Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've ordered frozed rats/nice from a large, very well known, breeder and each time the tails (and sometimes even the back legs) are half cut off?

Has anyone else noticed this? Its like they have been half chopped off with a very sharp tool, like a razor blade. This last batch has a whole bunch with the back legs half cut off also?

Maybe they use an automated machine that moves the mice/rats about their factory by grabbing onto the tails and back legs and the machine does it?

Its a little freaky..I go to dangle the rat by the tail on a pair of tongs and the rat snaps off and I am left holding half a tail.

Might just be that breeders preference for distributing his feeder rodents. I can say from my own experience, this is usually not common practice.
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Vic Martino
Martino Reptiles
www.martinoreptiles.com
(Website Under Construction)

Be cautious. Labs who use rats will often mark them on their tails. Some rodent distributors have been known to sell these as feeders (which they obviously should not do). The tails may have been cut because of this.

I would talk to the supplier.
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http://www.GilbertBoas.com/

Learned something new , didnt know that.

They are from one of the very large suppliers that everyone knows. The tail arent broken off and these are not old, freezer burned, rats. They are great, really fresh looking rats. The bellies dont explode and they are all stinky and wet & ratty (hah hah) looking.

The tails are cut, with almost sergical precision, all the way around the bone... The back legs on several are cut right to the bone and flop around? Sorry, its kinda gross, but it really has to be the way they process them? It cant be coincidence that it happens only to my orders? I guess it doesnt really matter, I just found it weird? Now I find it more weird talking about it??

I cant believe no one else has noticed this? Ive ordered a few times and each time has been the same.

I would bet that they aren't from where I order mine from - cause they just wouldn't send out something like that - If the tails or legs aren't broken off in the bag - I would assume that you may have (as someone else pointed out) lab left overs.
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Tosha
JET Pythons

Do you mind PMing me the name of the supplier. I've ordered from a number of places ofer the years, and have found problems with a few. Including some that many believe to be very high quality. I have NEVER seen docked tails in my orders. I don't know about the BP community but I am aware of one high profile supplier that every boa enthusiast who has been aware of the concern either from personal experience or that of a friend, stays away from. The effects of this tainted rats have led to as extreme causes as death to as minor as color loss during shed cycles.
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http://www.GilbertBoas.com/

Two other possibilities come to mind, other than what other people have mentioned so far.

The tails/hind feet may have been cut when the rats were repackaged. Depending on how many you ordered, or how the supplier is getting them (some feeder supply companies just buy huge amounts of already frozen rats from a breeder, remove them from the bags and repackage them. Thus, if they use a sharp instrument to cut open the original bags (or even boxes) they can easily slice through feet and tails in the progress. Ever watch shelf stockers in stores cut open the large boxes stuff comes in? Half the time they cut into what is inside the carton as well if they are not careful.

Only other reason I can think is your order is cut off a huge chunk of frozen rats and in the process of separating your order legs and tails are damaged or broken off.
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PHLdyPayne

I don't think this is the case .or do the blades just cut tails and feet . What about the rest of the rat ,head ,back , belly . Thanks David of DS Reptile Rescue

I'm not sure who you order from, but I'd wonder how long they had been frozen. When frozen, legs and tails become very fragile and will break off. I'm not sure if you are pulling the tails off, but rats do have the ability to spin and drop their tails. Any freezer burn? Food for thought.

Ian Daviss

I've tossed a bag of frozen pups on the counter and had the same thing happen. They were some that I bred from my own rats so I know that they had been frozen for less than a month.

I've never had that problem with the legs, but sometimes with my F/T rats when I'm makin the rat wiggle the tail will break. Pretty damn gross but it happens.

Also, when I worked at the petstore I remember that the F/T mice we had to use were always losing appendages, probably because we only got new F/T stuff every few months. I used to throw the feet at my coworkers when they were bothering me on feeding day, lol.

Hmmmm, do I sense an in-law deterrence method...?

~jenny
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318 pairs of ribs.
In stating this I place reliance
On a seance with one who died for science
This figure is sworn to and attested,
He counted them while being digested."
~Ogden Nash

jenny.thegreenes.org

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