PetSmart recommends that you feed your snake frozen mice (called Arctic Mice in PetSmart stores) or rats, which are considered safer for your snake. Feeding frozen, thawed prey reduces the chances of disease and parasites in snakes and reduces chances for injury.  How to Feed a Snake Frozen Food. Feeding captive snakes live prey is difficult and hazardous, both for the owner and snake. Feeding frozen rodents reduces the risk of harm to the snake, reduces stress for both owner and reptile, and prevents you from having to watch a cute little mouse suffer. They are often cheaper too! Take a frozen rodent from the freezer, and place into a separate plastic bag. Place the bag in a bowl filled 3/4 of the way full with warm water. Put a cup or mug on top of the bag to keep the rodent completely submerged. Leave the mouse there for two hours, and don't forget to set a timer to remind yourself! © 2015, Brandon Cornett | All rights reserved. Frozen rats are a convenient food option for snake keepers. By feeding your pet snake frozen / thawed rats, you are making life easier for yourself and the meal much safer for the snake. Live rats, on the other hand, can be inconvenient for you and dangerous for your pet. They package them with dry ice to keep the rats frozen until they reach you. Then I simply open the box and toss the packages of rats into a rodent freezer in my garage. Now that's easy! Of course, if you want to feed live rats to your pet snake, you'll have more of a hassle to deal with. You have to go to the pet store to purchase the rat, bring it home and offer it to the snake, etc. There's also a risk that the rat will turn the tables and actually attack the snake Many pet owners choose to buy live mice or rats to feed their snakes, but getting frozen rats that you serve thawed and warmed is a viable, convenient, and safer option. Do some research and decide which method is right for you and the needs of your snake. Purchase mice or rats. In the wild, most snakes eat mice, rats, or another small rodent. These animals meet all of snakes' nutritional needs, so an all-mice or all-rat diet is completely sufficient to keep your snake healthy and happy. Warnings. 1  It shortens a snakes lifespan by feeding them live mice instead of frozen. 2  Be aware that feeding live prey to your snake is dangerous to the snake. 3  Its illegal to feed live prey in some areas because of the danger to predator as well as the unnecessary suffering caused to the prey. Purchase mice or rats. In the wild, most snakes eat mice, rats, or another small rodent. These animals meet all of snakes' nutritional needs, so an all-mice or all-rat diet is completely sufficient to keep your snake healthy and happy. Offering Live Rodents is Dangerous for Your Snake. Most pet snakes will accept frozen / thawed rodents as their food source. But occasionally, a snake will refuse to eat thawed rats or mice. In such cases, it may become necessary to offer fresh rodents to your snake. They package them with dry ice to keep the rats frozen until they reach you. Then I simply open the box and toss the packages of rats into a rodent freezer in my garage. Now that's easy! Of course, if you want to feed live rats to your pet snake, you'll have more of a hassle to deal with. You have to go to the pet store to purchase the rat, bring it home and offer it to the snake, etc. There's also a risk that the rat will turn the tables and actually attack the Layne Labs make it easy for you to buy reptile food and snake food and provide everything you need to feed birds of prey and other carnivores. Layne Labs breeds outstanding frozen mice and rats. Layne animals make a healthy, nutritious meal ~ the food your critters want for dinner. That’s why zoos, wildlife rehabilitation centers, and breeders have relied on Layne Labs to feed their snakes, reptiles, carnivores and birds of prey for 18 years. Reptile Food and Snake Food. Thaw the rodent in a bowl of warm water. Do NOT thaw it in the microwave! As tempting as that may seem, it will cook the meat and make your snake ill. Take a frozen rodent from the freezer, and place into a separate plastic bag. Place the bag in a bowl filled 3/4 of the way full with warm water. Put a cup or mug on top of the bag to keep the rodent completely submerged. Leave the mouse there for two hours, and don't forget to set a timer to remind yourself!
http://pets.petsmart.com/guides/snakes/feeding.shtml http://www.wikihow.com/Feed-a-Snake-Frozen-Food http://reptileknowledge.com/care/frozen-rats.php http://www.wikihow.com/Feed-a-Snake http://www.wikihow.com/Feed-a-Snake http://reptileknowledge.com/care/frozen-rats.php https://www.laynelabs.com/ http://www.wikihow.com/Feed-a-Snake-Frozen-Food
benefits of feeding frozen mice to snakes