Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I only have one snake to feed. (Will be picking it up tomorrow, so I'm really new at this!) I'm looking at ordering frozen mice online, but they only come in packs of 50 or 100, it seems. The 100 pack is way cheaper. But it would take many weeks for the snake to eat that many, even if its eating 2-3 each week. (I know he ate two large pinkies today.) How long will they stay good and how do you know when they've gone bad??

Thanks!
Judy
1.0 red cape gopher

This is what I found in the archives posted by Bill S. This is what he said.............

: How long do frozen rodents last in the freezer? Should vitamins or calcium be added.
: Thanks for the help, in advance.

"""Hi Jacey,

Here is a c, c & p of my response to someone else with the same Question:

: I have raised rodents for many years. I owned and operated a Rodent Ranch for about 5 years. I can tell you this:

: 1) I have kept rodents (rats & mice) in the freezer for slighty over a year with no ill effects.

: 2) Make sure they are "wrapped" in ziploc (not name brand, but type) FREEZER bags. Regular refrigerator/sandwhich bags are not the same. The chemical composition is different between freezer bags and "sandwhich" bags. Sandwhich bags allow much greater transfer of air and moisture causing freezer burn. Use Freezer bags!

: 3) Pinkies will freezer burn quickly (3-4months tops) even packaged properly. This includes fuzzies, but to a lesser degree. "Haired" rodents (jumpers, weaned, adult, old breeders) will last quite some time (properly packaged 1 year).

: 4) buying Vaccuum-packed rodents is a waste of money. If You can buy them vaccuum-packed at no extra charge and at a competitive price then go for it. Otherwise its a waste. Vaccuum-packing is only valuable if you are actually going to buy a 2 or more years supply of rodents (who does that?). The money You saved by making that vaccuum-packed quantity purchase is going to be burned up by your freezer, and if your freezer goes on the blink your SOL, vaccuum-packed or not!

: Use Freezer bags and haired rodents at 0ºF should easily last one Year."""""

Hope this Helps!

>>I only have one snake to feed. (Will be picking it up tomorrow, so I'm really new at this!) I'm looking at ordering frozen mice online, but they only come in packs of 50 or 100, it seems. The 100 pack is way cheaper. But it would take many weeks for the snake to eat that many, even if its eating 2-3 each week. (I know he ate two large pinkies today.) How long will they stay good and how do you know when they've gone bad??
>>
>>Thanks!
>>Judy
>>1.0 red cape gopher

Your best bet might be to find someone to split an order with. That or use a food saver and vac pack them in smaller groups...they last much longer that way.
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Sonya

If it's already eating 2 large pinks at a meal, you should probably order some fuzzies also. I wouldn't order the 100 pinks, even feeding 2 or 3 at a meal they'd last almost a year with only one snake.
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-audri
Webpage/Pics

but who really stops at one snake?
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proud mama to:
1.0.0 ball python
0.0.1 albino florida kingsnake
1.0.0 leopard gecko
0.1.0 colombian rainbow boa
0.1.0 bearded dragon
1.1.0 colombian redtailed boas (on the way!)