best way to thaw food

[wwmjkd]

I like to thaw rodents by just leaving them sit out at room temperature for a few hours. I used to thaw in hot water, but after a few rats burst when being constricted, I changed my ways real quick...lol.

It is perfectly fine to feed your snake in his/her cage. I wait to feed until it is dark that way the snake knows that anything that comes into the tank after dark is food and anything that comes into the tank during daylight hours (i.e. my hands) is not food. I think they are less apt to refuse food if offered it when it is dark since that is their natural hunting hours.

seconded. using hot water is alright in a pinch, but there's always a higher risk of the feeder rupturing and leaving a hell of a mess. I also don't like it because it's possible to cook the rodent slightly, and BPs can't digest cooked food.

what works for me is putting all my rats in separate bags in the fridge and leaving them to defrost overnight. pick an old bowl or something you'll never use for food again just in case anything leaks out. the next evening when the rats are thawed, I heat a cup of water for about a minute iin the microwave and float each bag for 10-20 minutes just to warm it up. the warming definitely helps in my experience, especially when converting a snake from live to frozen/thawed. however, I also think using a separate enclosure for feeding is best. I don't want to risk accidental ingestion of any substrate, and I think it really helps finicky eaters. nothing fancy- just a sterilite tub from target works fine. if a snake associates a small, barren enclosure (with only paper towels) with feeding time, it generally won't expect food when reaching into its home, no matter the time of day.

whatever method you use, make sure to test the feeder's head and hips. those are the thickest parts of the body and the last to thaw completely.