F/T question

[teague]

I am currently trying to get my BP's on f/t rats. One of my girls did fine. Took it first try. My other girl was interested, but no go. Which is okay. My question is...how many times can I refreeze the rat? I usually give them about 10 min to take there prey, (live or f/t) so its not unthawed too long.

[siz]

You can't! :) Once it is unfrozen, you should not refreeze.

[citysnakes]

most i would ever do would be to refrigerate it and try again the next day. if she still doesnt take it then offer it to another snake or, if you must, throw it out but thats just wasteful...

[teague]

Thanks. I was certain that I read somewhere online that I could refreeze. I'm glad I asked. Thanks again.

[siz]

I absolutely hate throwing out rats. It is a big waste :( It's nice to have a garbage disposal snake (or maybe monitor :D ) who can eat leftovers, lol.

[mykee]

Regardless of how long that rat is defrosted, bacteria grows and multiplies the SECOND it's no longer frozen, so the answer to your question is once. You defrost it once, if the animal doesn't eat it, it gets fed to another animal immediately or tossed.
Would you eat a steak that was re-frozen a couple of times?

[citysnakes]

maybe not re-frozen but a frozen thawed steak can be safely refrigerated for a few days either raw or after being cooked.

i dont refrigerate rats after thawing thanks to my "garbage disposal" snakes but i would think it should be ok whether it is rat or cow meat.

[infernalis]

Snakes appear to have much stronger insides than people do....

There are documented cases of snakes eating carrion, But I agree with having a garbage disposal... We have a Savannah Monitor for that.

Also great (monitors) for "culling" birth defects (if you breed) and still born herps.

[Will0W783]

I've had this argument with my fiance a few times actually. He was convinced that we could refreeze a large rat after my coastal decided to go off feed again (presumably for the winter). I told him no, they grow bacteria and will make the snake sick, and if he does it and feeds it later and the snake pukes, I'm making him clean it up. We ended up giving it to our sd retic female who was very fat and happy that week..lol. I guess she's my garbage disposal snake. Her and my Macklot's- that thing will eat anything!

[marvelfreak]

I have a ball that will it anything from med rats to mice hoppers. The only thing is now he has try to eat my hand three times. Who would have thought out of my snake the ball the one that's cage aggressive.

[ineedsoap16]

Hey marvel try hook training for cage aggresiveness. I have a hook for field herping and use it on my pythons. never had an agression problem, they get excited when I open the cage but as soon as the feel the hook its "ok I guess I'm being held."

[Terence]

most i would ever do would be to refrigerate it and try again the next day. if she still doesnt take it then offer it to another snake or, if you must, throw it out but thats just wasteful...
Always a plus to have a disposal animal around. Ours is a 5 ft Nile Monitor. Nothing goes to waste.

[Lankyrob]

Hmm = seems like a good reason to get a Savannah Monitor then..... have to try that on the wife in the morning "we need to get a monitor lizard to use as a waste disposal...." wonder how that will go down!!

[Terence]

Hmm = seems like a good reason to get a Savannah Monitor then..... have to try that on the wife in the morning "we need to get a monitor lizard to use as a waste disposal...." wonder how that will go down!!
Keep that under control though. I don't regularly feed rodents to any monitors I keep. But the occasional unwanted f/t rodent is a treat to them.