# Safe Defrosting of Frozen Rats (refresher course)



## slim6y (Nov 4, 2010)

It's fully open for discussion!!!

(this has been discussed before - but a refresher course that comes up in new posts may help people decide what is best for them)

In the years I have kept snakes all my rats are killed and frozen.

Whether they're purchased from pet-shops or from private rat breeders.

There has been occasions I have fed fresh killed - but only as available.

The main advice is to defrost your rat at room temperature. It is only advisable to defrost in the fridge if you're not feeding for a couple of days.

There is also a suggestion that the scent of a defrosting rat could trigger feeding responses.

Once mostly defrosted, a quick heating with warm water can also help trigger a feeding response plus it adds valuable water to the meal.

Usually I defrost in a dark area of the house through the day, and come evening I heat the rats in water, and serve fully thawed.

And you do???


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## Aussie Python Lover (Nov 4, 2010)

I defrost at room temp for 1-2hrs then I drop in warm water to heat a bit b4 I give them thier food... 

But previously have dropped in a snap lock bag and dropped in warm water.

I also know of people putting rats/rabbits or whatever else in buckets of water and leaving in the sun...


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## Kristy_07 (Nov 4, 2010)

If prey item is small, I just put straight form the freezer into hot tap water, and change water a couple of times if necessary. However, now that I'm feeding larger food items, too, I find it easier to leave medium or larger sized rats out for a few hours, and then warm in water before feeding.


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## grimjob (Nov 4, 2010)

I get mine out of the freezer and place in hot water until defrosted but I only defrost fuzzy rats atm


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## pythonmum (Nov 4, 2010)

I use a ziplock bag in hot water. I have a special bucket at home with RATS written on it just for this purpose. 

Thawing in the fridge isn't really an option due to lack of space and family protests. I don't like thawing at room temp, because it encourages bacterial growth. Hot water is quick.

Things NOT to do:
- Thawed one in water from an instant boil machine once - never again! The rat cooked and popped. Snake still ate it with no ill effects, but it was disgusting and really stunk.
- Thawed a mouse on top of an enclosure vent once - never again! Snake went crazy with the scent.


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## Snakewise84 (Nov 4, 2010)

i use a ziplock bag too but put mine in the fridge in the morning till late after noon for their feed


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## wokka (Nov 4, 2010)

I feed only thawed frozen rats mice,quail,rabbits and chickens. I thaw about a kilo at a time in about 10 liters of hot water straight from the tap. Hopper mice or smaller take about 10 minutes in hot water to thaw a couple of hundred, and an hour or so to feed out. We feed everything on one day so when we collect the first bucket of thawed food we thaw another couple of buckets. That way we can thaw and feed out a 1000 or so feed items on our feeding day and minimise the time for which food is "hot" and so multipying bacteria.
Whilst there is normally no issue if thawed food sits around for a while there is always a risk that the food may contain "bad" bacteria which may multiply to lethal levels at warmer temperatures. Obviously the more food items you feed the higher the chance of coming across a potentially lethal food item.


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## TigerCoastal (Nov 4, 2010)

Depends on when i remember to get them out of the freezer, if i get them out:

Before work they spend the day in the fridge

After work its room temp on the bench (i finish work at 2pm)

Tea time is a bucket of warm (under 40degrees) water

I wont use water over that temp as i have had tails deglove just picking them up from the water temp cooking the tail. 

I find that doing it this way the rat is still occasionally frozen in the middle before i warm it to give to my snakes so i just leave it in the bucket of warm water for a little longer.


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## Tikanderoga (Nov 4, 2010)

At the moment, I am unthawing them on top of the eclosure. The area 'round the heat emiter is always warm, and a small metal plate (ok, it's a metal cover from the stove turned upside down) serves as warming dish.
I usually place the mice in the dish and leave it for 30 mins, then turn them 'round for another 30 mins. After a total of 1 hour on the warm plate, the mice are hand warm.
My male jungle python can be a fussy eater and sometimes I have to resort to cooking "mouse soup" -> a bowl of hot water, place the warm mouse in the hot water for 5 - 10 sec, take it out and dry it off on kitchen paper. now the mouse has a warmer temperature and my jungle always takes them - no exceptions.


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## slim6y (Nov 4, 2010)

Size really does matter!

I find my large adult rats can still be frozen in the core several hours after taking out of the freezer.

This is why speed is of the essence - to stop the blood, outer muscles and defrosted organs from beginning to grow large amounts of bacteria.

Other threads have indicated something I would have said 'unsafe' and defrosting in the fridge is reserved for xmas turkey and chickens without their organs. Defrosting in the fridge is not recommended for rats unless you plan on feeding a couple of days later.

So far all our ideas are fairly similar.

Not using water above 40'C is also a good idea - with some added water during the defrosting.

Microwaving is not an option.


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## Kristy_07 (Nov 4, 2010)

pythonmum said:


> The rat cooked and popped. Snake still ate it with no ill effects, but it was disgusting and really stunk.



I thought feeding anything cooked was no good? Cooking/microwaving changes the protein structure entirely (I think?!?), and they would never eat anything cooked in the wild, so I thought it would be a bad idea? Can anyone confirm or deny this?


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## scorps (Nov 4, 2010)

Put them in ya microwave on high for 5-7 min 

all jokes aside, let them defrost in luke warm water


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## slim6y (Nov 4, 2010)

Kristy_07 said:


> I thought feeding anything cooked was no good? Cooking/microwaving changes the protein structure entirely (I think?!?), and they would never eat anything cooked in the wild, so I thought it would be a bad idea? Can anyone confirm or deny this?


 
Not all proteins are changed by heat....

And microwaving is not an option (as suggested) but not because they wouldn't 'cook' anything in the wild....

In reality - humans (in their early form) also never cooked anything in the wild.

You can sometimes physically see the result of protein changes in heated food items.

Take eggs - the egg white (rich in proteins) is translucent and almost colourless. When you heat it - the long chain protein molecules begin to stretch and fracture (just like when you bend plastic) and they become reflective (and absorbent) to light. This is a change in protein structure - as far as I am aware it's a non-reversible physical change. 

I do not know if there is an actual chemical change as well....


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## Kristy_07 (Nov 4, 2010)

I was just doing a quick google... the thing I had read about it was to do with enzymes, actually, not protein, but protein changes, also. 

Wiki summarised quite nicely... Cooking - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For myself, I would still rather stick to the assumption that cooked meat might not be okay for snakes...


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## ShaunMorelia (Nov 4, 2010)

slim6y said:


> Take eggs - the egg white (rich in proteins) is translucent and almost colourless. When you heat it - the long chain protein molecules begin to stretch and fracture (just like when you bend plastic) and they become reflective (and absorbent) to light. This is a change in protein structure - as far as I am aware it's a non-reversible physical change.
> 
> I do not know if there is an actual chemical change as well....


 
I know there is a definate taste change


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## TA1PAN (Nov 4, 2010)

Ive been keeping snakes for 2years now and i have always defrosted my rats/mice in hot tap water then dry them of with a paper towel.


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## Snakelove (Nov 4, 2010)

I put my rats straight from the freezer to a bucket filled with hot water. 

To those people doing it differently, why don't you do it the 'fast' way? Is it just your personal preference to thaw it out at room temp? I mean, frozen to bucket of hot water is quick, easy and the water is a bonus for the snake. 

Also, the ziplock, what do you do when you're defrosting rabbits or a large prey item? Is there a ziplock that size?

Cheers,
Nick


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## TigerCoastal (Nov 4, 2010)

Snakelove said:


> To those people doing it differently, why don't you do it the 'fast' way? Is it just your personal preference to thaw it out at room temp? I mean, frozen to bucket of hot water is quick, easy and the water is a bonus for the snake.
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> Nick



It might be faster to put them in a bucket of hot water for the whole process, but if the rat is already defrosted or partly defrosted when put in water it will be heated through faster than a frozen rat, so if like me and have an hour off between jobs and then an hour after the second job before you need to go to bed it actually works out faster to have the rat/s defrosted.


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## shortstuff61 (Nov 4, 2010)

Snakelove said:


> Also, the ziplock, what do you do when you're defrosting rabbits or a large prey item? Is there a ziplock that size?


 
Yep, I use the ziplock bags for rabbits for my Olive pair, think I got them from Coles. They could easily fit 3-4 rabbits but they're a little more expensive, from memory they're $3-$4 for a pack of 10 or 15....


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## Snakelove (Nov 4, 2010)

TigerCoastal said:


> It might be faster to put them in a bucket of hot water for the whole process, but if the rat is already defrosted or partly defrosted when put in water it will be heated through faster than a frozen rat, so if like me and have an hour off between jobs and then an hour after the second job before you need to go to bed it actually works out faster to have the rat/s defrosted.


 
Well that's true, it's convenient for you. Each to their own I suppose hey?


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## Snakelove (Nov 4, 2010)

shortstuff61 said:


> Yep, I use the ziplock bags for rabbits for my Olive pair, think I got them from Coles. They could easily fit 3-4 rabbits but they're a little more expensive, from memory they're $3-$4 for a pack of 10 or 15....


 
Do you re-use them or throw it out after each time you use it?


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## shortstuff61 (Nov 4, 2010)

Those bags sure as hell minimise the smell once the prey items are defrosted though.


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## shortstuff61 (Nov 4, 2010)

Throw them out, but I guess if they were cleaned in hot enough water without damaging them they could be used again.


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## zuesowns (Nov 4, 2010)

From freezer, I place rodents in plastic bag similar to the ones you put vegs in at supermarkets, place in tub of hot tap water until fully thawed and warm in the middle.

Reason I place them in plastic bags is because 1 of my ants doesn't like her rodents wet, must be fully dry. Also the larger rats thaw and water remains in the bag from frozen anyway which provides hydration for my bigger pythons - which doesn't have an issue with his rodents being wet.


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## crocodile_dan (Nov 4, 2010)

As far as heat and protein...

Heat causes a denaturation of the protein by agitating the peptide chain and breaking the week bonds that stabilize the structure. A denatured protein is biologically inactive and no longer able to function. Protein function is determined by their structure. By breaking the weak bonds the protein will not have the neccessary structure to undertake the required function, but the amino acid chain will still be intact. In digestion, proteins are not directly taken into the cell, they are broken down into their amino acids for uptake into the cell where they are used to create proteins. So heat will not affect the uptake of amino acids (protein) from food into the body, as far as 'cooking' reducing the nutritional value (vitamins and minerals) of a meal I'm not sure.

To give an idea of protein structure:
There are four stages of protein structure. Firstly imagine a protein as a length of rope made up of a unique sequence of amino acids, this is the primary structure. This primary structure then coils or folds, held inplace by weak hydrogen bonds, this is the secondary structure. Then imagine the now coiled folded piece of rope is tangled and twisted into a big messy clump, this is the tertiary structure. Then finally multiple tertiary structures can interact, imagine 3 clumps of rope together, this is the quaternary structure.


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## Kristy_07 (Nov 4, 2010)

Thanks, croc-dan.

As far as cooking reducing nutritional value, I think a fair amount of research has been done on this topic, although I'm not sure of the specifics. But there are now whole diets based on "raw foods" because of the changes that occur in cooking above certain temperatures.


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## slim6y (Nov 4, 2010)

good information crocodile_dan - I seem to recall hearing that in Chem 101 - shame I never remembered any of this stuff tho 

Re-using resealable bags is the environmentally friendly way.... but most definitely not recommended.


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## slim6y (Nov 4, 2010)

Kristy_07 said:


> Thanks, croc-dan.
> 
> As far as cooking reducing nutritional value, I think a fair amount of research has been done on this topic, although I'm not sure of the specifics. But there are now whole diets based on "raw foods" because of the changes that occur in cooking above certain temperatures.



My GF keeps telling me carrots are better for you 'cooked'...

I've never looked into it - biochem has never been my forte'.

But as hot water and rats go - surely there is insufficient heat to provide the energy to change protein molecules...


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## CarpetPythons.com.au (Nov 4, 2010)

After the heated debate yesterday I would just like to add something. Leaving them at room temperature means exactly that, you will have lower room temps in Victoria than you would up north. I would not want a newbie to follow my advice and feed a thawed animal that has been sitting in the Queensland heat. Victoria very seldom has nights that are in the high twenties. Keep this in mind when thawing frozen food overnight in NSW, Qld, NT and WA. I can understand why some get so worked up about telling people they can thaw out their frozen foods overnight. It's more practical in Victoria. I have also not noticed any difference in the feeding response between food that is offered warm versus food that came straight out of the fridge. Snakes are conditioned by their keepers to have good feeding responses. Our snakes cages are only opened twice a week, for feeding and cleaning. I believe fully that this is the reason for their extreme feeding response.


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## Kristy_07 (Nov 4, 2010)

slim6y said:


> My GF keeps telling me carrots are better for you 'cooked'...
> 
> I've never looked into it - biochem has never been my forte'.
> 
> But as hot water and rats go - surely there is insufficient heat to provide the energy to change protein molecules...


 
I'm not sure about the carrots  But, I agree about the hot tap water. I originally comment because pythonmum mentioned she'd once heated a rat from a hot water source that made the rat burst and cook, but the snake ate it anyway. I had always thought cooked food would be bad for snakes, and brought the point up to clarify. 

I think the idea behind the "raw food diets" is that things can still be eaten if cooked under 100 deg C, or something like that. So, by that standard, tap water wouldn't be cooking to the point of changing anything in the food at a chemical or molecular level (I don't think!?).


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## crocodile_dan (Nov 4, 2010)

Slim, yeah that was my 1st year biology last year that got covered in 2 or 3 courses, we never touched much on nutrition but that is one of next year's courses. 
Kristy, based on my small understanding of nutrition I agree with you that there is a reduction in nutritional value from cooking but as said I have not studied the specifics of it yet so I can't really contribute any valid information.


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## pythons73 (Nov 4, 2010)

So Wokka feeding that amount if any snake doesnt want a feed that day,do you just leave them til he following week,or try again once the others have had a feed......Now that i dont own as many..i just thaw in hot water,which generally takes 10-15minutes-thats for weaner rats...Obviously it wont take long for smaller items....


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## wokka (Nov 4, 2010)

We clean and water the next day so any uneaten food item is removed and thrown out and recorded as a refusal. We dont feed anything that is blue or shedding and throw out far less than 1% of food offered. Most food is eaten within a hour of being frozen.0.5 to kilo rabbits thaw within an hour but may need a water change. We feed everything wet and I know if we have a fussy feeder they definitely eat bettter if the food is warm.


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## pythonmum (Nov 4, 2010)

About raw vs cooked food. As has been pointed out, basic proteins are broken down. Cooking actually starts the process, so you gain more calories from cooked than uncooked food if eating exactily the same amount. This is part of the reason why people on strict raw food diets lose weight. Heating can affect some vitamins - I believe vitamin C is adversely affected. A single cooked meal does not harm a snake, but I certainly have no plans to EVER thaw in water which is too hot again!


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## crocodile_dan (Nov 4, 2010)

pythonmum, i was not condoning you for feeding a 'cooked' rat if my post came across as such, it was simple giving information relevant to the topic at hand. as stated it has no effect on protein uptake, but does have a slight decrease in some nutritional aspects. feeding as a once off practise due to a mistake in food prep would not have a detrimental effect unless the food item was spoiled (which i beleive in this case it was not). hypothetically if an organism was fed primarily on cooked meals they would have a defficiency of essential nutrients, and that is possibly good message to portray to other people unaware of this issue who read these posts. I am not criticizing you or any others as to do so would be ignorant, I am simply providing information that is not directed at anyone.


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## Kristy_07 (Nov 4, 2010)

pythonmum said:


> About raw vs cooked food. As has been pointed out, basic proteins are broken down. Cooking actually starts the process, so you gain more calories from cooked than uncooked food if eating exactily the same amount. This is part of the reason why people on strict raw food diets lose weight. Heating can affect some vitamins - I believe vitamin C is adversely affected. A single cooked meal does not harm a snake, but I certainly have no plans to EVER thaw in water which is too hot again!


 
Sorry if anything I said came across as judgemental, pythonmum. I just thought it was a good point to raise - that water that is too hot can cook food items, and cooking changes the nutritional value and protein structure within the food.


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## Kurto (Nov 4, 2010)

for me this topic comes down to 2 things...

1. A bucket
2. Warm water.


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## Nighthawk (Nov 4, 2010)

CarpetPythons.com.au said:


> I have also not noticed any difference in the feeding response between food that is offered warm versus food that came straight out of the fridge. Snakes are conditioned by their keepers to have good feeding responses. Our snakes cages are only opened twice a week, for feeding and cleaning. I believe fully that this is the reason for their extreme feeding response.



We have some pythons that won't feed unless it's warmed up, some that won't eat unless the food's dry (we also use the hot tapwater method), and some that really don't give one either way. 
Also, I'd like to add that a lot of scientists on these threads appear to be forgetting on of the first rules of life sciences: nothing is a given, life always surprises. You'll find out today that 'this is what is' and tomorrow that no-one has a clue and it's your job to find out.


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## dani_boy (Nov 4, 2010)

so if you e gonna use the water and bucket thingo how long do u leave it in and what temp


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## dani_boy (Nov 4, 2010)

sorry "so if you are gonna"


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## Kristy_07 (Nov 4, 2010)

What size food items are you heating dani-boy?


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## cris (Nov 4, 2010)

CarpetPythons.com.au said:


> After the heated debate yesterday I would just like to add something.


 
Sorry i was probably a bit harsh, wasnt trying to offend it was just the idea of the warm water method being an urban myth that made me a bit more critical (and 15 tinnies).


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## CarpetPythons.com.au (Nov 4, 2010)

No worries!


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## Snake-Supplies (Nov 4, 2010)

I gut mine and slowly pan fry in foil till cooked, then take off the heat.
While it is cooling, I cook the peas, corn, bacon and rice and add an egg to bind it up.
then I stuff the mixture in the rat and seal it up with some seaweed strips (used to make sushi)

I then put it in the pan again for a couple of minutes to reheat and then serve.

She loves it


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## Kristy_07 (Nov 4, 2010)

cris said:


> ...(and 15 tinnies)...



I thought you seemed a bit less tactful than usual :lol:


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## Kristy_07 (Nov 4, 2010)

JoshuaAtherton said:


> She loves it


 
Your girlfriend? Oh no, mate...


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## Snake-Supplies (Nov 4, 2010)

No.... my snake. =S


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## Just_Plain_Nuts (Nov 4, 2010)

I used to put them right next to our heat lamps but if you forgot about them for half an hour they would cook, then i tried the hot water and plastic bag idea but didnt like it , took too long and messy. Now I have a halogen set up a certain distance from a heat proof base and basically with the spacing i can control the heat and baking speed. Works great quick and clean


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## dani_boy (Nov 5, 2010)

Kristy_07 not sure yet becuase i dont have my python yet but im planning to get him/her as a hatchy, juvenile or yearling so maybe for all if them


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## beatlloydy (Nov 5, 2010)

I have a tall Plastic container (was a 150 blank CD cylindrical container). I put all my rats and mice in the 1 container and fill it with warm to hot tap water. I leave it for an hour or so and then work from smallest to largest (as smallest will defrost first).

I never leave the mice or rats in the enclosures...if they dont eat immediately then "no food for you" (seinfeld reference)...I just skip them and they get fed next week...If I have a leftover there are always a few ones that always would like seconds.

Keep em lean and keen em keen...I think we overfeed.

On a separate topic but related: what is the longest most keep them in the freezer....Is it 12 months (3 months is probably a norm)...but as the price of these critters are going up buying in bulk is a definite option these days. As I only have about 9 snakes bulk purchase would mean probably 100 or so..which would mean storage times of 12 months.

I have eaten 12 month meat from the freezer with no ill affects...this is providing the freezer is kept constantly frozen and nothing allowed to slightly thaw etc.


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## Trouta (Jan 21, 2011)

WOW i have just got my first snake a week ago a 2 metre long MD and im gonna give her her first feed this weekend, i dont no whether she is fussy, or likes it wet or dry, but all i do no is im gonna get a frozen rat from the pet store tommorrow, best tip for this novice to make sure i dont stuff it up and my girl gets a good feed?? put it in a bucket of warm tap water for 10 to 15 minutes and serve??? i got no idea


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## saximus (Jan 21, 2011)

The first few posts pretty much explain what you need to do. For a snake that big you will need a pretty big food item (large rat or even rabbit if they have any). Just use hot water from the tap. It will need longer than 15 minutes though. At about the 15 minute mark you will probably need to change the water because it will be cool. The best way I have found to tell if it's ready is gently feel around the belly area. It should be squishy and warm. If it is cold it needs a few more minutes in the hot water. Hope that helps


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## Titanic_Boa (Jan 21, 2011)

I just get the fuzzy mouse out of the freezer and defrost for 1-2 hours and serve cold and she hasn't refused. But i've only just got her a week ago and have fed her 3 times should i be heating it with warm water even though she still eats them


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## smigga (Jan 22, 2011)

Titanic_Boa said:


> I just get the fuzzy mouse out of the freezer and defrost for 1-2 hours and serve cold and she hasn't refused. But i've only just got her a week ago and have fed her 3 times should i be heating it with warm water even though she still eats them



What sort of snake do you have and how old?


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## cosmicwolf4 (Jan 22, 2011)

Kristy_07 said:


> If prey item is small, I just put straight form the freezer into hot tap water, and change water a couple of times if necessary. However, now that I'm feeding larger food items, too, I find it easier to leave medium or larger sized rats out for a few hours, and then warm in water before feeding.



I am using various sizes of rats and as you do, I put into freezer bags, but leave them to defrost overnight because I have found that they defrost totally, and then in warm water before feeding. I use Jumbo rats though for my big ones, so maybe that makes it a bit different.


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## Trouta (Jan 22, 2011)

Yep thx Saximus, was quite an elaborate thread this one and being my first feed first snake just wanted to get it right, yep defrost in warm water was what i got out of it thx


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## Titanic_Boa (Jan 22, 2011)

smigga said:


> What sort of snake do you have and how old?



Yearling Murray Darling


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## smigga (Jan 22, 2011)

ok, IMO you should probably feed one larger meal rather than 3 smaller meals. I defrost my mice/rats in warm water as i find this easier and quicker.


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## Titanic_Boa (Jan 22, 2011)

smigga said:


> ok, IMO you should probably feed one larger meal rather than 3 smaller meals. I defrost my mice/rats in warm water as i find this easier and quicker.



What i meant to say was i have only fed her 3 times since i've hade her. The day i got her which was Friday than Monday than fed her again on Thursday each time being a fuzzy mouse


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## smigga (Jan 22, 2011)

If you are doing that then you could feed her one fuzzy rat once a week, again IMO this would be a better approach and would be much more cost effective.


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## Titanic_Boa (Jan 22, 2011)

Thanks for the advice, i've only go a couple of mice left when their gone i will try her on fuzzy rats


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## wokka (Jan 22, 2011)

Titanic_Boa said:


> Thanks for the advice, i've only go a couple of mice left when their gone i will try her on fuzzy rats


Get the rats now and feed velvet rat straight after the mouse whilst your snake is in "a feeding frenzy" It is more likely to change onto rats then. Thaw the mouse and rat in the same container,together so there is cross scenting which may also assist with the food change.


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## saximus (Jan 22, 2011)

I agree with Wokka you should get rats before you use up the mice. It can be quite tricky getting them to change because they don't associate the smell of rats with food. I defrost a mouse and rat together and then rub them together so some of the mouse scent goes on the rat.


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## Titanic_Boa (Jan 22, 2011)

Okay i'll buy them today so i can start doing that tomorrow when i feed her


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## Childrens (Jan 30, 2011)

I find the best way to defrost rats and mice is to get them out early afternoon, by evening they are defrosted. I then take them and place them on a warm surface (top of dvd player or a warm heat mat) and allow them to warm. Then feed to the snakes. I have been advised not to use a microwave, or hot water and have been told this is one of the best ways. 

I took this from the Dolittle Farm website:

Thawing Method for Frozen Rats and Mice

There are many ideas and 'techniques' for thawing Frozen Rats and Mice (FRM). Below is a method DoLittle Farm recommends as best practice to maintain food quality and palatability.
Remove required amount of food from the ziplock pack. Reseal the pack and return to freezer.
Place a single piece of 2-ply, unscented paper hand towel on a heatpad, heatcord or other warm surface (like a VCR that is on). Place the rat or mouse on top of the paper towel. It is a good idea to do this close to your pet reptile's cage, as he will smell the food and become quite excited.
After an appropriate amount of time, turn the rat or mouse over and thaw the other side. Click here for a thawing time chart
Once the rat or mouse is thawed and warm to the touch, check the abdomen for any frozen or cool spots by rolling around between your fingers and thumb.
When satisfied the rat or mouse is thawed and warm (approx 38oC - close to your body temperature), offer to your pet reptile as soon as possible.
A few thoughts:
Once thawed, the longer you wait until you feed, the lower the food quality as gut bacteria has already started digestion again.
Do not use warm water to thaw. It can poach the food (resulting in split skin and guts everywhere) or can wash the scent of the rat or mouse away, leaving it unpalatable.
Do not use the microwave. Cooking of the rat or mouse can occur (if it doesn’t explode first!), or you could burn your pet reptile's esophagus with excessive heat.

I hope this may help,


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