what's the best way to defrost a mouse?

[Dookus]

I'm keeping a bunch of my brother's pets while he moves, including a few tortoises, a bunny, a guinea pig, a blue-tongued skink and a ball python. The python has eaten two mice, but the skink won't eat. I put a live mouse in with him for a day, but he didn't go for it. So now I've got frozen mice.

It's sorta weird - a cute little mouse all frozen in time like vermin from Pompeii.

Anyway, he's sitting out on my counter with a paper towel. I thought about microwaving him, but I'm afraid his eyes'd pop. I could put him in a baggie and boil him like Swansons veggies, I s'pose.

Anyway, Zippy the Skink needs to eat. Oh, and should I salt and pepper the mouse or use a marinade?

[pres2032]

1. that's about the funniest, randomest post ever!

[BigMcLargehuge]

2. Vermin from Pompeii!!!

BWAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHH!!! That is, by far, THE BEST description of anything I've ever read in The Lounge!

[Dookus]

14. You are just

TOOOOOO easily amused.

[Maddy McCall]

3. LOL! Do the Swansons thing!

I didn't know that skinks eat mice. I thought they ate crickets and other insects. Shows how much I know.

Can you feed him some greens? Will he eat chopped up collards and squash? That's what I feed my iguana.

I don't know, Dook...don't know what the solution is. Maybe put another live mouse in there and leave it until Skinky gets hungry.

:shrug:

(If Ladyhawk were here, she could surely tell you what to do.)

[shraby]

4. Thaw the mouse at room temperature,

he may come back to life.

[Dookus]

13. He's thawing now

but I'm having nightmares about a zombie-mouse.

[Lefty48197]

5. Heat him up with a propane torch

but be careful you don't get too close with the flame.

[bloodyjack]

6. whatever you do, DO NOT GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE

under ANY circumstances

[democracyindanger]

7. body heat

put on a tight t-shirt and stick him in your armpit for an hour or so. when you feel a tickle, he's ready.

[Rowdyboy]

8. I'm so glad I checked into this thread....It posed an intriguing question

and wasn't a set-up.. You really DO need to know how to defrost a mouse.

Dook, Zippy needs food. Does he like his mouse cooked? Perhaps broiled at 450 degrees in a light garlic-butter sauce...Maybe battered and deep-fried? Sushi style, wrapped in rice and seaweed?

The possibilities are endless. I trust you-implicitly-to decide what is best for the Zipster. Use your imagination!

[miss_kitty]

9. thaw it in the fridge

if the skink needs to eat raw mouse, your don't want it to cook it in boiling water. also you could put it in cold water to thaw it-but the deal is-you don't want it to grow bacteria, which is what will happen at room temp, or if you use warm water.

You could put in in a zip lock in the microwave for a few secs i suppose to get it jump started...:)

[DemBones DemBones]

10. Thaw it at room temperature -- skinks don't microwave their food.

You could probably get away with putting it in cold water to speed it up a bit. Put it in a baggie first. I'd then put it under running cold water in the laundry room or bathroom sink.

By the way, don't leave live mice in with snakes or lizards that aren't hungry. My brother did that once with a brand new python he'd just shelled out big bucks for and the mouse ate the snake's head off.

Are you sure skinks eat mice? Skinks are kind of small to eat mice, I'd think, though I never kept any and therefore never researched their dietary habits. Anoles do well eating crickets so I'd try the skink on them.

[Dookus]

11. yeah, I'm sure

this skink eats mice. He enjoys mealworms and bananas as snacks, but my bro has owned him for years and swears he eats mice.

I was actually shocked the python ate. I used to have a ball-python and when I brought him home for the store, he refused to eat for 11 months. Yes, 11 months. Not a typo.

Then he ate regularly. I moved him to another room. He fasted for 6 months. That's how I ended up with pet rats.

But the snake is a pig - he ate two mice I tried to feed the skink.

Anyway, I'm defrosting a mouse now. I'll put it in with Zippy tonight and hope it's gone in the morning.

[Maddy McCall]

12. Honest, here is some care info:

Diet: Most species are omnivorous (eating both plant and animal matter). Generally a diet consisting of 60% plant and 40% animal will provide a healthy mix for your animal. Frozen mixed vegetables, various greens, small amounts of high quality dog food, crickets, mealworms, and thawed pre-killed frozen mice can all be fed to your skink. Fresh water should be provided daily.

http://reptileforums.com/care_sheets/lizards/bluetongeskink.htm

Feeding: Blue Tongued Skinks are picky eaters- each one will eat what they like. In the wild they will eat insects, flowers, and plants. They will eat nearly any type of plant matter = collard greens, dandelion greens, grapes, apples, broccoli, peas, and carrots. (DO NOT feed iceberg lettuces). Baby foods are readily accepted. Crickets also taken but veggies should make up a large part of their diet. Gut load the crickets and mix in vitamins and calcium in the food before feeding but do not go over board once or twice a week is plenty.

http://www.elmersaquarium.com/42bluetongueskink.htm

Dookus, here's what I would do if he won't eat the frozen mouse. The feeding instructions above say that they eat only frozen--not live--mice.

If he won't eat the mouse, I would go to the grocer and get some collard greens (you can buy them cleaned and chopped at Super Walmart--I know, I know--in a celo bag) and some squash. Chop them all until they are pretty fine...about a 1/2 inch. Put on a saucer and place in the aquarium. Also, go to either a pet store or a bait store and get some live crickets...he can get protein from them. Put them in the cage live.

[TahitiNut]

15. AFAIK, skinks eat pinkie mice. The python eats the larger ones.

[HEyHEY]

16. Hot water and a bowl?

[Paranoid_Portlander]

17. I will be thawing my mouse on Tuesday.

It's quite a coincidence that you and I both have frozen mice. Don't worry--mine was dispatched humanely by a mousetrap, sealed in plastic, put in the freezer for disposal on Tuesday. I'm not making this up.