Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Yes, I know that wild rodents can carry parasites.

HOWEVER --

I also know that freezing can kill parasites.

SO --

Has anyone actually tried using wild caught/frozen/thawed rodents as food for your herps?

I raise poultry. Naturally, I therefore have a healthy rodent population. It would be nice to have an opportunity to recycle those little critters. After all, I spend enough money feeding those mice, I might as well get some good out of them!

Thanks for any input!
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0.1 Peruvian rainbow boa (Amaru)
0.3 Honduran milk snakes (Chicchan, TBA, TBA)
1,000,000.1,000,000 other critters

Freezing does not always "kill" parasites or pathogens.

Certain strains will go into suspension and re-animate when warm.
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Regards,
Wayne A. Harvey
Thamnophis US
Dances With Reptiles

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1.1.0. K9 "ACE" Black Cockapoo, Diamond b/w cockapoo

>>Freezing does not always "kill" parasites or pathogens.
>>
>> Certain strains will go into suspension and re-animate when warm.

Do you have specific examples? I'm willing to be convinced in either direction -- I'm trying to asses risks and risk/benefit ratios.

Thanks in advance for any further info!
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0.1 Peruvian rainbow boa (Amaru)
0.3 Honduran milk snakes (Chicchan, TBA, TBA)
1,000,000.1,000,000 other critters

Coccidia is an internal gut parasite that can survive freezing and is usually transferred to snakes through food. Boy is it a bad one too. I had a hatchling snake last years that came in with coccidia and it developed a recurring cloacal prolapse problem that did not go away even after treating for the parasite.

>>Coccidia is an internal gut parasite that can survive freezing and is usually transferred to snakes through food. Boy is it a bad one too. I had a hatchling snake last years that came in with coccidia and it developed a recurring cloacal prolapse problem that did not go away even after treating for the parasite.

Okay -- I had time to look it up this evening, and you're absolutely right. Coccidia do indeed survive freezing quite well. So -- no wild mousies for my snakes. Maybe I'll cook em for the chickens instead....
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0.1 Peruvian rainbow boa (Amaru)
0.3 Honduran milksnakes (Chicchan, Chanir, Hari)
0.0.3 corns (TBA)
1,000,000.1,000,000 other critters

Also consider what else those rodents might be eating in the "wild". Plants treated herbicides or pesticides on your land or the neighbors'?
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What goes up must come down...unless it exceeds escape velocity.

>>Also consider what else those rodents might be eating in the "wild". Plants treated herbicides or pesticides on your land or the neighbors'?

That part I don't have to worry about in my particular situation. But the coccidia is a good thing to worry about. I'll look into it more.

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0.1 Peruvian rainbow boa (Amaru)
0.3 Honduran milk snakes (Chicchan, TBA, TBA)
1,000,000.1,000,000 other critters