My 7cuft freezer i bought says on the label it only costs $25 a year to run. It is HUGE and i could never fill it full of rodents. A 5cuft one would be even cheaper to run. You wouldnt be able to even fill that one with f/t rodents probably. So just fill the rest of the space with Ben and Jerry's ice cream for yourself since your hubby is so squeamish. The 5cuft one is only 22"x28"x33" . I know you said your strapped for space but a 2'x2' space isnt that big.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_55375-83-FCM...1&facetInfo=GE