Feeding Frozen

[adizziedoll]

I want to feed my 5 year olds frozen for pretty much the first time, Does anyone have any advice for me? OR is this just going to be impossible?

4 mice a week each is getting expensive, and I just can't stand feeding them live rats... they are so cute and personable!! (i have had several pet rats as pets)
Thanks guys, any input would be greatly appreciated!

[Adam_Wysocki]

Changing from mice to rats and live to frozen might be too much all at once for a ball python. They really hate change ... LOL

It can be done, but I would take it slow ... go to P/K mice and after a good amount of successful feedings, move to F/T, and then try the switch to rats.

The important thing is routine, routine, routine ... ball pythons are very good at recognizing routines. If you have a solid consistent feeding routine, it makes switching much easier.

-adam

[Smulkin]

Are you sticking witht he same prey type (mice) or looking to move from mice to rats as well? Your best chances of success will involve only making one of those transitions at a time.

When we were bent on getting all the critters on f/t we did not have too much of a problem though some required we give them the f/t mouse-jig puppet show.

THe thawing process can matter as well - if the f/t prey gets too wet (condensation, leaking bag) it seemed to dilute the scent somehow.

Also making sure they are warmed up enough they provide a good thermal image is key.

[adizziedoll]

How do I warm them properly without getting them wet? I've never even bought them before frozen.

P.S. I am going to pre-kill first , as adam suggested, but I am just wondering the answer to this question...

[Adam_Wysocki]

When I fed F/T in the past, I got them wet ... but if you don't like that idea, you can soak them in some warm water in a baggie or use a hair dryer to heat them up.

-adam

[Smulkin]

There are several methods folks use - none really more valid than the other.

My wife preferred letting hers thaw at room temperature then holding their heads under a heat lamp to give a good strike target. I myself would put them in good ziploc bags (ming them sharp claws) and let them thaw in a cooler of warm water. Caveat: if the water and rodent get too hot you can easily wind up exploding their bellies. Never a pleasant experience.

[buckdawg]

How do I warm them properly without getting them wet? I've never even bought them before frozen.

P.S. I am going to pre-kill first , as adam suggested, but I am just wondering the answer to this question...

What I normally do is put them in a ziploc bag and stick them in an old margarine tub and fill it with hot water from the tap. It only takes about 10 minutes to thaw. But like it was said earlier, I try not to let the prey (rat in this case) get too wet.

[tigerlily]

Ha! I have one girl who like her mice wet. Well, they have to be wet then dried off. I don't know for sure, but the last two weeks she's taken them no problems but not if they stayed dried. *shrug* But for the majority of mine, the whole ziplock bag thing works great. Especially if you use the freezer bags, they don't leak quite as much.

[ErikH]

Ditto for me with the zip-loc bags. I just thaw in a tub of hot water for 20 minutes and it's good to go.