Lesson learned...*somewhat graphic photo*

[marisa]

I always always use water, with mice in a ziploack bag when I thaw mice for the snakes. Well today I was out of bags, and really needed to fed my snakes. So I put the mice under a hot light (which was too hot, I know now) and fed 5 of them their mice. When we went to fed Jose, my Mexican Black Kingsnake, we didn't notice what was going on right away but sure enough the mouse "exploded" By the time I noticed, he was already ripping off pieces and eating them like a dog. This snake would eat hot dogs if we let him, so that was no surprise but it sure was gross. We took him out and took the mouse away from him right after the photo....I won't post the others as this one gives you the idea:

If you look close at his mouth you can see him eating one of the pieces he pulled off. He swallowed that piece and tried to rip quite a few more off and swallow them as well. He also made a big deal when I treid to take it away and seemed quite content to eat this mouse piece by piece! Well i of course didn't let him.
<img src="http://members.rogers.com/mattl/Josegross.jpg">

Anyways so my personal lesson for today: Thaw mice out properly or don't thaw them at all! :)

Marisa

[Vanan]

Make you wonder if snakes scavenge quite a bit. There have been reports of snakes sighted at carcasses. I'm sure a half rotting animal, which is too large to swallow whole, may offer a few bites here and there.

[Pixie]

EEEWWWWW!!!!

That's a nasty surprise to see at feeding time!

Pixie

[sSNAKESs.com]

lol i had a gtp that splattered one all over the cage, and even after i thought i got it all out, a few days later if still smelled awful!! :P

[J_Riley]

Originally posted by Vanan
Make you wonder if snakes scavenge quite a bit.

You haven't lived until you've seen a snake trying to swallow a flattened toad off the road ;)

[Ace]

The time I tried dethawing adult mice and an adult rat the guts exploded. Nasty smell to 'em. I was told I was using water that was to hot or left them "cook" to long. I use prekilled now :D

[crimsonking]

Vanan, lots of snakes are carrion eaters. I was always led to believe they only ate live in the wild, but have seen and heard about many. Those that use their sense of smell most seem to be a high percentage (natricines,etc.) I have had wild FL. kings refuse everyything I could think of --only to have them wolf down dead wild rats. I too am guilty of using a heat lamp to thaw mice. Not a good idea! I have no problems thawing in refrigerator first (night before-in the bag) then "warming" the bag w/ hot water.

[Andy_G]

Wow, graphic pic. I love the snake though!

[marisa]

Thanks! I love him too. Got him in a pet shop about hmm two years ago, he is five this year....most aggresive feeder I have!

Marisa

[gonesnakee]

I thaw out all my food/prey items the night before I feed, therefore I don't have any "thawing" problems. A simple solution that requires very little planning. I use a white heatpad to keep them warmed up while feeding or just hold them to a heat light just prior to offering them to the snakes. Most all my snakes except the pythons will take them at room temp (around 80 in my snake room) with no problems anyway. Mark I.

[marisa]

Using a ziploack bag under slightly warm water for a few hours has always worked for me....over all though I prefer feeding fresh killed but hey sometimes you just don't have time to whack em so ya gotta thaw em! :) LOL

I will be returning to my ziplock under water method from now on when I fed thawed. I will never use a heat light that strong again! haha :)

Marisa

[BoidKeeper]

One word: YUK!
Cheers,
Trevor:cool:

[The_Omen]

MMmmmm... MEATLOAF!!!!

I always thaw out the food under warm to hot water in the sink.

the explosions I have had were due to the water being too hot and the snake hitting a tad too hard..

But it did leave the lovely sound of a wet 'pop' in my memory.

[marisa]

Ew oh god that's gross. LOL. What keeps popping up in my mind is the smell. It makes me never want to fed any sort of thawed ever again.....

Do they all smell like that inside after thawing? Or just the overcooked ones? Anyone?

marisa

[The_Omen]

usually stink, but the really overcooked ones smell like ham.

[Vanan]

Hey Mark, yea I know snakes to scavenge but to see it happen in captivity is very interesting. I have a female albino calikiing who is the same with f/t rodents. Her strike is so powerful, she's ripped adult mice in half!

Personally, after cooking pinks, and barbecuing many rodents, I've found that filling up a sink with hot water is fast and less accident prone.what I do is, fill it up with hot water, throw rodents in, and when the excess water starts draining off, I reduce the flow to a lil bit. That way there's still hot water warming it and I can hear the sound of the flow so I don't forget.