# Freezing CareFresh bedding outdoors?



## Luminescent (May 28, 2013)

Where I live, it gets below freezing at night. Only by a few degrees but still freezing. We have no space in our freezer to put the big bag of CareFresh (since you need to kill any parasites and such before using it) so I put it outside on a table. Would this work? How many days would I need to keep it out there, since it only gets really cold at night? When it warms up in the day, would the parasites still be able to hang on?


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## Daize (Jun 8, 2013)

I've heard it said that it's good to put bedding into the freezer to remove parasites, but there's no reason for parasites to be in it. 

The manufacturing process alone would kill any if there were any to be killed. Then there's no food source in the bedding. Since they generally suck blood from hosts, rats/mice/other animals.There's nothing to attract them to the bedding. Parasites tend to go where there's a chance for food. A bag of bedding is not a likely source. 

I'm not sure where the idea of mites/lice and other parasites living in new bags of bedding comes from. If you think about it. It really doesn't make sense that bedding would be the source for parasite infestation. 

As to putting it outside. If the temps are below freezing. It will get cold, but it won't technically "freeze". . If your goal is to kill parasites. You'd have to spread it out, in a very thin layer, so each and every piece of bedding is exposed to those below freezing temps. 

Of course, if you do put the bedding outside....... You just might get a few parasites crawling into it to try and stay warm..... Insects/parasites do try to find shelter from the elements. 

So, putting it outside is probably a bad idea.

I've also heard people suggest that you "bake" the bedding to kill parasites. That has potential to be a bit risky though. Fire hazard and all.


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## bazmonkey (Nov 8, 2013)

I think freezing/baking is to remove mold, not necessarily parasites. I agree that it's generally unnecessary, though. I have kept several species on Carefresh and only tried the freezing thing once because it was a warm day and there was condensation inside the back by the time I got home.

If you put a glass of water outside, would would it freeze up at all? If it doesn't get cold enough to do that, I don't think it would be effective on bedding. It needs to stay long enough to actually freeze objects, not just the air.


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## Trenix (Aug 30, 2013)

Agree that this is highly unnecessary.


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## Luminescent (May 28, 2013)

Alright, thanks guys. I wasn't sure so better safe than sorry.


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