thawing mice

[RaVeNo888o]

just wondering what is generally the best way to dethaw the frozen mice, hoppers in my case. I usually just let it sit in some warm water for about 30 min, changin water when it gets cool, then dip it in hot water b4 i feed it. Sometimes i have the mouse in a plastic bag and it stays dry but usually it is right in the water and i just dry is a bit with tissue .

[wyz]

I use the same method (with the plastic bag) for all mouse and rat sizes. .. I don't think there's a better or safer way to do this.

WYZ

[RaVeNo888o]

alright, just checking to see what people though. I figured that this was the best way, as long as its not too hot as ive heard something about the mouse expoding or something? (like breaking open i think?)

[reptilez]

I but mine under a heat lamp.

[reptiledude21]

I put mine in the microwave for only about ten minutes.

[RaVeNo888o]

are u serious? i would imagine that the mic would make them explode...someone did that with a kitten at my moms univ.
im assuming you are being sarcastic right?

[drewlowe]

I put mine in hot water for about an hour in a baggie so their not wet.

[Big Mike]

I hope that is sarcastic...micro waving is definately not a good way to thaw them out.

[reptiledude21]

yes im jokin.

[unknownclown]

I of course float them in a plastic bag in warm water also.

On a side note Ive wondered if this is best since Ive worked in restraunts and have been taught that if you thaw meat in hot water its very bad for both the meat and your health. why is it not the same here?

[sapphire_moon]

I put an adult mouse in the micro for about 30 sec.....that is just enough time to get it hot, and by the time I get it to the snake it is not to hot, but not to cold either.

[unknownclown]

If youre serious i hope you wait a minute or so before you give it to the snake it could have hot spots. Also any time you cook something even if it is 30 secs you can take away some of the nutrients.

[Linds]

I just fill a bucket full of hot tap water and toss in the rodents. I don't bother with bags, too many rodents and I like that it gets a little more water into them as well. Freezing takes away some moisture, and snakes get most of their hydration needs from their prey items anyways. None of my animals have complaints about soggy rats :flick:

Microwaving is probably the worst way to thaw a rodent. As mentioned by unknownclown, it can produce hot spots and nukes all the nutrients. It can also partially cook the prey item.

[lordkovacs]

if you put in the microwave, the mouse starts to cook inside.. that's not natural. you want them to be thawed and maybe slightly warm representing an animal that has just recently died/still alive. microwaving begins to cook the animal, and i'm told, it will lose some nutritional value. that's what I was told by someone very experienced.
MIKE

[KingJaff]

now adays i soak mine in warm water (if i use hot water it somtimes changes the colour or the animal slightly cooking but i dont fret). I find feeding damp animals is not a problem unless you dont put it on a rock or log as the substrate has a dendancy to stick to the food not good)
But when i first got in to snake keeping i used to put pinkies and fuzzys in the micro wave for very briefly. Then one day a friend said one compleatly exploded all over his micro wave (didnt impress his mum >( ) and so i dicided to test this theory :w and put an adult mouse in the micro wave for an extented period.... and what i found was that you actually get a warning period before the grusome act happens, the tails explode with quite a large noise, needless to say i dont do this any more coz its by far easyer to just switch on the hot tap.