Why did it pop?

[marylyn101]

:grab:
I was thawing out a mouse for my kingsnake iand when i went
to check if it was fullt thawed it popped like a big yellow zit.
they guts went all over the counter and my face. i felt like i was
going to throw up. Then i threw that out and got another one.
when i checked on this one to see if it was ready and it had burst
and all the intestines where floating in the cup. you couln't even
see the mouse. Am i doing something wrong or is it the batch of mice.
I but them in a cup of hot water and let them sit or "stew" for 20 mins
before i check.
Thanks

[silke]

it depends on how hot the water is...maybe they had gas and the hot water exploded them
dunno really

[marylyn101]

I used boiling kettle water

[Zoe]

Yeah, that's a little on the hot side. I use hot tap water, works fine and doesn't cook/explode the rodents.

Zoe

[ranmasatome]

it may be the batch of mice...if they've been frozen too long...may be the hot water as well...why don't you just let it thaw naturally..as in just leave it out for a few hours and it' should be okay. sometimes things that are dead are in the process of going bad when you freeze them...then when you thaw them the decomposition produces gas...i had mice with bloated stomach b4 when i thawed them...i never use those. may not be the case for you though...

[peregrinefalcon]

I agree with the others, your not supposed to cook the mice. Just take it out and let it thaw on the counter for a few hours and there is much less of a chance of it exploding. Then just stick it's head under a heating lamp for a minute, and then toss it in with the snake.
Hope this helps,
Adam

[marylyn101]

thanks you all so much
chow

[Lisa]

As the others have said, boiling water is too hot. you don't wanna cook the mouse or make it hot enough to hurt your snake.
You don't even need extreamly hot tap water, just slightly warm to your hand will do.

[Lasher]

I think that it could possibly be a terrorist attack. Perhaps we should raise the terror alert level to "gut" yellow? Everyone is right, don't use the boiling water. Don't put them in the microwave either. You think boiling water caused an explosion? Nothing like a nuclear mouse ejected from a microwave.

[Burmies]

All I do is put the rodent in a zip lock bag and put it in the same room as all my snakes are, so that the heat from the room will thaw it out. I know that it might take longer but that way I have no waste. But I hardly ever do that all my snakes get live food.

Burmies

[marylyn101]

thanks tons. i'llbe way smarter next
time

[fr0glet]

Well nobody else has mentioned it so I will. Defrosting rodents in warm water is a perfect bacteria culture and can lead to illness in your snake. If your snake was already carrying parasites (likely) then introducing bacteria to a compromised immune system can lead to septicemia, which could even be fatal.

So yes as everyone has mentioned, thaw at room temp! I handle defrosting rodents with the same safe handling techniques you would use for raw chicken.