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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

for being absolutely livid?

49 replies

Stonehenge · 09/01/2009 21:16

DS has a pet snake which requires mice to eat. The mice are frozen when we buy them.

I bought some today and allowed them to defrost on the kitchen floor. Later DS brought me the bag and said "what are these doing on the floor?" I got annoyed and told him to put them back as I can't stand the things at the best of times and he knew full well why they were there.

Anyway I've just been to make a drink and the bag with the mice in had been left ON THE KITCHEN SIDE. But worst of all, one of my small kitchen knives was stuck in the bag. I pulled it out and its got all mouse blood on it. All of the kids are denying doing it. I'm fuming because its so disgusting to start with, dangerous messing around with knives and the knife is actually part of a set bought for us for Christmas.

DH thinks I'm 'over-reacting slightly'.

OP posts:
Seuss · 09/01/2009 21:23

gruesome. YANBU - that is icky.

ThePregnantHedgeWitch · 09/01/2009 21:24

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mumof2andabit · 09/01/2009 21:24

yuck yuck yuck.

Dh keeps frozen shrimp for his fishtank and they gross me out. Buy a mini freezer store it next to the snake (if the snakes in a bedroom) or somewhere unsightly and announce yourself as having NOTHING to do with snakes or mice.

yanbu

Original poster
Stonehenge · 09/01/2009 21:24

Do I have to throw the knife away or can it be saved?

OP posts:
smudgethepuppydog · 09/01/2009 21:24

How old are the kids? The knife will be fine after a wash. My DS has a snake too. He put a frozen mouse on his storage heater to defrost one day because he forgot to take it out of the freezer, said mouse was 'off', we discovered just how off it was when it exploded all over the heater.

LoveMyLapTop · 09/01/2009 21:24

if you dont that sort of thing , dont get snakes in the first place.
YABU

harleyd · 09/01/2009 21:24

i think you are 'over-reacting slightly'

ThePregnantHedgeWitch · 09/01/2009 21:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
Stonehenge · 09/01/2009 21:25

sorry, x post

OP posts:
mumof2andabit · 09/01/2009 21:25

I'd throw the knife

ThePregnantHedgeWitch · 09/01/2009 21:26

This reply has been deleted

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Thunderduck · 09/01/2009 21:26

You are overreacting a bit. The floor seems an odd place to defrost mice.

The knife will be fine, after a good thorough clean. The mice aren't disease ridden wild mice, they are bred for this purpose.

smudgethepuppydog · 09/01/2009 21:26

Why throw the knife away? Do you have a dishwasher? That would wash hot enough to sterlise it if it worries you.

LoveMyLapTop · 09/01/2009 21:27

if you eat meat whta is the difeernce between mouse blood and blood form other meat?
Put the knife in the dishwasher and get over it

Smithagain · 09/01/2009 21:28

Wash the knife. No worse than any other meat, surely?

Lay down the law about playing with knives.

Have a drink, relax.

Original poster
Stonehenge · 09/01/2009 21:28

that's what DH said Thunder, that they are not germy as they're bred for one purpose, I just find it a bit yuck, I have a bit of a phobia of rodents, I think that is why.

I put them on the floor because I can't stand the thought of them being near or on the work surfaces. Gross.

No dishwasher I'm afraid, I was thinking of boiling water from the kettle and then a good wash?

OP posts:
Seuss · 09/01/2009 21:29

Weren't you a bit tempted to bin your storage heater Smudge?

wannaBe · 09/01/2009 21:29

I think yabu.

It's fairly gross, but you've obviously agreed to having the snake and therefore also agreed to having the frozen mice.

If you're not prepared for all aspects of that you shouldn't have the animal in the first place.

My rule is that I will not allow pets that I am personally not prepared to handle - and I class snakes among those.

and tbh snakes are not suitable pets for children - especially if the parents aren't prepared to have a hand in their care.

Stick the knife in the dishwasher - it'll be fine. It's no different to using it to cut up raw meat.

KingCanuteIAm · 09/01/2009 21:30

It is raw meat, just like beef, lamb or anything else. You are massivly over-reacting to throw out the knife. Also over-reacting about the kitchen side - they were wrapped in plastic fgs!

Tell them off for playing with a knife, tell them off for unwrapping raw meat.

nula · 09/01/2009 21:31

Think you are over reacting.
If you are going to tolerate a pet snake and its diet I think you need to tolerate this sort of incident.

A knife in a mouse is no dif from a knife in a bit of steak; good wash and it will be fine

Wouldnot blame you in the least not to tolerate the snake in the first place tho

Original poster
Stonehenge · 09/01/2009 21:32

Oh I live the snakes, I have no problem whatsoever with them which DH says is ironic as snakes carry much more germs than the mice

I suppose there is little difference between 'food' meat and ... that, it just freaks me out

and OMG about the heater! I would have seriously hit the roof! I know when they defrost they bleed anyway so I bet it was a right mess.

On the snake forum I use, people put them in their microwaves to warm up etc!

OP posts:
smudgethepuppydog · 09/01/2009 21:32

Seuss-I was more tempted to bin the DS but at 16 and 6ft tall I don't think he'd fitwithout a fight.

Original poster
Stonehenge · 09/01/2009 21:33

love, not live

OP posts:
girlandboy · 09/01/2009 21:35

Were they pinkies or fuzzies?

smudgethepuppydog · 09/01/2009 21:36

The mice usually go under the heat lamp to be warmed in this house. Luckily the mouse, heater and viv are all in DS's room so he was the lucky soul that got to clean the mess.

Bung the knife in some boiling water, it'll be fine. Tea Tree oil is a good antibacterial cleaner, add a few drops to the water if you have some.

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