Petco Frozen Feeders?

[Riinei]

I've been buying my feeders from Petco, and the company that supplies them is Gourmet Rodent. I'm appalled at 9/10 bags of mice I open. Broken or falling off body parts, bloody noses that make a big bloody mess, some are squished flat, tails fall off when trying to feed..
I know they're already dead, but these injuries had to have occurred while still alive.
I don't really have the space to keep and breed my own feeders like I'd like to. But the state the feeders are in is getting too much. Many of them need cage cleanings after their feeding because it's just so messy.
Does anyone else have this issue?
Would it be cheaper to just buy live mice and rats and give them a whack? I don't even know if I could bring myself to do that.
Im skeptical of buying online as well. I don't want to support a company that lets their feeders live in such atrocious conditions. Yes they're feeders, but they're also living beings that deserve at least a little respect.

[LittleTreeGuy]

Big Cheese Rodents sell frozen feeders online. I got my first order from them about a month ago and was very pleased with the feeders, their condition, and the quality. I will do business with them again.

[rockonjp76]

The petco mice are my very last resort if I need them. They are terrible quality. I've had many times where the mouse will basically be a bloody, pulpy mess while my snake tries to eat it.

[Riinei]

Big Cheese Rodents sell frozen feeders online. I got my first order from them about a month ago and was very pleased with the feeders, their condition, and the quality. I will do business with them again.

I'll have to check them out. How are they packaged? I always worry buying I bulk that they'll become freezer burnt before I get to use them all.

[Riinei]

The petco mice are my very last resort if I need them. They are terrible quality. I've had many times where the mouse will basically be a bloody, pulpy mess while my snake tries to eat it.

Sounds about right haha. The fact my one ball will just squeeze and squeeze until the poor thing is flat as a pancake. But he also squeezes all the blood and whatever other fluids in the process.

[LittleTreeGuy]

I'll have to check them out. How are they packaged? I always worry buying I bulk that they'll become freezer burnt before I get to use them all.

I ordered a bag of rat fuzzies. They came packaged with dry ice in a padded box. There were 20 or 25 in the package I ordered. I think one of them was broken in half, but I didn't see that as a big deal. The rest of them look like they could have been euthanized in the past 24 hours and put in a freezer. They are all very clean, of decent and consisent size, just as I orderd them and are in a sealed bag. Once I opened the sealed bag, I keep them in my freezer in a heavy duty ziploc bag and they have been fine.

[imitha]

If you have a petsmart in your area they usually sell the Arctic mice brand, those tend to be in very good shape

[bcr229]

There are a ton of reptile enthusiasts in PA. Look around on the Facebook forums for a local rodent breeder that will sell frozen. You usually get better prices and don't have to pay shipping.

[Sonny1318]

Perfect Prey is another great option. You won't be disappointed. Gourmet Rodent has awful quality. Experienced similar situations with them through Petco.

[JoshSloane]

I too have had horrible experiences with frozen feeders from petsmart and petco. I got a mouse once that was so smashed and rotten that it was immediately rejected by my snake.

Definitely order from Big Cheese Rodents. They have a 29$ flat rate shipping that is best in the business. The feeders come vacuum sealed on dry ice. I have feeders in my freezer from them that are many months old and they still look amazing when I open the package.