Frozen Dinner

I slide my Swiss army knife, the handiest accessory on my set of keys, across the packaging tape on a box that was delivered moments ago. Even though the box is labeled "RUSH DELIVERY," I can take my time unpacking because I am sure the contents will still be frozen solid. I flip open the cardboard flaps and unfold a thick layer of yellow insulation to reveal the cache protected underneath.

Bags of frozen mice, rats, quail, and chicks are stacked inside. I pull out a few bags and find the solid brick of dry ice that kept the package cool during its three day trek from the RodentPro headquarters in Indiana. This aptly-named company specializes in supplying feeder animals for carnivores like our raptors and snakes.

Fog-creating dry ice keeps the meat frozen in the shipping box.

I place the dry ice in the sink, anticipating the foggy, Halloween-like atmosphere it will create later in the day when I clean the salamander's water dish. The rest of the box's contents get sorted and stacked in the chest freezer. At the end of the day, I will pull out a rat and a mouse to unthaw in the fridge so the birds can enjoy a warmer meal in the morning.