Now thats a good common sense Idea.
Keep your eyes out for local reptile shows and buy your "stash" of Frozen mice there.
Hopefully, they raise and handle them properly and correctly... the usual standard assumption is they do. Hey,they probably do. Mouse vendor numbers are usually limited at shows, so they tend to have the guys with the best product and price as a draw for the present and future show(s), one can hope.
A correctly fed, CO2 dispatched, "clean" low odor product, with hard, sub-zero fahrenheit commercial freezing used (to kill effectively, any "onboard Parasites) is a good thing, and I also prefer a Vacuum Packed product, if I have a choice, but hey, I'm a wee bit nit-picky on the subject.
Thats why I raise my own "primo quality" mice.
Take ones little ice chest/ cooler along to keep them hard frozen on the way home with maybe some "blue ice".
In the Central Sonoran Desert of Arizona, heat is a factor usually, you best be going right straight home with ones frozen goodies or you will have a mess of thawed product on your hands...
They will go from hard frozen to soft frozen, outright thawed, relatively quickly, especially those smaller pinky packs.
One could E-mail (or Phone) a reptile shows promoter, in advance, and inquire to make sure a Frozen Mice vendor will be present, before taking that long drive.
What the heck, go anyways, you can use a new Corn Snake for the ol' collection.
Kingsnake.coms rodent vendor list is a good way to find "backyard Rodent moguls", Joe independents mousery.
Beware of the wolves in sheeps clothing, buyer beware.
Thieves / ethically challenged individuals, abound in all aspects, across the board, of the live/ dead stock business. Some are just plain ignorant (proper diets, basic husbandry,,etc.) of what they are doing (producing Reptile food).
Frozen Rodents overall health (parasite, bacteria loads..) and quality can fluctuate wildly, there are the good, the bad (and the ugly?) in the feeder rodent biz. Mousee sick.., just gas it freeze it, ship it. Next.
Many mouse enterprises don't last long, it dawns on them that there are easier, less labor intensive, less odiferous and much more pleasant ways to make a living. If you can't smell well, this biz could be for you.
The fauna classifieds "Original Board Of Inquiry" could/ should be used to check out a Company BEFORE one sends off there money to a "fly by night".
Specific posting rules apply, be sure to read before posting.
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=13
Buying in-state frozen rodents allows one to get away with U.P.S. ground service & pricing and, properly timed, it works out to be a next day delivery service anyways.
An Insulated box and dry ice would usually still be required, i would think. (shipping expenses). A smallish order may be advisable initially to "Check out" the quality,service and packaging. Guaranteed frozen arrival can be important too. ("Slow boat to china"... whoopsey..., "what IS that smell?, here you go", style of deliveries).
imho.
