Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been feeding live, and I do prefer it. But, I am having problems getting my hands on rat pups at my local shop on a weekly basis. I want to give FT a shot. Does anyone have any advise on thawing those little buggers? I figure the best way would be to put it in some hot water for a while. But then how do I know that it is thawed all the way through? Is there a rule of thumb for the timing? Should I soak it in a ziplock bag or something like it, so the rat doesn't fill with water?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Yes use a ziplock bag. I use hot water float the rodent in the bad in the hot water and turn it and change the water when it cools. If you kinda squeeze the rodent you can tell if it is unthawed or not. Then I usually put it under a heat lamp to get the fur warm so they can smell it. Do not over do it under the lamp or hot water, there is nothing more discusting than having to clean up over heated rodent after the snake squeezes it.