thawing is a pain in the rump!

zx6racer · #1 (**permalink**) 09-19-2006, 10:41 PM

Man does it take a long time to thaw waskily wabbits!!!! There's gotta be a better way!

Sleepy_FF · #2 (**permalink**) 09-19-2006, 10:43 PM

i thawed all my rats out last night and all of them exploded on the snakes

edit: during the time when the snakes hug their food to show it how much the love it

MAG_Pythons · #3 (**permalink**) 09-19-2006, 10:56 PM

to thaw, i put the frozen rodent in the fridge over night then put it in hot water to warm it up

crush · #4 (**permalink**) 09-19-2006, 11:00 PM

With the rabbits I find it best to take them out 3 days ahead of time. 2 if it is like really warm where you live. Then put it in luke warm water to heat it up.

Ratsicles · #5 (**permalink**) 09-21-2006, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crush

With the rabbits I find it best to take them out 3 days ahead of time. 2 if it is like really warm where you live. Then put it in luke warm water to heat it up.

Ummm ... this is not a practice I would recommend to anyone. Decomposition will have definetly set in in 48 hrs. Decomp is the main reason you dont re-freeze prey that has been in the cage for more than 4 hrs.

The easiest way I've found is to put the prey into the sink or bathtub (still in the bag) of lukewarm water for a few hours. Water is better at wicking away the cold (or heat) than just being left on the counter. After you've watched tv for a bit check the head and hips ... if they are still frozen you can either leave it longer (watch another show) or heat the water up a bit and leave it longer. Once totally thawed heat the water up to warm ... the rabbit should be above room temp in about 15 minutes.

Not everyones other household members are as tolerant as my wife ... you may need to place them in a bucket instead. This will normally thaw up to a 6 lb rabbit in 3 hrs. FrozenFeeder.com offers other thawing guides.

Bryan

Heidi · #6 (**permalink**) 09-21-2006, 11:01 AM

What about defrosting in the fridge. I've taken them out to defrost overnight and not fed them so they sit in there for a couple days. Does the cold from the fridge slow decomp? I'll especially do this for Wil if he shows signs of hunger and then decides to go into hiding again. I tend not to get him out of hiding to feed.

ChadRamsey · #7 (**permalink**) 09-21-2006, 12:56 PM

though it may be a pain in the rear for us, its so much safer for the ones we love!

k0rneliuz · #8 (**permalink**) 09-21-2006, 01:00 PM

I have a tiny-ish round igloo cool that I fill with hot water. I put the frozen items in a ziplock bag, submerge them in the cool and put the top on.

the igloo helps to hold the water temperature a bit better than just filling up a pot or something... the items thaw a bit quicker...

Ratsicles · #9 (**permalink**) 09-21-2006, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heidi

What about defrosting in the fridge. I've taken them out to defrost overnight and not fed them so they sit in there for a couple days. Does the cold from the fridge slow decomp? I'll especially do this for Wil if he shows signs of hunger and then decides to go into hiding again. I tend not to get him out of hiding to feed.

Defrosting in the fridge is ok. It will slow decomp ... but I wouldnt leave it in there for too long. Unlike a steak your prey still has gut content, which is packed full of bacteria, this bacteria speeds up the decomp process. So 2 days would probably be max.

Bryan

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