F/T mouse fell apart

[Acedink]

I thawed a mouse out, and it was falling apart as I tried to feed. The tail half broke off taking it out of the bag and then holding it behind the neck, fur and skin was shedding off. Any ideas what went wrong?

I had it in the fridge for about 24 hours and then in 2 baggies in hot water for about 2 hours.

[reptilemom25]

Way too long in the water after being in the fridge.


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[dakski]

I thawed a mouse out, and it was falling apart as I tried to feed. The tail half broke off taking it out of the bag and then holding it behind the neck, fur and skin was shedding off. Any ideas what went wrong?

I had it in the fridge for about 24 hours and then in 2 baggies in hot water for about 2 hours.

You can go freezer to luke warm water for several hours to defrost. Even room temp water will defrost a mouse. NEVER USE HOT WATER for more than a couple minutes to warm before eating. It cooks the mouse and it will fall apart and/or your snake will not eat it, and if it does, will not get proper nutrition. Snakes eat raw food. Defrost is ok, but cooked is not.

Additionally, where did you get your rodent(s) from. Poor quality rodents can fall apart, but usually, it's the method of defrosting. As long as the rodents were frozen when you got them, and stayed frozen, the rodent should never fall apart.

​Below is my method for properly defrosting F/T prey:

This is my step by step list on defrosting F/T rodents.

Others may do it differently and that's fine. This how I do it and it works for me.


STEPS FOR DEFROSTING F/T RODENTS/PREY

1. Put prey item(s) into appropriate size plastic bag (1 for each). I use Quart size ziplock bags up to a medium rat. NOTE: Bags are optional. Some people just throw the prey in the water. I like the bags, but you have to squeeze the air out of them.

2. Fill the container/storage box 3/4 of the way with room temp to slightly warm water. If you have a temp gun (which you should, so if you don't, get one), make sure the water is not hotter than 85-90F, or there about.

3. Put F/T prey item(s) in water. Cover (optional) and leave for an hour +/-.

4. After an hour, rotate/flip prey. If in plastic bags, they often will stay on whatever side you put them in on. So if mouse is on left side, turn to right side, etc.

5. Leave for another hour +/- for a TOTAL of about 2 hours (up to medium sized rat - longer if bigger prey for when ROE is bigger and eating Large rats, for example).

6. Check that prey is defrosted totally through. Squeeze at different sections of the preys body. Should be cool/room temp to touch, but be soft with no cold spots. If hard (except for bone), in abdomen, for example, or cold, put back in water until room temp and soft.

7. Take prey out of the container/storage box and put aside. THEN FOLLOW STEPS 8-11 OR STEP 12

8. Fill container with hot water from tap. If using temp gun, water temp should be 110-130F, not more.

9. Drop prey item into water for 30 seconds +/-. If multiple prey items, do one at a time. You want each item hot when you offer.

10. Remove (if hot water, with tongs).

11. Dry as best as you can, and is quickly as you can, with paper towels. I dry with paper towels while I am walking from the bathroom where I defrost to the snake tanks. I kind of wrap the prey item up in them. It's ten feet, so by the time I get to the tanks, the prey is drier, but still warm.

12. If not using hot water, use a hairdryer to heat rat so it entices snake

13. Open tank and offer ASAP.

[Acedink]

Thanks!

I'll try again, and do it for less time. Having the darndest time switching to f/t.

[dakski]

Thanks!

I'll try again, and do it for less time. Having the darndest time switching to f/t.

You are welcome.

How old is the snake? What kind of snake? What has it been eating?

If not defrosted properly, it will lead to refusal often by even snakes that are used to F/T.

They look for live, raw, food. A F/T prey item on tongs can stimulate enough of what they are looking for most of the time in most snakes; smell, heat, and movement.

A cooked rodent may move, but it will not smell like a raw rodent. Instant turn off for a snake.

[Acedink]

Honestly I don't know the age. I was new to this and never asked but he was on hoppers when I got him at the show.

It's a banana ball. The mouse almost exploded which should have been the first sign. Hes been eating live feeders. I try the f/t and if fails ( has every single time) I get a live one the next day.

He comes right out when he sees the f/t, smells it, and looks repulsed. He turns around and refuses it.

[dakski]

Honestly I don't know the age. I was new to this and never asked but he was on hoppers when I got him at the show.

It's a banana ball. The mouse almost exploded which should have been the first sign. Hes been eating live feeders. I try the f/t and if fails ( has every single time) I get a live one the next day.

He comes right out when he sees the f/t, smells it, and looks repulsed. He turns around and refuses it.

How much does he weigh? How often are you offering?

[Bogertophis]

...He comes right out when he sees the f/t, smells it, and looks repulsed. He turns around and refuses it.

Because it's spoiled! Be glad he refused it...If you thaw correctly, it shouldn't spoil as yours did. The way you did it would have gagged a maggot.

I thaw in cold water first...(-not laying in 'fridge...the fastest temperature change happens in water & a faster thaw means no spoilage). How long the
cold water takes depends on how many you're thawing & how big they are. An adult mouse will take about 30 minutes, a rat will take a lot longer.
(You can change the cold water if it gets too "icy", but don't use hot or warm water until they are thawed.)

Once it's thawed completely (feel thickest part of rodent to be sure the inside is thawed), then briefly immerse in warm (NOT HOT) water to warm it up.

Use a blow-dryer to make it extra warm if feeding a "fussy" snake (like most BPs). I just blot the water off on a paper towel & feed immediately, as I
don't have any BPs currently.

[Acedink]

I don't know howuch he weighs, but he has gotten quite bigger since he started eating.

I feed him once a week. I try the f/t on sundays and if no go, I give a live one monday.

I will definitely use the water method and give that a shot.

Thanks all!

[dakski]

I don't know howuch he weighs, but he has gotten quite bigger since he started eating.

I feed him once a week. I try the f/t on sundays and if no go, I give a live one monday.

I will definitely use the water method and give that a shot.

Thanks all!

Try defrosting properly and warming properly. That should make a big difference.

If he's eating every week and has some weight on him, I would try F/T the right way, and then if he refuses, try again in 1 week. Then if he refuses again, you can offer a live mouse a few days later

You should not be offering food two days in a row. If he refuses once, that can also be due to stress.

If you could weigh him that would be very helpful.

If he's 200G, I wouldn't go more than 2 weeks, for example, without getting him to eat, if possible. However, at 350-400G, I would say try 3-4 weeks in a row with F/T until he takes it.

How often do you handle him? Do you leave him alone the day before and the day of feeding? BP's can be shy and often will not eat if feeling stressed for any reason.

Finally, what tank size, type, what temps, and what is humidity? Another reason a snake may not take F/T is not ideal conditions. You say you are new to this, so let's make sure everything is dialed in.