Help ASAP feeding!

[Naom9Anne]

I am feeding right now and having some severe problems! I defrosted rat pinkies at room temp then on a radiator with one for less than a minute. It exploded with my albino constricted!

The one for my Bee started leaking just on the counter! Do I defrost another pinkie or try him on a small mouse? HELP!!

[Naom9Anne]

I fed the bee the small mouse intended for my spider and he took, no sign of a wobble in feeding and such a quick strike. Now defrosting another small mouse for my Spider. Might try the albino on a small mouse next feed. Pinkie rats did not work out well.

Sorry couldn't wait for a response!

[Pyrate81]

If he doesn't eat it, I'd clean up the mess and try again. If he doesn't take then he's probably a little shaken and give him another 5 days before trying again.

To prevent over heating and explosion of the rodents try defrosting in a bowl or tupperware container of hot water.

The way I do it is:

1. fill contatiner with hot water from tap(not on the stove, do not boil)
2. add rodent
3. after 5-10 minutes dump water and refill with more hot water
4. sever when warm, squishy, and you don't feel any cold on the rodent(typically another 5-10 minutes)

[NH93]

Just a little too hot it seems I don't know if that's cooked, but definitely messy.
Here's another method (mine) if interested:

Put in baggy/container to thaw at room temp for 1-2+ hours until you can lightly pinch the belly without feeling any hard lump at all (depending on size of mouse/rat, and I just put the baggies on the counter near the sink - if you have other pets or squeemish people you can put it out of sight or in the fridge over night), then get a cup full of hot tap water and put the baggy inside, with the zipped part open and around the outside of the cup. I let it sit for 10-15 minutes beside my BP's vive, then feed with tongs.

I think "explosions" happen from time-to-time, it's all trial and error. Good luck!

[Naom9Anne]

The pinkie rat I defrosted for the albino was defrosted at room temperature and put in warm (not hot water) for a few minutes. That one exploded.

The one for my bee had no heat at all, left on the counter and exploded all by itself :/

All of my other items were defrosted in warm water until thawed and warmed in hot from the tap water, no explosions there All of my new babies fed in some way. The bee took the mouse very well and it was larger than what he had been getting fed by previous owner. I think I am going to switch the albino onto small mice if she will take it, a bit bigger than a rat pink and no accidents there in defrosting and feeding two

And, as usual, my pastel decided not to even come out of her hide at all or strike. Her small weanling is sat in the door to her hide if she will eat it at all... picky sod!

[Pyrate81]

The radiator is going to be hotter than room temp. It probably heated to the point where there was a gas buildup inside the pink and a "little" squeeze/strike from the snake put it over the edge.

Good luck with all your new snake kids/babies. :-)

[Kensa]

Another method you might try is taking the rodents out the morning of feed day. I usually take mine out before work and allow to thaw all day in room temp (12+ hours). Come feeding time I run some hot water through the tap and hold the rat's head under the hot water with my hemostats for roughly ten seconds just to heat up the head. Then I dry with paper towel and present to my BP. With the warm head, she is rather quick to go into feeding mode and usually strikes within the first ten seconds.

[Naom9Anne]

The radiator is going to be hotter than room temp. It probably heated to the point where there was a gas buildup inside the pink and a "little" squeeze/strike from the snake put it over the edge.

Good luck with all your new snake kids/babies. :-)

Thank makes sense in regard to the one that had a nice burst when she constricted but I'm still baffled as to the one which spontaneously combusted on the kitchen counter! I suppose some of us learn the hard way

And thank you! I'm just glad that my new babies ate, my pastel killed off my winning streak and her rat is still in the viv this morning. 5/6 isn't bad though

[Naom9Anne]

Another method you might try is taking the rodents out the morning of feed day. I usually take mine out before work and allow to thaw all day in room temp (12+ hours). Come feeding time I run some hot water through the tap and hold the rat's head under the hot water with my hemostats for roughly ten seconds just to heat up the head. Then I dry with paper towel and present to my BP. With the warm head, she is rather quick to go into feeding mode and usually strikes within the first ten seconds.

I usually heat the heads of my larger items with a hair dryer, last night I just used hot tap water on the slightly larger prey items and most of my BP's took apart from my fussy eater who eats when she pleases. I have used the longer thaw technique also but I found that as I feed late at night they defrost if I take them out later on in the afternoon too. I read something about leaving them defrosting for too long and causing an influx of bacteria which got me a little paranoid although I am sure that this will probably not happen too much over the space of a few extra hours!

Think I'll still to prey items with fur, little bit more adept at dealing with them now! If my bee can take a small mouse it is likely that both he and my albino could take a small rat fluff. It's at least worth a try.

Thank you for your method, it is always good to hear different techniques to try/re try if and when things go wrong.

[NYHC4LIFE8899]

I just let it thaw out at room temp then put the heat lamp above it for about 5 mins,about 6" above it...then it's good to go. I don't like making a process out of things wen they can be made simple..really.

take mouse,put in small container in room over night,open,remove mouse and put near lamp,feed snake,that is how simple it is