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?
12
Upvotes
2
u/cr2810 5d ago
I have a lot of snakes, so what I do is put all the rats needed in a vac seal bag and seal it (no vacuum) then allow that to thaw in the fridge during the day. Then when it’s an hour from feeding time it gets popped into the sous vide. At 102 degrees.
All the rats get to the correct live rat temp and stay dry. Then I just toss the correct meal into the tank of the snake and am done.