Thaw frozen prey in a bag in the refrigerator, or float it in cold water before placing it in warm water just prior to feeding. Avoid using the microwave to thaw frozen prey, as it can cause uneven heating, potentially resulting in burns to your snake or causing the prey to explode.
Here we discuss the pros and cons of feeding live and frozen/thawed rodents to your snakes. Music by BenSound.
The only reason to feed live prey is when a snake completely refuses to eat otherwise. Even then, the recommendation is to provide 1-day old pinkies (newborn rodents) that cannot hurt the snake, then offer again the thawed, previously frozen prey. What Can Snakes Not Eat?

Furthermore, visual representations like the one above help us fully grasp the concept of Caring For Small Snakes With Frozen Prey.
Learn the best practices for feeding snakes frozen mice and other prey. Discover tips on thawing, safe handling, and nutritional needs for a healthy snake diet! Is this an emergency?
You can scent frozen prey with bedding that smells like other animals. For example, gerbil bedding can be a good choice to scent prey for stubborn ball pythons. Dont rub animal droppings onto the prey because this can transfer bacteria.

Taking care of a pet snake can be intimidating, especially when it comes to feeding them. You don't want to have to catch and kill live prey for your snake, but you also want to make sure they get the nutrition they need. Feeding frozen mice are the perfect solution!
Select Pinkies for Small Snakes and Rats for Larger Constrictors. Avoid Prey That is Too Large or Too Small. Prepare Prey Safely Before Feeding. Thaw Frozen Prey Completely Before Offering. Warm Thawed Prey to Room Temperature-plus, Not Hot.