frozen mice/rat max storage time?

[Tekpc007]

how long are frozen rats/mice good for in the freezer? I was thinking of getting 50 or so to last most of the year for my BRB and corn. Will they still be good that long ? How long is too long ? should they bed use within x number of months? Thanks!

[jarich]

Ideally, they should be used within around three months. Much longer and the fats start to go rancid, the ice crystals migrating, vitamins degrading, etc. However, it also depends on how you store them and what you freeze them in. If you put them in a thin little sandwich bag and freeze them in the top of a fridge/freezer unit you open all the time, then Id say a month or less. If you vacuum seal them in thicker plastic and then store them in a big freezer that is rarely opened, you could probably get away with six months or so without problems.

[Lankyrob]

We only ever buy a month at a time but i treat them like it would treat steak in the freezer for me - would you eat steak that had been in the freezer for a year?

[mykee]

Six months to a year.

[hellosugaree]

Personally I would only store them a few months. The length also depends on how you store them. A ziplock in your freezer you open every day for food won't stay fresh very long. Vaccuum sealed in a chest freezer that is opened rarely might extend the time. A lot of people will keep them for a year but I think that is way too long. Have you ever tasted something that has been in your freezer for 6 months? Sure your snakes might eat it but the nutritional value will degrade. Best bet is find a local supplier or vote the bullet and spend a bit more money to buy smaller amounts more frequently if you only have one snake to feed. Post an ad on craigslist looking for feeder rodents. We found about 4 local breeders that way and I can get get them every week or every month and pick out whatever sizes I want individually.