Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I thought our Florida King wasn't ready for fuzzies, Bluerosy convinced me otherwise. We just got some delivered today and they are not nearly as large as I pictured. I think our Belle will be able to handle these no problem. Plus there are some smaller ones in the package so she (and I) can get used to them.

We never asked when we ordered, though, do you thaw them the same way you do pinkies? Warm/hot water for 10 minutes, dry with a paper towel and let 'er at it??

On a side note, dry ice is fascinating to me.

Thanks Bluerosy, She just ate two days ago and is still kinda fat, but I think she'll poop tonight and be ready for one of these tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes!

I put them in the fridge the night before and put them on my boa cage for a few hours before I feed.

Just be very careful - the larger the rodent, the liklier they can feel warm on outside and still be frozen inside.

That's why I prethaw by putting them in fridge night before (same way you, or at least I, pre-thaw frozen ground beef)
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3.6 L. getula californiae
1.1 L. getula nigrita
1.0 Pantherophis guttatus guttatus
1.0 Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi
1.0 Boa constrictor constrictor (suriname, fostering/rescue)
3.3 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata

just ask big jack bronson of wisconsin!

(hey, that rhymes)

I wonder why/how he came up with Big Jack Bronson?
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I don't need no spell chack.

" We never asked when we ordered, though, do you thaw them the same way you do pinkies? Warm/hot water for 10 minutes, dry with a paper towel and let 'er at it?? "

Yeah, for pinks and fuzzies, I usually thaw mine out for 15 min. in hot water, and then dry off with a paper towel.
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Genesis 1:1

I am glad you treid it. Your snake is on the way to be a healthy 3' by the end of summer.

On frozen mice I usually put them outside in direct sunlight so they are not wet from the defrost. I use pine shaving as substrate (unless its breeding season) and don't like things sticking on the mouse unessesarily.

Sometime my snakes get frozen mice when it is real hot in the cage. Its usually because I am in a hurry and won't get back to the house for a while. I just fed a couple (core frozen) rats today to my large adults. Have been doing it for years and had no problems. i would'nt reccomend it though. Thats something that just does not happen in the wild But I sometimes think the snakes appreciate a mouse-icle on a hots summers day once in a while.

On another note I have been feeding mice that are rejected from one snake and are decomposing (slimey and very smelly) and I offer them to other snakes and they eat them with vigor. No signs of illness afterwards. But that is different from feeding rodents with a frozen core which is not natural for a wild snake. In the wild snakes will eat old dead carrion quite frequently. I have found snakes in the wild eating some very VERY decomposed prey. Everything from drowned rabbit pinks to month old dried fish on an enbankment. The snakes i usually feed decomposed rodents to are what i consider to be garbage disposal snakes but they are also the heathiest.

I will say do as I say and don't do as I do. I would never recommend feeding decomposed rodents and especially frozen rodents for anyone. Just sharing some of my experiences. Just because the snakes did not die does not mean it is good for them.
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I don't need no spell chack.

I kept my two young males together.
One of them regurgitated its meal once. I saw it but did not remove it right away as I had guests, and they were in living room. When guests left, I went to remove it. It was gone - and the other snake had another lump.

I was really worried and didn't feed either for two weeks - when they both ate and kept them down.
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3.6 L. getula californiae
1.1 L. getula nigrita
1.0 Pantherophis guttatus guttatus
1.0 Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi
1.0 Boa constrictor constrictor (suriname, fostering/rescue)
3.3 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata

Garbage disposal snakes are a must for every collection,lol. These must have extra hardy beneficial bacteria that not only help break down disgusting meals but these meals also make these bacteria more hearty...symbiosis. I pride myself in being a efficiency type, I always appreciate these types of kings. Jeff

I just couldnt think of the word, dont you hate that,J

>>On a side note, dry ice is fascinating to me.

You aren't the only one....my wife knows a rodent order has arrived everytime she sees all the toilets in the house "smoking" LOL

n/p
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3.6 L. getula californiae
1.1 L. getula nigrita
1.0 Pantherophis guttatus guttatus
1.0 Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi
1.0 Boa constrictor constrictor (suriname, fostering/rescue)
3.3 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata

More fun with dry ice...

This is great fun for outside...

Got an annoying friend?

Put a little chip of dry ice in his half full plastic soft drink bottle and cap it tightly. Make sure he's distracted and wait for the BANG.

Whoopee!!! Better than Mentos!!!

JD
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I am so not lesdysxic!

0.1 Creamsicle Cornsake "Yolanda"
1.0 Bairds Ratsnake "Steely Dan"
0.1 Desert Kingsnake "FATTY"
0.1 Black Rat "Roberta" RELEASED!!!

I used a ton of dry ice in the Navy to purge periscopes. We used to make a slush out of dry ice and acetone. I was fun to put grapes in it and then retrieve them and drop them and watch them shatter. I was also fun to dump it over the side of the ship and watch it explode with a huge puff of smoke. My ship went to general quaters once because the quarterdeck thought we were being attacked.

On another note you can also use it to humanely kill mice/rats. Just put the mice/rats you want to kill in a bucket and drop in a chunk of dry ice. Dry ice is the solid form of CO2. It will displace all of the oxygen and the critters will die.

Oh and that's another benefit. It adds to supposedly man made global warming. CO2 is a "greenhouse" gas. I guess I'll just buy some carbon offsets so I don't feel so guilty................not.
Al Gore is a MORON

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Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables

I usually defrost rodents in hot water, but I put them in a plastic sandwich bag so they dont get soaking wet. This stops them from getting bedding stuck to them. Not to important with pinks and fuzzies cuz a quick pat with a paper towel will dry them, but once the food has fur I just don't like to feed it sopping wet.

As a side note....

I think its strange that people worry about feeding food items that are too big. If your snake can eat it then its not to big. Its that simple. And if it can't eat it then it will spit it out and no harm was done, feed him something smaller next time.

People seem to think that it might cause a snake to regurge. However with proper temps I have NEVER seen that no matter the size of the food item.

Rarely I have heard of snakes that were given too many mice, regurge, but that is about grossly too much food not the size of the prey.