I just bought a freezer so I could buy bulk rodents (the local breeder charges $1/rodent and has trouble keeping up with demand). What temperature is best for keeping rodents fresh for as long as possible? I’ve read online and the recommended temperatures ranges from -20-0*F, they all say different things. This is the only thing being kept in the freezer, and I want them to stay fresh for as long as possible, and still be healthy for the snake. What are the problems with keeping it too cold or too warm?
Good question, but it’s not just the optimum temp for keeping the rodents fresh longest it is also when your freezer starts to accumulate ice on the sides and puts it at risk of freezing up. My rodent chest freezer starts building ice if it gets lower then -10 so I try to keep it right above that. So probably just over 0 to 15 degrees F works for mine. It is a older freezer though so you may be able to go lower, just don’t know if any lower then 0 would help much. Make sure they are packed good, I usually have 2 freezer size bags 1 zipped and top rolled as tight with as little air as possible then the other zipped well for a large amount to keep longer without getting ice crystals or freezer burn, then the smaller amounts that I am going to use in the next few weeks in a single freezer bag. I think that may be more important then just temperature.
I agree with @banereptiles on this subject . I have purchased in bulk and it really is imho how you package the rodents. I always double or triple bag them, preferably with freezer bags. Each time I retrieve a rodent I try to make sure to smooth out the bag and reseal it with as little air in it as possible.
It’s the air inside the bags that causes freezer burns and deteriorates the rodents.
I started vacuum sealing my rodents to extend the shelf life. I try to seal what i would normally pull out to use, so no need to reseal. I live in an apartment so i have a deep freezer on my patio and use a tarp to keep it out of the sun. Pretty sure i have the temp set to 0. Would have to double-check. I try not to let people look in my freezers because i store my food next to the frozen asfs…they are just in a black reusable bag you would take to the grocery store.
I just got my shipment of mice today. The freezer’s holding a steady temp at about -10*. I’m planning on taking out 2 weeks (I use 6 mice/wk) worth of mice and packaging them individually, which should make them last a long time, without needing an excessive time to package them all up in individual bags by the week.
I wish I had that problem! I open a bag of 25 or 50 anything and it’s gone in two weeks tops
I keep mine in a deep freezer that stays around -8. No issues yet!