F/T mouse fell apart

[dakski]

I thawed a mouse out, and it was falling apart as I tried to feed. The tail half broke off taking it out of the bag and then holding it behind the neck, fur and skin was shedding off. Any ideas what went wrong?

I had it in the fridge for about 24 hours and then in 2 baggies in hot water for about 2 hours.

You can go freezer to luke warm water for several hours to defrost. Even room temp water will defrost a mouse. NEVER USE HOT WATER for more than a couple minutes to warm before eating. It cooks the mouse and it will fall apart and/or your snake will not eat it, and if it does, will not get proper nutrition. Snakes eat raw food. Defrost is ok, but cooked is not.

Additionally, where did you get your rodent(s) from. Poor quality rodents can fall apart, but usually, it's the method of defrosting. As long as the rodents were frozen when you got them, and stayed frozen, the rodent should never fall apart.

​Below is my method for properly defrosting F/T prey:

This is my step by step list on defrosting F/T rodents.

Others may do it differently and that's fine. This how I do it and it works for me.


STEPS FOR DEFROSTING F/T RODENTS/PREY

1. Put prey item(s) into appropriate size plastic bag (1 for each). I use Quart size ziplock bags up to a medium rat. NOTE: Bags are optional. Some people just throw the prey in the water. I like the bags, but you have to squeeze the air out of them.

2. Fill the container/storage box 3/4 of the way with room temp to slightly warm water. If you have a temp gun (which you should, so if you don't, get one), make sure the water is not hotter than 85-90F, or there about.

3. Put F/T prey item(s) in water. Cover (optional) and leave for an hour +/-.

4. After an hour, rotate/flip prey. If in plastic bags, they often will stay on whatever side you put them in on. So if mouse is on left side, turn to right side, etc.

5. Leave for another hour +/- for a TOTAL of about 2 hours (up to medium sized rat - longer if bigger prey for when ROE is bigger and eating Large rats, for example).

6. Check that prey is defrosted totally through. Squeeze at different sections of the preys body. Should be cool/room temp to touch, but be soft with no cold spots. If hard (except for bone), in abdomen, for example, or cold, put back in water until room temp and soft.

7. Take prey out of the container/storage box and put aside. THEN FOLLOW STEPS 8-11 OR STEP 12

8. Fill container with hot water from tap. If using temp gun, water temp should be 110-130F, not more.

9. Drop prey item into water for 30 seconds +/-. If multiple prey items, do one at a time. You want each item hot when you offer.

10. Remove (if hot water, with tongs).

11. Dry as best as you can, and is quickly as you can, with paper towels. I dry with paper towels while I am walking from the bathroom where I defrost to the snake tanks. I kind of wrap the prey item up in them. It's ten feet, so by the time I get to the tanks, the prey is drier, but still warm.

12. If not using hot water, use a hairdryer to heat rat so it entices snake

13. Open tank and offer ASAP.