Feeding

[Evenstar]

Consider hunters; they "field dress" [completely gut] whatever they kill immediately because the innards start to rot as soon as the animal dies and that will contaminate the rest of the meat.

I've had to throw out costly rats because of a feeding refusal and subsequent time lapse.

Better safe than sorry.

Yes, that's a really good example!

Consider this also - the smaller the animal, the faster they degrade. I wouldn't feed any rodent that was left out longer than 4-5 hours max (including thaw time). In other words, I feed jumbo beefy mice and it takes them almost 3 hours to thaw completely when just left out on the counter. They'd better be fed within 2 hours of them being thawed or in the trash they go. If I thawed them using hot water or something, the same rule applies: feed within 2 hours of thawing.

If your snake refuses the meal, I feel refreezing 1 time is acceptable so long as it is done within that 2 hour period. After 1 re-thaw though I feel the mouse will have degraded enough that it is no longer good.