Frozen rodents, which have been thoroughly defrosted, are the ideal food for your snake or lizard. As the rodents are raw and unprocessed, they may contain harmful pathogens in the same fashion as uncooked meats used for human consumption, such as chicken.
If you follow this simple guidance, the risk posed by reptile food is significantly reduced.
Defrosting
• Always defrost frozen food naturally at room temperature on newspaper or kitchen towels away from food, food preparation surfaces and equipment.
• Ensure the rodents are thoroughly defrosted before feeding.
• Carefully dispose of the newspaper or kitchen towels after use and disinfect any surfaces which may have come into contact with the items.
• Do not defrost rodents in warm water or in the microwave as this could lead to contamination.
Feeding
• Always wash your hands and any equipment thoroughly with soap and water immediately before and after feeding or handling your pet.
• We recommend using long tweezers or forceps, available from all good pet shops, to offer defrosted rodents to your reptile.
This prevents fingers being bitten by “enthusiastic feeders” and further reduces the risk of contamination.
Storage
• Frozen rodents, intended for later use, can be stored in the deep freezer for several months.
• Care should be exercised when storing frozen rodents. We recommend storing them, securely wrapped in a polythene bag, within a rigid airtight plastic box. Do not allow frozen rodents to come into direct contact with human food stored in a freezer.

This guide has been issued in association with the Federation of British Herpetologists and The Reptile and Exotic Pet Association (REPTA)