Pinky Mice Shelf Life?

[Dan72]

How long can pinky mice sit in the enclosure? I've offered one to a snake and she hasn't eaten it. When do I take it out? Do I have to throw it away or can I put it back in the fridge/freezer?

[guidofatherof5]

They tend to start going bad after 15 hours or so.
I have refrozen pinkies on occasion but usually don't have to do it. Somebody is always hungry(snakes that is) around here.

[ProXimuS]

I don't have experience with those specifically, I haven't gotten any for mine yet, and he is eating f/t silversides so far, but if he doesn't eat them I throw them out. But also fish are different than mice.

I do feed my dog a raw diet(beef, chicken, bison, venison,etc...no fish). It comes frozen, in patties. Once it's been thawed, I don't refreeze. And if she decides not to eat, I may put it in the fridge till the next feeding, but if she doesn't eat it by then I throw it out.

[Invisible Snake]

I think I've read that it's bad to put a thawed pinkie back in the freezer, but I forgot why, I think maybe because it loses it's nutritional value.

[kibakiba]

Bacteria is the reason it's bad. Well, bacteria waste is what makes it go bad. It's toxic, so it's harmful to the snake.

[d_virginiana]

If you do anything but feeding whole they dry out and get really hard and gross after just a couple of hours... I have to chop pinkies for both of my snakes, but I probably wouldn't refreeze even if it were an option (REALLY OCD about meat/temp).

[CoffeeBlack]

How about freezer shelf life?

[gazzamann]

apparently its 3months or so i have been told

[katach]

This is the recommendation from the company I get my pinkies from. Layne Labs (Snake Food, Reptile Food, Feed Carnivores, Birds of Prey : Layne Labs.com)

Depending on how they are stored, most frozen feeder animals can last up to a year. It is a good idea to minimize any exposure to air by ensuring they are in air tight freezer bags. While we recommend not storing feeder animals without fur for more than 4 or 6 months and feeder animals with fur for 9 to 12 months, if properly sealed containers are used and air exposure is kept to a minimum, they can be kept for much longer.

Hope that helps.

[Invisible Snake]

How about freezer shelf life?

"Q: How long will the frozen feeder animals last in the freezer?
A: Depending on how they are stored, most frozen feeder animals can last up to a year. It is a good idea to minimize any exposure to air by ensuring they are in air tight freezer bags. While we recommend not storing feeder animals without fur for more than 4 or 6 months and feeder animals with fur for 9 to 12 months, if properly sealed containers are used and air exposure is kept to a minimum, they can be kept for much longer."

This is a direct quote taken from RodentPro.com, where I get all my feeders.