Feeding with Gerbils

[Jenlang_79]

I already posted something but I can't find it..so if two show up..sorry!!

I think it is absolutly horrible that you are feeding these pets to your snakes...that is not what they are intended for!!! People trust you to find these animals a good home and you betray them and feed them to your animals...If you want to feed your snakes live prey..well good for you (they could end up getting hurt..but it is your choice)..but atleast buy the ones that are bred to be feeders not someone's pet!! I just adopted a hamster his name is snickers..he is one of the sweetest animals..he has a personality..and he is my pet..just like those one's are someone's pets. What is wrong with the feeder mice, rats, and so on? You work at a pet store..don't you have those there? And I can't believe your pet store lets you take them home for food...that is bad. Not a place I would trust to take good care of their animals. That is just my opinion...but I do think you should stop it!!

I also think it is people that do stupid things like this that give snake owners a bad name.

[Jenlang_79]

Oh and if you can't afford to BUY your snakes feeder rodents then you shouldn't have them!!!

[Snake lover 3-25]

jenny you have VERY strong opinions.... and i agree with most of them.... but not as strongly.... idk... i think it's their choice and even though i don't see it as right... i won't kill them over it....

btw you did double post if you click the refresh buton your post will show up...

[Jenlang_79]

oops...lol!! I don't think it should be his choice to feed his snakes pets..but that is me. I am usually a very peaceful person..but this makes me sick...sorry.

[dekaybrown]

Jenny, Here is something to think about, some of our "feeder" mice have occasionally become pets.

There was even one little guy that just refused to be contained, so one sunny afternoon I look him out to the edge of a meadow that has many wild mice, and simply gave him what he so wanted.

I watch entire colonies performing social duties, parenting and even siblings helping out with new litters.

I have never looked at mouse traps and rat poison the same ever since.

Yet at the same time, my reptiles need to eat.

So do I want to support factory mouse farms that slaughter millions and provide zero comforts to the animal in the process, or..

Raise pampered, spoiled mice that lead the life of a king.

So it does present a rather different twist to morals.

[Jenlang_79]

That is all fine and good..yes it is a fact of life...snakes need to eat...just like lions need to eat and they usually eat baby animals...I have no problem with that..I have had snakes for about 15 years or so...but I don't think when people bring the animals that WERE pets back to the pet store that he should then feed them to his snakes...just don't see anything right about that!!

Oh and I get my mice from a little pet store that breeds them. She takes good care of them and they have a pretty good life before she she kills them..lol. If you want to usually you can find a good place to buy them...just takes a little research.

[Snake lover 3-25]

i agree yet again!!!!!!

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Honestly jenny i think your feelings are jsut a bit strong... I work at a pet store and I know from first hand that many unwanted mice and gerbils placed up for adoption... are "adopted" out... and the people say they are going to give it a home, when in reality, they have snakes too. When there is a small fuzzy creature that is "free" you can bet more than just the employees at the store are considering feeding it to their snakes. I actually watched a guy at a petco once "adopt" two bunnies and a hamster, the hamster came with a big cage and everything... I was sitting in the car and I saw him drive around back and dump the hamsters cage in the dumpster... what does that say?

I am not saying all people who adopt small fuzzy things are using them as food, that would be entirely wrong. what I am saying is, especially with today's economy, people will do what is necessary to save them even a bit of money. That doesn't mean that they can't afford to feed their snakes and you should definately not assume that. I personally have taken old sickly hamsters from people who didn't want them anymore and used them for feeding. At least that animal had a good life while it was a pet, and was not sitting in an overcrowded stinky feeder mill with no comfort or love. If you think it is cruel to feed an ex-pet, possibly consider the short loveless overcrowded lives that most animals bred as feeders must endure before being put our of their misery. I am with wayne here, I would much rather see the animals get some love and real attention and care rather than live a mindless life of being born, eating, and dieing.

Just today at work, I had to put a whole litter of hamsters in the freezer. Our store room cages were all full, and the mother had rejected her babies. She was eating them. We have way too many hamsters, the males broke into the females tank last month so we have had an explosion of babies beyond our control. So my boss was about to flush them down the toilet, but I said hey remember I have snakes, if we put them in the freezer they will go out quietly and they will be put to a good use instead of rotting in the sewers.

[Snake lover 3-25]

i think that that is fine as long as the previous owners know or at least have an idea what is being done with their pets...

[Stefan-A]

Originally Posted by Snake lover 3-25

i think that that is fine as long as the previous owners know or at least have an idea what is being done with their pets...

Equally fine if they never find out. They'll be just as happy.