Live vs Frozen Nutritional Losses

Icicle · #1 (**permalink**) 07-03-2009, 12:46 AM

How many of you been told that feeding frozen is not healthy for a snake?

I went into a local pet store to try to sell some rats and ask if they bought any frozen ones and they didn't, I then ask the guy why not and he stated to me that there was not enough call for it.
and also told me that when you freeze a rat, they lose musle and nutrition. So I didn't want to start a heated debate with him in front of the other employee's and other customers.
So does anyone out here have any good solid evidence or advice I can provide him with.

And a side note to admins or mods Feel free to move to the debate section in needed to.

Rachel SS · #2 (**permalink**) 07-03-2009, 12:50 AM

The best way to feed frozen is to feed it shortly after the rat was killed and frozen.

Does it lose SOME nutritional content? Yes, but not enough that it will affect your snakes diet and leave them weak and needing vitamins and supplements.

Mike Schultz · #3 (**permalink**) 07-03-2009, 01:05 AM

Why is it always "frozen or live" ? What about prekilled? Best way to feed in my opinion

Icicle · #4 (**permalink**) 07-03-2009, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lizard of ozz

Why is it always "frozen or live" ? What about prekilled? Best way to feed in my opinion

I don't know, but I sometimes also feed prekilled

nitram · #5 (**permalink**) 07-03-2009, 01:15 AM

decomposition of animals begins immediately after death with rigor mortis (rigos mortis actually sets in a some time after death).

if the animal is "blast frozen" or cryogenically frozen (-45 degrees F) then the freezing will occur so rapidly the animal will remain almost identical to the way it was when properly thawed out. some people say its best in water, but thawing supplements should always be thawed under refrigeration at 38 degrees F (that way the exterior of the food/animal isnt thawed and continue to decompose while the center is still frozen solid which is what happens when thawing in water).

the question of the matter is how soon after these animals were killed were they frozen? and which method of freezing was used?

before i feed f/t to my baby im probably going to run it through some colonization swabs i keep @ work (kind of like incubators for bacteria that measures the rate @ which they manifest).

im sure these snakes, though captive and with an immune system much less equiped than their wilder counterparts, could still digest most of these common diseases/bacteria/parasites found in rats without any trouble.

Xeikeness · #6 (**permalink**) 07-03-2009, 01:20 AM

I am also a fan of pre-killed but ONLY when they're from my own personal rat colony. Pet store rats? No. Never.

When feeding frozen, the best time to feed is 2 weeks to a month after being frozen. That gives any parasites/bacteria to die. Fresh frozen can still harm your snake if the rat happens to be harboring something.

angrybananapeel · #7 (**permalink**) 07-03-2009, 01:35 AM

This material is copyrighted and I'm not exactly sure on the rules but an excerpt from this site is

Quote:

Meat, fish and poultry barely lose any nutrients at all, as proteins and Vitamins A and D are unaffected by the freezing process.

Introduction to home freezing - information about the freezing process including useful tips for freezing food.

Mike Schultz · #8 (**permalink**) 07-03-2009, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xeikeness

I am also a fan of pre-killed but ONLY when they're from my own personal rat colony. Pet store rats? No. Never.

I get all my rats from the supplier for the company I work for. I'd also never trust a pet store as there's no telling where they came from and what kind of diseases may be present. Although I did just start my own group of breeders.... just waiting for them to mature

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