's not a special thing to witness... BlehIckBlarg!

Pinkies are especially disgusting, even if you thaw them too fast the first time. When I got my Rosy Boa, I had never thawed pinks before. I left them in hot water for probably 2 hours, along with the small rat for Amani. I came back and felt to see if they had thawed, and they instantly burst. Can you say "Gross"? Needless to say, those were thrown away. For me, pink mice only take about 15 minutes to thaw.

And Coyotemoon, if you are attempting to feed your new sandboa, I would say wait a good week and a half. Sometimes they are slow starters. Also, trying to feed them consecutively 3 days in a row just stresses them out and makes them not want to eat even more. When I first got my Rosy, I left him alone for almost a week and a half, and he ate fine. Since it seems you already tried 3 times, leave him alone now for a good, solid week only changing the water. No handling! LoL, I know it's hard since they are so darned cute, little wormy snakeys, but it's for his own benefit.

Hope that helped a bit.

[Shelby]

I never had problems with them popping.

[Coyotemoon]

Thank you all. I went ahead and threw the pinky out. It was starting to get a mushy belly. Better safe than sorry I guess. Ne re-freezing for me.

SatanicIntention, he is sooooo cute. Hands off for one week, huh? ::sad puppy dog eyes:: Okay, I promise, hands off. I'll wait till next thursday or friday then.

You guys are awesome and this forum rocks.

[Jeanne]

Moved to feeder forum.. this is about feeders.

[neithersparky]

For my two cents, I tried putting a refused mouse in the fridge and offering it again the next night, but its stomach *rapidly* distended and it began to stink. My snake is a big mouse-waster, but I just have to suck it up I guess. Mice aren't recyclable.

[tartcake]

I've refrozen fuzzies before. I only do it once though and if the snake doesn't want it at that point, I toss it. That hasn't happened often. She eats very well right now.


I've read advice that suggested thawing/freezing/thawing prey to make it more appealing to a picky eater.