![]() Bacteria associated with disease and decay, which can be assumed present in all rodents, begin to reproduce at 40 F. Whole animals contain internal organs, previously-consumed food, and unpassed wastes, and they decay rapidly.ĭo not thaw rodents at room temperature or in hot water (this applies to our own food as well). Use rodents shortly after thawing and warming. Timing varies, but plan on 10-20 minutes for a mouse in warm but not hot-to-the-touch water. This is best done by placing the bagged, thawed rodent in a bucket or other container of warm water. The bags used should be leak-proof, lest harmful bacteria begin to colonize the food item.Īfter thawing, rodents must be warmed somewhat before being fed to pet reptiles. An adult rat can be thawed in as little as 1 hour. Frozen rodents in zip-lock bags are placed in a bucket of cold water for 30 minutes, after which time the water is dumped and replaced. This method is faster than via refrigeration, but requires periodic water changes, and leaves more room for error. The USDA uses 8-10 hours per 1 pound of meat as a general guideline a mouse can be expected to thaw in 2 hours, a rat in 4-5 hours.įail safe rule: place frozen rodents in a refrigerator for overnight thawing and use them the following day. Thawing time will vary in accordance with refrigeration temperature (usually 35-40 F). It requires a bit of forethought, but is very safe and requires no effort on our part (other than moving the food item from freezer to refrigerator!). Thawing under refrigeration is the method of choice in professional collections. My apologies if this seems obvious, but I am continually amazed at how many people place their health in jeopardy while attempting to care for their pets! Bowls into which these bags are placed (for warming or cold-water thawing, see below) should be reserved for that purpose…do not use bowls that will also hold your own food, even if the rodents are in clean bags. Microwave defrosting has certain drawbacks and should be avoided (please see below).įrozen rodents purchased from a store or breeder should be re-packaged in clean zip-loc bags before being placed into your refrigerator, freezer or sink. There are two safe methods that can be used to defrost rodents intended as reptile food – refrigeration and cold water. Based on the human food guidelines set down by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the US Department of Agriculture, they have served me well throughout my career as a zookeeper and herpetologist. As opinions vary concerning proper thawing methods, I thought it might be useful to outline the procedures that are followed in major zoological parks. It's not far to the east of a junkyard along Hwy 62, on the north side, if that helps.Frozen rodents are now widely available in the pet trade and, when used properly, are a safe food source that can save time, space and money. We finally got correct directions from Trip Advisor's map, but still had to drive past twice before we found it. My Google GPS kept directing us several miles down the road to a grove of trees. If there's a snake lover in your midst, this is a must-see! CAUTION: We had a terrible time finding Snake World. ![]() That's cheap in roadside attraction terms. This was an hour-and-a-half private tour. Don't let the $12 entry fee scare you away. The girls also said extra safety precautions had been taken in the back room where the venomous snakes were kept. The owner taught them about each snake, it's habits, how to identify, etc. I know - EEK!! - but for a kid who loves snakes, it was the best thing ever! We've been to reptile gardens and zoos, but nowhere have the girls ever been offered such an immersive, hands-on, educational experience about snakes. ![]() They had huge smiles and have proclaimed Snake World as the highlight of our 7-day family road trip! They were able to hold many of the snakes, and a corn snake wove it's way through my daughter's ponytail and curled up on her head. HaHa When the girls emerged an hour-and-a-half later, we knew we'd done the right thing. We opted to wait outside, as we don't share their love of snakes. ![]() Our girls called the number on the door, and a woman appeared from the house next door and told them it would take about an hour. LOL This is a couple's private collection of reptiles, mostly snakes. Honestly, had I not read prior reviews, there's no way we would have sent our 2 teenage girls inside. Don't judge by outward appearance.this place looks like a scary little hole-in-the wall double-wide trailer tucked back in the bushes. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |