I agree on internal temps.
I've never thought much about my thawing method. I let the rats thaw at room temp for a few hours, then put them under hot tap water for 15 minutes or so. I hit them with a hair dryer to heat the head and I'm good to go. Or so I thought. Imagine my dismay one evening when one of my best eaters struck, coiled, started swallowing and then spit out the rat. I reheated it with the hair dryer and no interest. I decided to try heating one more time, and while massaging the rat and turning it over, I moved the hair dryer by accident, and was shocked to find the center of the rat felt cold. Not cool, but truly cold. I borrowed my hubby's temp gun, and discovered all the rats I thought were ready to go, were actually still partially frozen in the stomach area.
I began leaving the rats under a thin, running stream of hottest tap water for a full 30 minutes before I towel dry them, then I use the hair dryer to give a final all over heating. Since I started this new method, I've had many picky eaters become voracious feeders. I don't know how I didn't make one of my babies sick, but I have no doubt in time I would have done just that or worse.
So, if for no other reason than peace of mind, double check those temps before feeding the f/t. They should be at least 100 before offering.
Gale
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