Stinky Pinkies

[Joe-blake]

Hi peoples, I just bought my second bag of pinkies and they kind of smell compared to the last lot that i bought. Different brand i would imagine as the the packaging is different. I have concerns that they may have been thawed during transport at some stage (not mine). Just wondering if the urine smell is normal and if they have been thawed then refrozen, would it be bad for the snake as i live about 200km's from the nearest frozen rat colony

 

[moosenoose]

If it smells like mouse then that's grouse, if it smells like a turd and you use it... you're absurd

(Don't things just sound better when put to jingles? )

 

[Pythoninfinite]

They shouldn't smell at all - the urine smell may be ammonia which is a big part of the decay product when things are rotting. Colour is always a good predicter of freshness with pink rats & mice, they should be quite firm and pinkish if they're fresh - if they're mushy and a bad colour, they're rotting.

J

 

[GreatSnakes]

If you suspect that they might be off, just throw them away. I would rather let the snake/s wait another week or so for a feed than end up with a sick or dead animal.

 

[cadwallader]

200Km:shock: thats so far lol maybe you should look in to breeding your own lol

 

[Snake_Whisperer]

Without naming any names, I have tried a supplier that uses very flash packaging, had the contents reeking of death. I have never used commercial rodents since.

 

[ozziepythons]

It pays to know where your rodents are coming from. If the time between the rodent dying and the freezing of the thing is days then salmonella will build up, and to open a bag of thawed, salmonella ridden rats is a smell that will never leave you. Such poor quality rodents kill snakes, so be very aware of where they are coming from and upon thawing if in doubt, stuff the money just throw it out!

 

[beeman]

Without naming any names, I have tried a supplier that uses very flash packaging, had the contents reeking of death. I have never used commercial rodents since.

If its that same one based in QLD and a very large supplier with very flash packaging, Thier product smells bad across all thier range of rodents!
Thier product usually arrives down here to the local pet stock either half thawed of fully thawed and yes they refreeze it and sell it.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Salmonella isn't really a decay bacterium - there are heaps more that contribute more to decay. Salmonella usually inhabits the gut.

 

[Chris1]

if they smell like poo, put them in the loo,..(well, bin, but that didnt rhyme, lol,..)

 

[Waterrat]

I have been buying pinkies and mice from Rob Porter (Qld) for years and never had any trouble. Because they arrive in Cairns on the last flight when AaE office is already closed, I have no choice but to pick them up the next morning. Still, they are in good order. I would never, ever buy frozen rodents from a pet shop, you just don't know how the product has been handled, both by the producer and the shop staff.

 

[FAY]

There is no reason why a pinky should smell UNLESS it is OFF!

 

[hugsta]

I have been buying pinkies and mice from Rob Porter (Qld) for years and never had any trouble. Because they arrive in Cairns on the last flight when AaE office is already closed, I have no choice but to pick them up the next morning. Still, they are in good order. I would never, ever buy frozen rodents from a pet shop, you just don't know how the product has been handled, both by the producer and the shop staff.

But you are buying rodents from a guy that supplies the pet shops, what's the difference?

 

[Waterrat]

The difference is, I am getting a good quality rodents directly from the breeder and if I am not happy with something, I ring Rob and we sort things out (it only ever happened once).
I once watched a "freezer clean up" in a local pet shop. The kids (cheap staff) emptied everything onto the floor, when the box got cleaned, about 45 minutes later, they just threw everything back - old stuff on the bottom, the rest on the top. What a mess! I wonder how many times their frozen goods get defrosted before someone buys it.

 

[pythons73]

Without naming any names, I have tried a supplier that uses very flash packaging, had the contents reeking of death. I have never used commercial rodents since.

I purchased a dozen frozen pinky-fuzzy mice from a petshop and when it came to thawing a couple,the gut was black and the fur came off,ive always thawed in hot tap water with no problems,however this bag was defiantly off.I went back and explained my situation in which they gave me a new bag,but from a different supplier,all was good with this bag.To me it looked as thou they thawed out and they got refrozen.Never had a problem since.Hopefully i want need mice forlong as i only breed rats..Considering your a decent drive away from the nearest place to buy them,i would start breeding for my own personal use.They can go for quiet a while without a feed.A week-two wont harm them at all..

 

[Joe-blake]

They shouldn't smell at all - the urine smell may be ammonia which is a big part of the decay product when things are rotting. Colour is always a good predicter of freshness with pink rats & mice, they should be quite firm and pinkish if they're fresh - if they're mushy and a bad colour, they're rotting.

J

No i didn't think they should either, there color seems ok but some of them look a bit squashed.. thanks

If you suspect that they might be off, just throw them away. I would rather let the snake/s wait another week or so for a feed than end up with a sick or dead animal.

I'll do that, to true Cheers

200Km:shock: thats so far lol maybe you should look in to breeding your own lol

Yeah i'm thinking about that looks like that may the go

Without naming any names, I have tried a supplier that uses very flash packaging, had the contents reeking of death. I have never used commercial rodents since.

No i think i'm cured of that as well Cheers

It pays to know where your rodents are coming from. If the time between the rodent dying and the freezing of the thing is days then salmonella will build up, and to open a bag of thawed, salmonella ridden rats is a smell that will never leave you. Such poor quality rodents kill snakes, so be very aware of where they are coming from and upon thawing if in doubt, stuff the money just throw it out!

Yeah i'll do that but not without complaint, where do they get off on charging good money for crap, sounds just like some fast food chains

If its that same one based in QLD and a very large supplier with very flash packaging, Thier product smells bad across all thier range of rodents!
Thier product usually arrives down here to the local pet stock either half thawed of fully thawed and yes they refreeze it and sell it.

One of the same i'd say, good to see where our money goes,
Oh i love pretty packets

if they smell like poo, put them in the loo,..(well, bin, but that didnt rhyme, lol,..)

I'll chuck em in da loo cause they smell like a poo
probly hard to chew an probly make im spew

haha

I purchased a dozen frozen pinky-fuzzy mice from a petshop and when it came to thawing a couple,the gut was black and the fur came off,ive always thawed in hot tap water with no problems,however this bag was defiantly off.I went back and explained my situation in which they gave me a new bag,but from a different supplier,all was good with this bag.To me it looked as thou they thawed out and they got refrozen.Never had a problem since.Hopefully i want need mice forlong as i only breed rats..Considering your a decent drive away from the nearest place to buy them,i would start breeding for my own personal use.They can go for quiet a while without a feed.A week-two wont harm them at all..

Cheers mate Definitely considering it for sure. Would one Breading pair be enough to keep one 8 month old (guessing) snake going

 

[JAS101]

id run a couple of tubs for breeding and a couple of growing out tubs .

 

[Brent]

Frozen mice -rats should never be thawed out and refrozen we know why!!
and they must be frozen and packed with in minutes if being, Co2 -in a good freezer; mine is -35c /
I never use hot water to thaw as the rodent skin can tear when it becomes softer in hot water.
its better to use warm water and change it often and work out how long each( sized -weight) rodent takes to thaw for future thawing ;thawing too long can increase the bacteria growth in the gut of the rodent
i never thaw rodents -quail in warm room or under a heat light or in the sun as it is difficult to know how long to thaw and you can thaw them to the stage when they go rotten fast.
packing -freighting rodents requires good management and using quality esky and ice -or lab medical ice packs

 

[maxPOWERS]

ive seen alot of people advertising frozen rodents on aps, should they be trusted?
as i am also looking to stop buying pet shop rodents as they are usually not very good.

in sydney.......

 

[Joe-blake]

id run a couple of tubs for breeding and a couple of growing out tubs .

Ok thanks' i take it that the growing out tubs are for putting the pregnant rat in to have its litter?

Frozen mice -rats should never be thawed out and refrozen we know why!!
and they must be frozen and packed with in minutes if being, Co2 -in a good freezer; mine is -35c /
I never use hot water to thaw as the rodent skin can tear when it becomes softer in hot water.
its better to use warm water and change it often and work out how long each( sized -weight) rodent takes to thaw for future thawing ;thawing too long can increase the bacteria growth in the gut of the rodent
i never thaw rodents -quail in warm room or under a heat light or in the sun as it is difficult to know how long to thaw and you can thaw them to the stage when they go rotten fast.
packing -freighting rodents requires good management and using quality esky and ice -or lab medical ice packs

Thanks for going in and checking out my thread, some good advice there that i'll take and use thanks

ive seen alot of people advertising frozen rodents on aps, should they be trusted?
as i am also looking to stop buying pet shop rodents as they are usually not very good.

in sydney.......

Yeah i'm gonna stop to i think