Reptile & Amphibian Forums

is it okay to defrost a mouse in the microwave.... if the microwave has a "meat defrost" setting? has anyone ever tried it? or does anyone know of a quick way to defrost mice? (i am rather impatient)thanx

Its a good way to cook the rodent, which I've been told will change the smell and this could make your snake refuse to eat it. Also, if you get the rodent too hot, it can make the skin weak, and it will split and spill all the guts all over the place, either in the microwave, or when your snake tries to eat it. Its a smelly disgusting mess, and I'd avoid it at all costs.

Seriously though, it doesn't take that long to do it properly. Get your tapwater running as hot as you can, fill up the sink, and toss the rodent in the water. Come back 15 minutes later and reheat the water with some fresh tapwater. 5 minutes later you're ready to feed your snake.

I usually thaw rodents while I'm checking e-mail, cleaning, or watching tv. If you aren't watching it thaw, it won't seem like its taking forever.

hahaha, actually i was sitting there poking it, but i just let it thaw in a bag, not in water or anything, but if you put it in hot water, wouldnt that also cook it kind of? oh well, i have nothing better to do, i will go try this whole "water" thing, thanx for the advice (i cant beleive i have gone this long without trying new methods to defrost it..

I agree that the microwave is not a good way to defrost rodents. I remember trying it once, thinking it would be a quick way to defrost rodents. When I went to pick up the rat with tongs, the skin split and came completely off, leaving a skinless mess behind. It also left the whole room smelling of cooked rodent - a smell I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

I have had good luck with the water method though. The only problem is that the rodent will often end up soggy, and many snakes won't want it that way. You can avoid this by leaving it in a plastic bag while it's in the water. You can also further help the problem by putting a paper towel inside the plastic bag while the rodent defrosts. That absorbs all the fluids that will come out of the rodent during the defrost process, and it will leave the rodent dry and clean for your snake.

Another method is to use an incubator (obviously without any eggs in it). I have an old home-made cooler incubator that fluctuates too much to be of any use as an egg incubator, so I use it to defrost rodents. I put all the rodents on a paper towel covered tray and put them in the incubator set at 95-100 degrees. This way, the rodents wind up at normal body temps. I've found that many snakes that usually won't take dead feeders at room temp will take them if they are warmed up. It doesn't cook the rodents but defrosts them quickly and leaves them close to normal body temperatures.

There is no one way to defrost rodents. Just experiment and find what works for you. Just my two cents...good luck with whatever method you choose...

David Roach

Microwaving rodents even for a few seconds can lead to a VERY messy clean up! It only took one time for me to never ever try it again!
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Ball Python - Apep
0-1-0 Mountain Horned Dragon - Ki
1-1-0 Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-1-0 Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

if you refreeze after you thaw it...it will make the smell alot stronger....which might help your snake recocnize it....i tried it once and that mouse smelled!
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CKA

Thanks, but after it exploded in the microwave the snake recognizing its scent was the last thing I was thinking of! LOL
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Ball Python - Apep
0-1-0 Mountain Horned Dragon - Ki
1-1-0 Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-1-0 Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

I a impatient too and have had success microwaving, but doing so only at 20% power setting for 30 seconds at a time while the rat is in a baggie and only to the point where it is soft but still cold to the touch (usu takes 90 sec, I'm sure 'waves vary) and then run it under hot tap water for 30-60 seconds. When I was first trying this out, I did cook the tail a couple of times and it fell apart, but the rat never blew up....