How can I tell if the rat is ok?

**Queen 'O Green** · #1 11-26-2006, 03:21 PM

Well... I am frusterated. I just went to the pet store today and payed my usual rediculous amount of money for Bilboa's frozen rat... And I'm a little bit worried about it. It smells really icky, even frozen, and it is covered in frost... There are parts where I literally cant see the rat through the ice. Is this ok? I just worry because I know that they have had some problems with their freezers... But they are the only place to get rats around here. I'm just going to have to order off the internet, that's all there is too it.

Soooo... any good sites? I'll be doing my research today.

**venus** · #2 11-26-2006, 03:25 PM

It doesnt sound good. If it smells and looks bad, most likely its bad. Did they have any live feeders you could just whach and feed fresh killed till you can get some? Maybe you can exchange it.

**mshrmheadcharge** · #3 11-26-2006, 04:48 PM

I wouldnt use it if I were you...

**Queen 'O Green** · #4 11-26-2006, 05:11 PM

LoL. Bilboa is the wimpiest snake I have ever met. He refuses to eat live. Last time I tried it he totally freaked out and tried to climb out of the tank I fed him in. And the rat wasn't even aggressive, it just sort of milled around sniffing at the corners. So I killed it myself... which was pretty darn tramatizing to be honest... and he still wouldn't take it, so I had to throw the darn thing away.

But I think maybe he was just upset... maybe I'll get a live one and make the pet store people kill it for me. They offered the last time, but I felt like I needed to do it myself... one of those "I should be tough enough to handle it" sort of things. But I'm sort of ticked this time, so I'll just let them do it...

BRIZZY · #5 11-29-2006, 10:12 AM

Well you could just get a few live rats and freeze them yourself and then feed him, or you could order off the internet, that's what I did I got 100 frozen fuzzies for 48.00 bucks...not bad deal at all. I used RodentPro.com, i do not reccomend using big apple herps at all they say your price is one when you print out the page and then they charged me double that and I called and they said no that's the right price....so I woul dhave paid 70.00 instead of 48.00 so that or LLL reptiles isn't to bad either. Hope that helps

**Queen 'O Green** · #6 11-29-2006, 05:00 PM

Thanks! I found a site that is local, they seem to have good prices and from what I can tell, healthy rats, though I plan to investigate it a bit more. It really would save me a ton of money, as I could get 12 large rats for about $50 including shipping, instead of paying $7.00 a rat at the pet store.

Plus... I just tried to feed him a prekilled rat and he refused to eat it. I'm wondering if maybe the smell scares him, as usually the rats he gets are a little bit damp and maybe smell different or less or... something... Or maybe they are too big, but I don't think so. My mother is in Montana with the camera, if he hasn't eaten by the time she gets back I'll post a picture of him with a rat and see what you think. To my eye it is about the size of his body... but I'm no expert. I just hope he's alright. He's been defecating and everything... but it worries me. I'll wait another week and try again.

**Merlin** · #7 11-29-2006, 08:28 PM

If the rat is about the size of the snakes body, it isn't too big. Is it posssible that the snake has a shed coming up?
I wouldn't worry too much about it if the snake doesnt eat. Just put the rat in the freezer till next week and try again.
Happens with mine from time to time.

**joeking** · #8 11-29-2006, 09:31 PM

yeah...if it smells its a sign of rotting


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