Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone -- Just wondering what everyone thought the best way to heat up frozen rats/rabbits are.. Currently I let them thaw out at room temp for the day and then put them in a bag and put them in hot water. This has worked for the most part but it's getting pretty messy with these large rabbits..

Do you guys use heat lamps?

Thanks in advance!
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1.0 Het Albino Burm
0.1 Albino Burm
1.1 Mojave Ball Pythons
0.1 Normal Ball Python
1.0 Albino Ball Python
1.1 Pastel Ball Pythons
0.1 Spider Ball Python
0.2 Het Albino Ball Pythons
0.1 Lavender Albino Retic

Seeking bigger cages for the family

I would be intrested as well. I put them in a plastic bag and then in a warm bucket of water right away from the freezer. Takes forever but does the job.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)
1.0 Ivory Ball Python (Hansel)
0.1 Bumble Bee Ball Python (Sissy)
0.0.2 Yellow Ackies (Ludmilla and Ivan Drago)

I leave them thaw over night.

Then I place them directly in a bucket of hot water (no plastic bag) for the final thawing and to warm them up. After the bucket of water I dry off the rabbit and they are ready to go.

The burms and retics can't get enough!

Rick

I start them thawing overnight. Then I set them out in the sun for a good 95 degree final warm up.

Where to you live - AZ, TX, FL?

I live at the beach - we don't get 95 degree days.

Rick

central fl...we usually don't get 95, but we've been blessed this week (sarcasm included).

I also let 'em thaw overnight or during the day. That's usually good enough for most of my rabbit eaters, but for any that are picky I use a flood light to raise their temps a few degrees.

One thing I've found is that rodents/rabbits thaw better when air can get underneath them, too - like laying on a piece of hardware cloth (screen) that's raised off the table or floor.

Thawing in hot water will work when you need it done fast but you have to change the water fairly often due to it cooling off from the frozen animal. Also, rapid thawing can thin the membranes to where the animal's body tears easily, and this can get quite messy.

The thinning of the membranes also can occur on animals that have been thawed, re-frozen & thawed again.

Have a good one!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com

I use an empty 10 gallon tank with screen top--I thaw 'em on top of that. it works pretty well. Only problem is when they bleed a bit during thawing--that tank's totally ruined for anything else by now.