F/T feeding gone....gross!

[MasonC2K]

So, I try to give a feed this weekend. I take the frozen rat out Saturday afternoon and let it thaw at room temp. Several hours later when it is feels soft and limp and put it under my heat lamp for 30 mins of so. I turn it ever a few mins to make sure it is thoroughly warmed up. I put it in and walk away for a bit. I come back and the thing is bleeding from the gut! Gross me the eff out! Chloe has changed hides so she obviously came out. Howver, I do not know if the bleeding was cuased by her attacking it of if it just started on its own.

I had to tell my wife not to look. I removed the thing and threw it away before it could bleed all over the tank. I washed everythign that had blood on it.

So, was this a fluke? Did I thaw it too long? Wamr it up too long?

I want this to not happen again.

[Nate]

pretty nasty huh? with f/t, that's oen thing you have to be prepared for, even if it stinks up your house..and it will.

In my experience, that happens only if it gets too hot too fast. I typically let it thaw out at room temp for a few hours, and then use a human heating pad to get it a little warmer.

[littleindiangirl]

Let it sit for 4 hours,[varies on the size of the rat], then put it in a ziplock baggie, throw it in a cup of hot tap water for 10 minutes, take out, put in front of heat lamp to warm up the head for about a minute, and the snakes usually WHAM! go right for it. And for some, the stinkier the better. Havent had a nasty bleeder yet. Some do bleed when they get squeezed, but nothing traumatic. ^.^

[hoo-t]

I take them straight out of the freezer, put 'em in baggies and into a container of water. Set the water in the sink and run warm (not hot) water slowly into the container for about 30 minutes. At the end of that time, they're ready to feed. I have only had one instance where a rat has ruptured, and that was last week. The snake ate it anyway.

Steve

[Kagez28]

i used to get busted guts when i tried to speed thaw. now i set it under my heat lamp with the bulb pretty far off the rodent. then i just let it thaw for a couple hours. good to go.

[VesuviusVicki]

I've had 2 bust and my bp refused them both. I think both times the water was too hot. It seems to work best when I thaw for several hours and use the blowdryer for a couple minutes.

[Flagg]

Leaving them out for hours, cooking them under heat lamps, are all just asking for a high level of bacteria growth in your feeders which can't be good.

You should thaw them in a ziplock in a container of hot tap water. Change out the water after 10-15 mins, maybe a couple times if they're really big rats.

[adizziedoll]

Welcome to the "Holy crap I didnt know that my f/t mouse will do THAT if i heat it up to fast!" club.