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F/T Mouse thawing

S

snakemom47

New member
What do you think the best way to thaw a mouse is? Ive had no trouble over the years with just leaving it out until it gets to be room temperature. But i was wondering if anyone had any ideas to speed it up to keep bacteria from starting?
 
I put mine in a glass of hot water, they're large fuzzies at the moment so it takes no more than five minutes for them to defrost. It does take away the 'mousy' flavour though, you could put it in a plastic bag first and then leave that in the water. Microwaving dries out the legs and could make the mouse explode (it would be worth doing that just to see it happen! ~ LOL).
 
I also thaw mine in a glass of hot tap water. I do put the mice in a ziplock bag first though...it seems more sanitary that way (not that I use that glass for anything except mice, but still...)

Anyway, its fast and easy, and the mice are actually about the same temp as the live mice I used to feed. It works for me:)
 
I put however many I need on a paper plate or paper towel. Then I let them rest on top of the UVB flourescent fixture of my blue tongued skink. It's warm across the fixture so that helps thaw them out quicker.
 
Itsnowingcorns said:
I put mine in a glass of hot water, they're large fuzzies at the moment so it takes no more than five minutes for them to defrost. It does take away the 'mousy' flavour though, you could put it in a plastic bag first and then leave that in the water. Microwaving dries out the legs and could make the mouse explode (it would be worth doing that just to see it happen! ~ LOL).
Click to expand...

I thought the microwave would be a good idea until I tried it :blowup:
Smells bad too :crying:
 
I put my f/t into a "snack" sized ziploc bag and accelerate the thawing by either running them under warm water (not hot - pinky skin can "cook", turning a milky gray, while not adequately thawing the innards), or if I'm multitasking at my 'puter, by simply putting the bag between my leg and the chair.

Yes, I sit on my feeders, so to speak. 98.6 plus the reflection/insulation of a leather chair makes quick work of it, without 'cooking' them.
:laugh01:

Then again, I'm only feeding three juvenile corns and a hatchling redtail - the largest prey item is hopper size. I wouldn't try this with adult mice.

Those ziploc bags will go in my armpits. :laugh:

regards,
jazz
 
I have a lot to defrost at a time so they all go into a contico tub which is placed in a bath of hot water.... they thaw much quicker this way :D
 
jazzgeek said:
Yes, I sit on my feeders, so to speak.
Click to expand...
lol. when i still lived with my parents I thawed the smaller fuzzies in a bag in my hands but it grossed my mother out and I got out of the habit. I think Ill try the water though.
 
jazzgeek said:
I put my f/t into a "snack" sized ziploc bag and accelerate the thawing by either running them under warm water (not hot - pinky skin can "cook", turning a milky gray, while not adequately thawing the innards), or if I'm multitasking at my 'puter, by simply putting the bag between my leg and the chair.

Yes, I sit on my feeders, so to speak. 98.6 plus the reflection/insulation of a leather chair makes quick work of it, without 'cooking' them.
:laugh01:

Then again, I'm only feeding three juvenile corns and a hatchling redtail - the largest prey item is hopper size. I wouldn't try this with adult mice.

Those ziploc bags will go in my armpits. :laugh:

regards,
jazz
Click to expand...


Jazz, you simply MUST take a picture!!!! :laugh:
 
jazzgeek said:
Yes, I sit on my feeders, so to speak. 98.6 plus the reflection/insulation of a leather chair makes quick work of it, without 'cooking' them.
Click to expand...
Dude...such a shame you don't have retics or burms! Just the thought of you sitting on a rabbit ot two...

FWIW...

I also used to just leave prey items out to thaw "naturally". However, last summer I had a few instances when I came back and a fly or two had deposited quite a few eggs on my defrosting morsels.

Now I no longer do that and resort to the method above. Plastic bag soaked in warm water. Actually works out a little better as far as predicting available time.

Good luck!
 
Quigs said:
Dude...such a shame you don't have retics or burms! Just the thought of you sitting on a rabbit ot two...
Click to expand...

Would it be TMI to say that there's enough hare on my butt?


Thought so. :D

Anyhoo, I do the plastic bag thang so as not to dilute the "mousy-ness" - your example of flies doin' their thang on a carcass seals the deal for me.

Would you want dancing rice on your food?

regards,
jazz
 
JTGoff69 said:
Jazz, you simply MUST take a picture!!!! :laugh:
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'll have a pic of my pits, with plastic-covered lumps.

The caption? "IT'S A TOOMAH!!!!"

regards,
ahhh-nold ;)
 
I have been just using warm water. Never thought of using a bag to seal in the flavor and juices. I got me a new recipe!! I'm so glad I read this site, I learn something new everyday. -Phen :licklips:
 
I throw em right into warm-hot water...don't want the extremities to cook...could cause a digestion problem...I have NEVER had a problem with my snakes smelling the mouse after it soaked in water...heck they get excited smelling the WATER the mice thawed in...of course I am thawing a handful of mice at a time...but they don't lose enough scent to elicit any changes in feeding response...

NEVER use the microwave...not only will the mouse explode :blowup: but it can actually cook inside, causing digestion problems for your reptile.
 
i thaw my pinks in a container on top of the frige. takes maybe 10 min for a rock solid pink to thaw right through.
Ill have to devise something else though the day some member of my family sticks their hand in it. theyre not too enthused about the snakes in the first place.
 
Pinkies I just dump into a glass of hot (tap) water, anything with fur I put in a ziplock baggie. A friend of mine, her snake will NOT eat the mouse if it's even the SLIGHTEST bit damp, so she thaws hers under a light bulb. She feeds the largest sized mouse, and it takes about an hour to thaw.

Sorry if I'm repeating something someone said here already, but the way to tell if it's ready to feed, is to hold the mouse between your index finger and thumb for about 10 seconds. If you start to feel anything "less than body temperature", it's not ready.

Just don't microwave.
 
I put mine in the fridge the day before and let it thaw slowly, then put it in warm water just before I feed; I mean my snake feeds.
 
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