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Feeding day

Y

Yuka

New member
Alright so Sunday is gonna be Lola's first meal with me and I wanna make sure I understand this stuff.

-Pry mouse from bag, thaw in hot tap water. Check to make sure it isn't gonna explode all over my snake.
-Put snake in feeding bin. Put mouse in after her.
-Leave alone in the dark for 15 minutes. Check if the mouse is eaten. If so, wait til it's about a third down her body. If not, leave her for another 15 minutes.
-Stick her back in tank for a minimum of 48 hours before handling.

Am I missing anything? Speaking of handling, how do I get her out to handle when I only ever see her in her hide? :s Do I move the hide and take her out like that?
 
-I would put the mousicle in a small ziplock before putting it in the hot water. It keeps the smells on the mouse and also keeps it from getting overly soggy.
-Sure, or you could put the mouse in and then the snake.
-Your gal is older and she might snap her mouse up right away, if she does there is no need to put her in a dark place and you can even sit and watch her eat. When the mouse stops moving down you can move her back to her tank.
-Yup, leave her alone for about 2 days.

Mine are usually in a hide when I want them, so I just lift it off and scoop them up.
 
She's an adult- she knows how to eat. I'd just put the mouse in the bin, wash my hands REALLY well and then pop her in with it. I don't think there's any reason to do it in the dark or really at any particular time of day. She probably won't be shy about feeding. If she rattles at you, just don't hover over her. You know the mouse is down when it gets about 1/3 of the way down her body and stops moving. She _might_ try to bite if you move her right away- hopeful that you are bringing another mouse. If she's going to be like that, it's helpful to just let her "cool down" for 15-30 minutes and get out of hunting mode. Or you can pour her back into her viv- but that's kind of jarring.
 
I also wouldn't put it in water period... but that's just me. If it explodes I think the mouse could be cooked. You can always just put the mouse in a baggy and let it sit on the counter for 1-2 hours (until when you pinch the stomach it is soft and not hard, and not cool-to-touch), or overnight in the fridge.

Also try not to be worried! You will figure out what works best for you and your snake with time. Especially if your snake is an adult, there is no need to be concerned :) you've got this!
 
Another vote for putting it in a ziplock baggie. I have two corns, and I divide their meals out for weeks ahead of time. I put both their mice in one baggie for each feeding, roll them up and zip them and put them all in the freezer. This way I have dinner for weeks in advance, and I just grab a baggie from the freezer the day before feeding day and put it in the fridge to thaw.

On feeding day I put the baggie in my plugged sink and run very hot water over it, holding the baggie to the bottom with a rock so it doesn't float to the top. After about 10 minutes I dump the mice onto plastic lids and put them in their vivs. The mice are hot and ready to eat. I have never had a problem, and the lids make sure the aspen never touches the mouse.
 
Thanks guys!

I like the idea of separating each one into a different bag, saves me from having to pry a mouse from the big bag every feeding. After reading through all this, I'm thinking of combining methods and thawing overnight in the fridge and then warming it up in the sink while still in the baggie. Leaving it on the counter would be too tempting for my cats lolol Yay? Nay? Either way I'm not feeding her in the viv, but good to know I don't have to feed at a specific time. I was told that she's never had a problem feeding, hopefully that's still the case with me.
 
I wouldn't thaw overnight. Too much time, even in the fridge, for gut bioflora bacteria to go all nuts and possibly spoil the mouse. I place mine on an aluminum foil covered cookie sheet and then allow to thaw slightly at room temp (usually about 20-30 minutes). From there I place into a ziplock bag and then continue thawing them in scolding hot water. I use a couple of smooth flat rocks to hold down the mice in my thawing tub. The rocks also serve as additional heating as they absorb the heat from the water. The whole process takes maybe an hour to hour and half; time I use to check water levels or feed all my geckos. The longer time is usually when I'm thawing jumbo mice and small to med rats, they take a little longer to thaw.
 
All my snakes get mice thawed out in hot water. Then I dry the mouse and feed. I've never had an issue. My snakes gobble them up all the same. I've also never had a mouse explode either :) though I'm sure my snakes would eat it all the same.
 
yeah, I too thaw mine in hot tap water!
never had an issue with it either.. lol none have exploded and my snakes love em"

:)
 
Justine66 said:
yeah, I too thaw mine in hot tap water!
never had an issue with it either.. lol none have exploded and my snakes love em"

:)
Click to expand...

I have not don't my first feeding yet, it will be tonight. NOW will someone explain the whole exploding thing and what causes it and what damage does it cause to our snakes????
 
ahahaha! ^^^

people mentioning the mice exploding are really just taliking about them being cooked/warmed up too much, or their just a bad mouse and when the snake coils it the mouse ouzes guts everywhere lol

its not dangerous but it is really gross.. ;)
 
One more question about this, I think, LOL So I put my baby snake into a separate plastic container just to feed him, once he eats I know that I need to let him be for about 48 hours, do I put him back in his main tank after he eats or let him set in his feeding container for 48 hours then into his main house and If I have to leave him in his temporary feeding container, how do I heat it?
 
You should let it thaw completely for sure, it's more about overheating it or leaving it in water (if you are using water) for too long. Remember, you are trying to thaw it, not cook it, lol. It seems pinkies are especially prone to exploding because they're so soft.

Wait until the lump stops moving down, and then place him back in his regular enclosure.
 
Xerneas said:
You should let it thaw completely for sure, it's more about overheating it or leaving it in water (if you are using water) for too long. Remember, you are trying to thaw it, not cook it, lol. It seems pinkies are especially prone to exploding because they're so soft.

Wait until the lump stops moving down, and then place him back in his regular enclosure.
Click to expand...
Thank you sir !
 
My new baby "Crescent" needs to eat but he's all coiled up sleeping inside a log in his tank and I don't want to disturb him, he looks so comfy, ill wait till he wakes up.
 
Okay. So the mouse explodes before or during feeding. Damage...clean up a dead exploded mouse. Not fun.

Here now I need to address a more serious issue. To the people thawing mice in hot water. Please stop it! Please. Very bad for your snake. If you haven't had issues yet, you've been lucky. First...hot water can start to cook the mouse. A cooked mouse is bad for snakes.. second...foodsafe 101. To unthaw meat, you always use cold water. Google it. It's dangerous. Cold water is just as quick for a small item.
 
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