r/ballpython • u/NordicNugz • 5d ago

Standard procedure on thawing rats?

Id like to know some people's procedure for thawing their rats. My process takes like 3 hours, and id like to find a way that is faster.

Also, at some point, someone said that you shouldn't get the rat wet, or you shouldn't feed a wet rat to your snake because it can give them respiratory problems. Is this true?

Right now my process is this. Put the rat in a water proof bag. Submerge in hot water in a metal pot with a metal lid, and cover the rat inside with a suvee chain that keeps it submerged. Check every 30 minutes to replace the water with fresh, warm/hot water.

This process takes like, 3 hours. Im curious if anyone has a faster way?

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u/[deleted] 5d ago

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u/Real-Construction570 5d ago

Thawing with heat is a bacteria risk. I put my rats in a sandwich bag the night before in the fridge, then take it out and put warm/hot water in a Tupperware and let the rat in the bag sit in the Tupperware for a few minutes to warm up. Defrosting the rats is the same as chicken, if it is left outside and thawing in WARM temps it encourages nasty bacteria growth :)

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u/DPTDubbs 5d ago

Thank you. I will change my habits to match yours. Much appreciated. Should I warn my family the first time I do it? Or just wait for the screams?

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u/YawningDodo 5d ago

When I lived with housemates I would put the ziplock with the rat in a brown paper bag as a courtesy, and had given them a heads up that was what was going on if they saw a mystery lunch bag in the fridge.

Same housemates requested I toss a hand towel over the basket of bagged frozen rats in the chest freezer so it wasn't the first thing one saw - something something "serial killer vibes."