Quote Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
I know I wasn't the one you asked, but I'll answer anyway. I do not thaw rodents in zip-lock bags, btw- I use a designated pail for thawing rodents, & I do so directly in the water because it's much faster that way. I don't find that to be a problem.

First off, thaw rodents completely in cool water first- not hot. This is to reduce spoilage.

Once thawed, only then put them in very warm water for several minutes to raise their temperature. This might not matter as much for small prey items, but for larger rats, they take a long time to thaw in the middle- even longer when they're in a zip-lock bag, because the little bit of air in the bag acts as insulation. Thawing directly in water is faster, but it does wash off some of the rodent's scent too, which your snake may or may not miss? (I blot off feeders on paper towels after thawing so they're not dripping wet.) If your snake "needs more scent", I just pinch-damage the nose a bit with my feeding tongs right before feeding to release more of the rodent's scent & help the snake target the nose.

Back to the spoilage question- rats have thicker fur than mice, & larger ones take a lot longer to thaw. They may seem to be thawed on the outside, but still have ice in the middle, which can cause an awful regurgitation by the snake if it's eaten that way, so no matter what you're feeding, always palpate to make sure the rodent's body is soft throughout before offering to a snake.

If you thaw rodents in hot water, it raises the outer temperature enough to promote spoilage, while the inner regions are still icy for much longer. It's the same principle whether you're thawing snake food or a turkey for your own dinner (except that we don't eat raw meat, nor whole animals whose entrails are loaded with germs). Proper food thawing means keeping it cold enough to minimize spoilage that any warmth promotes. It's the same reason we thaw a turkey in the fridge, or more quickly in cold water- I've cooked a great many holiday meals & never gave anyone food poisoning. With snake food, many seem to get away with thawing in warm/hot water, because snakes have pretty tough digestion, but consider that not all snakes eat right away, & the longer that prey sits there at room temperature, the nastier it will get, & when the snake rejects it, or barfs it up later, I've never heard anyone blame their own thawing methods...

Great points! Thanks again!