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Q:
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Exploding/Popping Rats?
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In Relation To:
Titus [BP-M01]
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I was just wondering if anyone else ever had rats "explode" during constriction during feeding time.
The back story is this:
We have fed our Ball Python Titus the same exact way since we got him. We normally buy 5 small rats at a time, use Co2 euthinasia, feed one to the snake, and the other four are bagged and frozen. The next feeding day, we leave the rat out to thaw, and then warm it in warm water right before feeding time. In the last batch of 5, two exploded out of their side during the constriction process, and Titus refused to eat them.
Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this? As I said, nothing has changed in terms of how the food is killed to how it's presented to the snake. Any feedback would help!
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Accepted Answer
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11/6/2009 6:43:05 PM
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Carusima
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Yeah I've had this happen before. There are two reasons to this, either 1)The water was too hot and imploded the organs internally, thus rotting the rat or 2) they were left out too long either after dead or after thawing and rotted internally. The outside would seem fine, but when the snake busts them open it makes a really rancid smell. This happened more when I accidentally used too hot of water to thaw. Just make sure it's hot to the touch, not warm or boiling, and don't thaw it out for too long.
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Assisted Answer
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11/6/2009 7:04:07 PM
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iashia
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its happened to me too, but my snakes are such pigs that they dont care. my biggest ball python squeezes the intestines out the back of a f/t rat one day, and made a big bloody mess everywhere. im happy he was on newspaper...anyways it depends on the situation. the guts could explode on any of them, rotted or not if the snake hits it just right. i think you just got unlucky. ive never had a problem with hot hot water and froozen mice exploding. i have had it happen when i just leave them sit out for a while, they get mushy and fall apart (apparent rot) and its nasty, but my snakes dont ever refuse meals, its weird.
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Assisted Answer
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11/6/2009 7:12:46 PM
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Sony Raju
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happens to me quite often, usually when the water is too hot. hate it when that happens because i know what ill be doing the next day...cleaning entrails out of a cage! lmfao!
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Assisted Answer
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11/6/2009 7:30:24 PM
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shellboa
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One thing you might try is hanging the rats upside down for a few minutes to expell the excess co2. When thawing, if there is excess it will speed up the "rotting" and cause the gas to build up faster. Another trick is to use a seal a meal type of bag to freeze in so that as you are thawing there is minute oxygen exposure which will also impede the rot process. The seal a meal you can find used at a goodwill or other type thrift store and the bags at most walmart or uhh Sam's right? The bags are spendy but you can cut them to size and seal them at almost any size and it pays for itself in non wasted feeders.
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Author Comment
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11/6/2009 9:25:58 PM
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Kitishane
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Thank you all for your feedback so far. There is a possibility that the water was too hot that was used in thawing, so we'll make sure that the water isn't too hot next time.
@ shellboa - I forgot to mention it in my original post, but we do vaccu-seal each rat into its own individual bag. It's been so great so far, and makes the whole process a million times easier when it comes to feeding day. Thank you, however, for your awesome suggestion!
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Assisted Answer
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11/6/2009 9:31:05 PM
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aaron
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I'm surprised it doesn't happen to me more often, because I thaw with the hottest water I can. Every time. And I've only had 2 or 3 explode on me in 7 years.
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Assisted Answer
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11/7/2009 12:48:45 AM
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amarilrose
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Aaron: ditto
I've been thawing with the hottest water possible since 1992. I've only ever had a problem with one bag of small rats I purchased about a year ago. What I don't do is let the rats thaw anywhere but in a bag exposed to the hot water; they come straight out of the freezer, and into a sealed ziploc bag to sit in the hot water. Aside from that one lot/bag or rats, I've never had an issue.
Kiti: I would guess that since you are euthanizing the rats yourself (super kudos to you for the quality control!), that the problem would have to lie in your thaw process and not in the rats. Personally, I would find the slow thaw out of the hot water unecessary. There are plenty of people who disagree with me on that, so do what feels right to you. :) Good luck!
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Assisted Answer
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11/7/2009 9:28:04 AM
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Darkdazeys
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I thaw them in way too hot water too, but they haven't exploded.. yet. I do the same as Rebecca when it comes to the thawing process. I have to keep the mice almost hot or else snake won't even try to constrict, "warm" isn't good enough for her I guess.
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Member Comment
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11/7/2009 3:58:46 PM
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hupababy83
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atleast i now know this doesnt happen to just me! wow what a relief!
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Assisted Answer
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11/7/2009 10:04:19 PM
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masterfulpoopsie
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Ditto Aaron! Sometimes they constrict so hard they make them pop though...
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Assisted Answer
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11/8/2009 6:08:20 AM
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RFK
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This happens to me on occasion... I have noticed that it accurs more often when you leave the animals to thaw in the water too long. The skin becomes rubbery/pruned and is easily ripped by the tongs or by a famished constrictor.
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Assisted Answer
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11/8/2009 8:21:19 AM
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Sparkle
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Mine go right from the freezer into super-hot water. I don't even put them in bags to thaw anymore, all my crew are used to eating damp mice, LOL. I do take them out of the hot water and dry them somewhat on a paper towel before I feed them. I haven't had any that exploded.
I'd hazard a guess that it's the "sitting out" part that could be causing the problem. Just based on the observation that fresh roadkill + warm sun for a while = furry balloon!
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