Reptile & Amphibian Forums

For those of you who are lucky enough to have several snakes eating frozen. How do you thaw the food? The more snakes I get the harder and more time consuming thawing food gets. So do you have an easier way?

Nisa
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3.2 Ball python (Hoss, Little Man, Adam, Helen, and the new girl who gets named when she eats)
1.1 Corn snakes (Orlando and Legolas)
0.1 King snake (Sidhe which sounds exactly like "she"
0.0.1 GTP (Kissy the Red)
1.1 Haitian Boa (Enkil and Akasha)

And bunches of furry pets

1. Pull out of freezer night before - stick in fridge.
2. Pull out of fridge about an hour before feeding time.
3. Put under heat lamp for 10 minutes while I'm pulling feed cards and snakes (yeah - I feed in separate containers).
4. Feed.
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Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

6.42.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Anakin Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python (Verdi)
0.1.0 Bredls Python (Smurfette)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Desert Tortoise (Pope John Paul aka JP )
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.0 frogs rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.1 Lizard of unknown origin

I just place the frozen mice in zip lock bags and let them sit out for several hours. Before I feed the snakes I stick the bags in some warm water for a while. Never have any problems. Every now and again I have to reheat the last couple if they cool off too much, but mostly they dont seem to care.

ep
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Occupants not paying rent:
1.1. balls
1.1 corns
1 everglades rat
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
2.1 cats

I dont have any advice as i dont actually have a ball just yet but i plan on late summer after i get my enclosure all set up and temps right before i get my first! (Very excited) I just wanted to ask a quick question concerning feeding. When you feed in seperate containers do you feed them let them get it down and then transfer them into there main home or do you have a seperate setup that has the right temps and stuff and wait till the meal is digested before placing him back into his main enclosure?

SOrry i dont mean to take away from the original post i was just curious.

Thanks,
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Mike & Wendy

2.0.0 Siberian husky, Jackrussel/schitzu
0.0.1 Lepard Gecko
0.0.4 Beta's
3.1.0 Warm blooded life sucking spawns.

It can be done either way - just sticking a heating pad under the feeding container and moving them the next day. I've been feeding my snakes in seperate containers for years and usually move them shortly after they've got their food down. Once it's properly settled into their stomach they will make a break for the top of the tub - this is when I move them back home. I've yet to have a snake regurge because I move them to close to eating.
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Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

6.42.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Anakin Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python (Verdi)
0.1.0 Bredls Python (Smurfette)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Desert Tortoise (Pope John Paul aka JP )
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.0 frogs rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.1 Lizard of unknown origin

Thats awesome, exactly what i needed to know. Thanks for the response. It seems like a good idea to feed that way just for handler safety regards.

You seem like you know your stuff, i see you reply to a lot of messages, you know anything about Lep. geckos?

Thanks again,
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Mike & Wendy

2.0.0 Siberian husky, Jackrussel/schitzu
0.0.1 Lepard Gecko
0.0.4 Beta's
3.1.0 Warm blooded life sucking spawns.

I'm not going to speak for Tosha, but I doubt she moves them for handler safety. That's a myth that has been circulating for quite some time. Ball pythons will not strike at you every time you open the cage because you feed them in their cage. You probably open it up much more for routine maitenence and handling than just feeding, so your snake will not be conditioned that way.

More likely, people will feed them outside of the bin because they don't want their snake to ingest substrate which can be a problem at times.

Thats good information. Thanks. glad to hear so many different views. Like i said im doing as much research before i can before actually going out and getting a one and the forums and people like yourselves have proven a great place for info! Everyone in the herp world seem really good people and almost like a tight nit community! Its been awesome so far.

THanks,
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Mike & Wendy

2.0.0 Siberian husky, Jackrussel/schitzu
0.0.1 Lepard Gecko
0.0.4 Beta's
3.1.0 Warm blooded life sucking spawns.

you must really love your children, LOL. Anyway, just to add my 2 cents to this, i feed all my guys in their enclosure. Everyone is on aspen and I havent had any problems. I always watch them closely though to make sure. Occasionally somebody will end up with a couple of shreds in their mouth and Ill just gently help them get it out. I have fed in a seperate container before and I find they are more aggressive once they eat. That being said Ive only been tagged twice by any of my balls over a 13 year span. Really they are good snakes so it shouldnt make much difference. Enjoy. And your'e certainly doing the right thing by getting as much info as possible.

ep
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Occupants not paying rent:
1.1. balls
1.1 corns
1 everglades rat
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
2.1 cats

I also will feed my guys in a seperate container. I put them back soon as they finish.
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3.2 Ball python (Hoss, Little Man, Adam, Helen, and the new girl who gets named when she eats)
2.2 Corn snakes (Orlando and Legolas and the newbies)
0.1 King snake (Sidhe which sounds exactly like "she"
0.0.1 GTP (Kissy the Red)
1.1 Haitian Boa (Enkil and Akasha)

And bunches of furry pets

I have only one bp, and I've only had her for five months. I'm not experienced, and I've generally fed her in her cage. Every so often, something happens and I feel a need to feed her differently. On those occasions, I've had some success putting her and the food item in a paper bag and putting the paper bag in her cage. That way, I can sorta feed her outside her enclosure, but she can let herself out of the bag when she's ready. Afterwards, she'll sometimes play with the bag.

Bill
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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.

You seem like you know your stuff, i see you reply to a lot of messages,

You guys are very perceptive. Tosha seems to have the right answers to every question. She's been a tremendous help to many of us, and I appreciate her patience. I'm sure that my little girl is healthier and happier for the advice that Tosha's given on this forum.

Bill
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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.

LOL - I'm just faster at the keyboard than some of you guys on the forum. Actually ball husbantry isn't rocket science - I owe a lot of my knowledge to my poor snakes who suffered through the large aquariums, heat rocks and habba huts years. And most importantly to those that have been in the hobby for eons and who have passed their knowledge down. It's important that we remember there are a lot of correct ways to do things and we keep learning and sharing and helping others who enter into the community - in the end it makes the hobby more enjoyable for us all.
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Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

6.42.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Anakin Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python (Verdi)
0.1.0 Bredls Python (Smurfette)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Desert Tortoise (Pope John Paul aka JP )
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.0 frogs rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.1 Lizard of unknown origin

I pretty much use the same method. I take them from the freezer and put them in a plastic bag to thaw for a while. I then put the bag in a container full of hot water. My hot water heater is set pretty low, so I'll microwave a few cups of water to add to the rest. I let the food soak for half an hour or so to be certain that it's warm all the way through.

Someday, I'm going to try to get fancy and control the whole process with a thermostat. I imagine putting a small probe through the rat's mouth into the body. I'd put the thing in a bag in water on a hot plate. The thermostat would control the hot plate. When the inside of the rodent reached about 98 F, I'd feed. There's probably no benefit to this technique, but if it worked, I'd enjoy knowing that my process was that precise.

Bill
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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.

Hey Bill you sound like me man!! I could see myself doing something like that aswell. Im a "its gotta be precise and right" kinda guy. I dont think that doing something like that is really necassary but hey if it works and makes us feel better then why not!! lol

Take it easy and good luck to all,
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Mike & Wendy

2.0.0 Siberian husky, Jackrussel/schitzu
0.0.1 Lepard Gecko
0.0.4 Beta's
3.1.0 Warm blooded life sucking spawns.

I think a big part of why I have some of the ideas that I have is that I'm an engineer. Animals that live with engineers have to be patient.

Bill
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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.

Yeah thats understandable. No im not an engineer but maybe i should have been one! lol I think most of my lil quarks such as everything has to be exact comes from my late father!! Sometimes its a good thing sometimes it a curse! Either im stuck with it!!
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Mike & Wendy

2.0.0 Siberian husky, Jackrussel/schitzu
0.0.1 Lepard Gecko
0.0.4 Beta's
3.1.0 Warm blooded life sucking spawns.

I have a wild suggestion. Stop using frozen. When someone has a small collection, frozen is fine. But, as you are seeing, once our collection gets to a certain size, frozen can get out of hand. To time consuming and to messy.
In keeping snakes for over thirty years, I've never been happy trying to use frozen. To me it's just a waste of time and resources. How many times have you had a snake not eat a frozen rodent? What do you do with it? Try to give it to another snake? Re-freeze it? Or just throw it in the trash?
I for one, refuse to offer that food item to another snake, do not wish to travel cage to cage, begging for someone to consume it. If you re-freeze it, the secont thaw it will just be a mess with fur.
Now, with fresh live rodents, just dispatched before feeding, is in my humble opionion, the best method. Warm, smells great and is tasty. Who want's frozen hamburger for every meal?
Ok, that was a joke, but seriously, once your collection gets to a certain size, Live, fresh is the way to go.
Sorry, I think outside the box.
Ron Billingsley

Is that cost effective though? I dont know how much live rats and mice are in bulk but I thought frozen was much cheaper. Could you explain your process. How many snakes, how many feeders, what do you keep them in before feeding? Do you raise them yourself? and on and on and on............ thanks.

ep
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Occupants not paying rent:
1.1. balls
1.1 corns
1 everglades rat
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
2.1 cats

How is frozen any cheaper then live? Do suppliers sell frozen cheaper then live? Where I live, Indiana, we have plenty of people breeding rodents. They offer both live and frozen. And I assumed they sold them at the same price. How is raising a rodent that is frozen and sold any different in selling it alive? I would assume it would cost more with the cost involed. Gas, freezers, dry ice, etc.
I myself, since I have close to 300 ball pythons, I produce my own rodents. That way , if I need small rats I have them, if I need twelve pinks, I just go pull them.
I know not everyone can produce their own, and need to have a supplier. If you have only three or four snakes, then by all means, I think frozen is the way to go. But once you get a collection going, and have some numbers, your find frozen to be more then it's worth.
Another thing I do, that most don't is I only use RATS. I never offer a ball python a mouse. Once a ball is hatched, it is offered a pink rat. If it doesn't take it, I wait another week, and offer again. This past season, I had every hatchling eating rats. Only one didn't want to eat a rat. I went to the Indy Show and bought a hopper mouse. It ate it. I sold that snake for $10. AS A NON EATER of rats. Wasn't worth my time to keep it.
It's all about how much you want to work and struggle.
Ron

So what about the whole safety for the snake and live rats being a danger to them as far as the snake getting bit while constricting etc or before hand etc??
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Mike & Wendy

2.0.0 Siberian husky, Jackrussel/schitzu
0.0.1 Lepard Gecko
0.0.4 Beta's
3.1.0 Warm blooded life sucking spawns.

P.S. Sorry forgot to add this in my last post.. We really do love our children, I meant for the descripition to be funny and hopefully it has brought a smile or two to those who have seen it!
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Mike & Wendy

2.0.0 Siberian husky, Jackrussel/schitzu
0.0.1 Lepard Gecko
0.0.4 Beta's
3.1.0 Warm blooded life sucking spawns.

LOL - didnt catch those "life sucking spawn" from your previous post - got 3.1 of my own - oh the joys!!! And two Siberians - now that is a handful - our Siberian passed away last year she was 16 - we haven't replaced her yet - but the kids are ready.

Anyway - to answer your question - yes accidents happen feeding live - is it "dangerous" not really - your chances of a major accident happening are probably about the same as having a major car accident. Over the years live feeders tend to pick up battle scars - so far we have been lucky - our (2) live feeders are pretty good shots and we keep an eye on them when they feed to make sure there aren't any major problems. They get minor bites, scratches, etc. we treat them before putting them back in their cages and have been lucky. Back in the old days f/t weren't available so you kind of had no choice but to learn to look out and deal with bad grabs. We've gotten in rescues that haven't been so lucky.
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Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

6.42.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Anakin Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python (Verdi)
0.1.0 Bredls Python (Smurfette)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Desert Tortoise (Pope John Paul aka JP )
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.0 frogs rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.1 Lizard of unknown origin

If you would go back and re-read my post, I said that I dispatch the rodent before it's placed with a snake. But I only do that with larger rats, pinks to small ones, I don't bother. Never had a problem with that pratice. You always here horror stories feeding live, but that is only a minor case with people leaving rodents in the snake's cage for hours or "days"!!!
Stupid is stupid.

I have found putting a lid on whatever you use to thaw really speeds things up. I usually use tap water as hot as it will get. After they thaw I replace the water one more time so it is nice and hot when you serve them out. I have heard people check ther temps but I have found the hotter the better as long as not burning hot.

Kevin