Thawing mice in the refrigerator - Overnight or 24 hours?

[Ambassador]

We are feeding for the first time tomorrow and I'd like to thaw in the fridge over night followed by a water bath for warming just prior to feeding. I see lots of references to just thawing "overnight" where as some people suggest 24 hours. Since I'm planning to feed tomorrow evening should I put the mouse in the fridge tonight, tomorrow morning or does it not matter either way? I know I can just thaw from frozen in the water but I'd like to make sure I don't rush it or end up with an exploding rodent. Suggestions?

[YungRasputin]

what i usually do is i get my the rodents and leave em out after i get back home - then when it’s dark so roughly 5-6+ hrs later i’ll draw up some scalding water and thaw them out this way - I’ll place them in tops up first, let that heat up for 20-30 min, then flip them over with some fresh scalding water, then do it once more again and then they’re all ready to go

personally i think using them within a short time of being outside a feezer is preferable for maximum freshness

[Bogertophis]

Personally I thaw in water- because it's pretty fast & I can easily feel when they're fully thawed throughout, and the longer food (any kind) spends at a temperature where pathogens can grow (ie. not frozen) the more likely you are to have an "exploding rodent" or at least one that's mushy, smells bad to the snake, falls apart & is rejected for spoilage.

Ask yourself, does your food ever go bad in the refrigerator? (the answer is yes) So do rodents- 24 hours is a long time for something small like a mouse to be thawing. Remember that when we thaw our own meat, there's no "guts" involved like there is with whole animals (mice, rats), & that's the part that's just loaded with germs waiting for a wake-up call. Being cold (in the refrigerator, roughly 40*) slows spoilage but doesn't preclude it- especially for whole animals.

Food safety, for humans OR for pets, means preventing spoilage by keeping things at temperatures where germs can't proliferate as long as possible, & then feeding (or eating) before they have a chance to go bad. And obviously, the meat we consume is cooked, which further destroys bacteria, but prey for snakes is just warmed up to temperatures that make germs 'happy' (not dead, like with cooking) before offering, & if the snake doesn't take it right away, it may lay around for a while- getting "ripe".

[Homebody]

what i usually do is i get my the rodents and leave em out after i get back home - then when it’s dark so roughly 5-6+ hrs later i’ll draw up some scalding water and thaw them out this way - I’ll place them in tops up first, let that heat up for 20-30 min, then flip them over with some fresh scalding water, then do it once more again and then they’re all ready to go

I'm surprised you haven't had trouble with you're feeders coming apart. When I used very hot water, my feeders lost their integrity. I soon learned to thaw in cold water and then bring them up to body temperature (90 - 100F) with a brief bath in warm.

[Homebody]

We are feeding for the first time tomorrow and I'd like to thaw in the fridge over night followed by a water bath for warming just prior to feeding. I see lots of references to just thawing "overnight" where as some people suggest 24 hours. Since I'm planning to feed tomorrow evening should I put the mouse in the fridge tonight, tomorrow morning or does it not matter either way? I know I can just thaw from frozen in the water but I'd like to make sure I don't rush it or end up with an exploding rodent. Suggestions?

I thaw in water. When I first started keeping, I thawed in the refrigerator overnight (18 - 24 hrs). My snake never got sick from it. He did refuse sometimes, but he was an adult BP. They do that.

I stopped mostly because I kept forgetting to move the feeders from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before. I would then have to thaw in water. I, ultimately, decided it was just simpler to keep doing it that way.

[Bogertophis]

I'm honestly not keen on having rodents thawing in my refrigerator anyway- there isn't a lot of extra space & while I don't worry about cross contamination in the freezer with things well wrapped, the frig is another matter. But (OP) it's all up to you. When I said I thaw in water, btw, I meant cold/cool water just like Homebody said, & once they're thawed, only THEN I will bring them up to a lifelike warm body temperature by briefly using warm water. I'm not feeding fussy BPs here- so I do not need a hair dryer but you might keep that option in mind- it's a good way to do it IF you need to.

[dakski]

As stated, defrost in room temp water for a few hours (+/- depending on prey size) and then warm quickly with a quick hot water (tap water - 110-130F) bath or a hairdryer. The quicker you can defrost the food without cooking it the better. Cooked rodents fall apart, aren't good for your snake digestion wise (they are best at digesting raw prey), and often will be refused and not recognized as prey.

If desired, I can post a step by step guide on defrosting and offering food for snakes.

On the time, even large rats (200-240G), that I feed my biggest snakes (Boas), defrost in room temp water within 3 hours, especially if I flip them half way through.

I assume you are feeding a BP, in which case warming up the rodent prior to feeding is mandatory in most cases. BP's, Carpet Pythons, etc. have heat pits and want warm prey. If feeding something else, that doesn't have heat pits, probably fine to feed at room temp. My boas and my corn snakes could care less. They go by sight and scent, not heat.

[YungRasputin]

I'm surprised you haven't had trouble with you're feeders coming apart. When I used very hot water, my feeders lost their integrity. I soon learned to thaw in cold water and then bring them up to body temperature (90 - 100F) with a brief bath in warm.

i’ve never experienced that tbh - setting the prey items out for the length of time that i do doesn’t actually thaw them out, they’re still frozen-ish by the time i start the process - i would note however that i do leave them in their little individual bags while unfreezing them and doing all of that and it’s not till they’re up to temperature do i cut the little bag tops off - the only issue i have had is how delicate pinkies are but that is about it tbh

the big reason why i’ve done it this way too is because 1) my African rock is still v particular and i’m still doing that whole “leaving a hot 1 by the den door” routine so i try to get it up to body temps for this reason and 2) if it’s not hot enough my big ones (scrub python, mainland burm female, etc) will focus more on my hand than the rat

[Ambassador]

I'm honestly not keen on having rodents thawing in my refrigerator anyway- there isn't a lot of extra space & while I don't worry about cross contamination in the freezer with things well wrapped, the frig is another matter. But (OP) it's all up to you. When I said I thaw in water, btw, I meant cold/cool water just like Homebody said, & once they're thawed, only THEN I will bring them up to a lifelike warm body temperature by briefly using warm water. I'm not feeding fussy BPs here- so I do not need a hair dryer but you might keep that option in mind- it's a good way to do it IF you need to.

Thanks for all the feedback. I know my wife would prefer not having a mouse thawing in the fridge even if it is the extra one in the basement.

Can you give me an idea of how long I should plan on thawing in cold water for just a single medium mouse and then how long in hot just prior to serving? I'm sure it will be more obvious once I've done it a time or two but I want to make sure I don't mess it up the first time.

Thanks!

[dakski]

Thanks for all the feedback. I know my wife would prefer not having a mouse thawing in the fridge even if it is the extra one in the basement.

Can you give me an idea of how long I should plan on thawing in cold water for just a single medium mouse and then how long in hot just prior to serving? I'm sure it will be more obvious once I've done it a time or two but I want to make sure I don't mess it up the first time.

Thanks!

Medium mouse is probably an hour or less with a flip halfway through (it will probably stay on one side while in the water). The flip is optional, but speeds things up. Once the prey item isn't frozen, you will know because of a soft belly/abdomen and it won't be crunchy or cold to the touch.

30 seconds in hot water is plenty. Again hot tap water, not super hot from kettle etc.

See below for the full guide on defrosting and offering.



This is my step by step list on defrosting F/T rodents for BP's and other pythons (who have heat pits). If offering to most other snakes (who do not have heat pits - boas, corn/rat snakes, etc.) you can usually skip the warming part.

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 +/-. Less if smaller prey and longer if bigger prey (however longer does not hurt smaller prey).

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 - 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 on tongs. Wiggle gently to make it appear alive.