Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i was just woundering what the best way to thaw out rats is?? either hot water or cold water?
thanks

The best way to defrost any meat is overnight in your fridge. Same goes for rodents - just pull out as many as you need put them in a ziplock in your fridge and you'll be good to go the next evening. If you have other people that go into your fridge you might want to stick them in a paper bag also - your friends and relatives will probably think you nuts if they see a bunch of dead rodents in you fridge - of course since you own snakes they probably already think you're nuts.

Then when you are ready to feed - you can warm them with water or a heat lamp. This method also cuts down on the exploding that can occur when they are heated up too quickly.
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Tosha

Yep, have to agree - overnight defrosting works - After they are defrosted I tend to leave them on heating ducks in the basement to make them nice and warm. Not a big fan of the microwave - it stinks and their tails cook way faster than the rest of them; and my experience has been that their eyes roll in the back of their heads, it kind of freaks me out. PLUS WATCH OUT SO YOU DON'T BLOW EM UP! I have never had it happen myself but I have heard stories.

easiest way is to feed live or fresh killed, I hate thawing out frozen rats and will never do it again, waste of time and rats.
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Josh & Krysty Hutto
J&K Reptiles

Various Ball Pythons:::

1.0 striped vanilla
1.2 Citrus Ghost and hets
1.2 Albino and hets
2.3 het Pied
1.1 Pastel (male has additional gene going on with him)
a bunch of female holdbacks and several rescue normal males

0.1 columbian boa, she's a feeding monster, controls my
over production of rats, lol
0.1 brazilian rainbow boa, another rat eating monster
1.1 corns

a BAD dog is MADE not bred, support the American Pit Bull Terrier as the greatest breed of dogs on Earth!!!!!

I found a good way is to take a big pot full hot water as hot as will come from the foucet and put a steamer rack or basket in it and have the water level just under the basket then put my mice or rats in the basket and put the lid on and after about 10 min. nice and worm . but you still need to defrost in the frig over night and don't use too hot of water or boiling woter ,you'll cook them. just something that works for me. David