NUKIN THE MICE

[REG]

Hello again to all. The growth of my corn snake collection has grown so big, in such a short period of time, that the management of them is still being fine tuned. My question is as follows: there has been more then one occasion that in the defrost and raising the temp of the 100 or so frozen pinkies, fuzzies and adult mice, I have actually cooked them a little. Does this in anyway effect the nutritional and digestive properties. All my snakes readily accept them. if I had to say I noticed any thing different, it would have to be their poop. it looks darker and maybe less loose. Thanks REG

[CornCrazy]

I don't know of anyone who nukes their mice. To me, it is not worth the risk of potentially burning the snakes' esophagus due to the uneven heating caused by microwaves. I usually thaw my mice in a cup/bowl of warm water.

[REG]

TERI, THE SNAKES ARE NEVER FEED , UNTIL THE TEMP ON THE FOOD IS APPROX., 80-85 DEGREES INSIDE AND OUT. REG

[RyanR]

Ok no need for CAPS but I aggree with her you cou;ld easily hurt your snake and its just as qucik to Full up a tub of watter(not a bath tub) and throw them in for 20 mins then let them cool(even room temrature watter for thirty mins does it)

[REG]

Hello Ryan, that is all fine. but again it did not answer the original question. REG

[RyanR]

The Answer is NO you dont loose nutrients i just advice against it!

[Charlie]

I don't know...I would think that the mice wouldn't be as good as if you just let them thaw by themselves. I too either let them sit in room temp til they aren't any cool spots or let them soak in a cup of warm water. I always thought that by microwaving them, you actually cooked them, which would probably cause the mice to loose some nurtrients and they would probably dehydrate. From feeding my snakes, I have noticed that they tend to drink less because they get alot of their required water from their food sources...(but I still make sure they water dishes are always filled with fresh water).

My 2 cents worth....

[bmm]

Um has anyone who responded nuked a mouse before? Because you are really under estimating the experience! lmao. They can easily, and often do, BLOW UP in the nuker.

It's too hot for the mouse and unhealthy to unthaw them using the microwave.

:D
bmm

[RyanR]

well me for one DONT want to clean blood in guts out of my microwave wher ei cook food!

[CAV]

If you put a pinkie in the microwave for even a few seconds they will explode, period. I feel your pain regarding the time involved to thaw large quantities, but cooking causes more problems than it solves. I usuall set my feeders out earlier in the day and feed after work.

[Rachel]

Lol, Bmm beat me too!! I micro'd mine ONCE and NEVER NEVER again! It was not pleasent having to wipe up mice innards from the microwave, and my mum wasn't best pleased either!

Actually, I would have thought that 'cooking' them would cause them to loose nutrients. I'm just guessing that seeing as veg and the meat we eat lose nutrients when cooked. I'm always told to eat raw veg etc as it's healthier and has more vits n nutritional value.

[bmm]

I find putting all my mice into a plastic bag, and then into some warm water works fast. I put them into warm water for like ten-15 minutes, then warm the water up hotter and then leave them for another 10-15 minutes. Then a bit hotter for another 10-15 minutes. Usually takes me less than a half hour to unthaw 10-15 adult mice or so.

bmm

[RyanR]

I just put them directly into the Hot water for 20-30 mins seems to work fine(but then i ut them in room temprature water for 5 mins to cool em down)

[REG]

This brings us back to what I meant. it was never about poping, blowing up or cleaning up guts in the microwave. I simply use the microwave to heat water, then place the mice in bags in the hot water and even sometimes having to use a short blast of defrost mode. as you stated RYAN you sometimes have to cool your mice down, which means you have exceded a natural temp for the pray, thus possibly cooking them just a little. DOES THAT EFFECT THE NUTRITIONAL AND OR THE DIGESTIVE PROPERTIES. REG

[CornCrazy]

I would think that it would affect the nutritional value of the mice. As Rachel said...most (if not all) foods, when eaten raw, are more nutritious. I would try to not overheat the mice...just to be on the safe side. Using hot water from the tap and replacing that water when it starts to cool down, works just as well.

[moreptiles]

I can only speak from my experience. I put my pinkies directly in hot tap water and they are ready to feed within about 30 seconds. Even a frozen adult mouse is ready to feed in 10-15 minutes in hot water. Of course, if the water is only warm, then you would have to wait much longer (30 minutes or so). I have never seen any problems because of the hot water, but then I don't leave them in a long time where they could cook. And the snakes grow up normally. On occasion I have even washed the pinkies in soap and hot water to get rid of the mouse urine smell on them. Some snakes like them better that way. Wild mice will always urinate away from the nest, so the wild pinkies will not have the bad smell and taste of captive bred mice. I have heard that picky snakes will always go after a wild caught pinky before a commercially produced one, not that I have ever tried that.
Mark