Quick Question on Live Feeding

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I eat meat...but I don't eat a cow or pig while it's still alive

But neither do they. And sadly, the cow or pig that you do eat was most likely given a far more gruesome death than the one that a prey item is given by a predator. many people ignore or overlook when this fact, but it's true. Many slaughterhouses slit an animals throat and begin dismembering it while it is still alive. Yes that paints a horrible image in one's mind, but it happens to hundreds of thousands of animals daily. And don't even get me started on the animals bred for the fur trade and skinned alive for their fur. We, as humans, are the monsters. Predators, on the other hand, are designed to kill quickly and efficiently. When a snake hits a rodent and constricts it, it is squeezing so tightly that all bloodflow and breath stops completely. This means that within seconds, the tiny animal becomes unconcious and is no longer physically aware of what is happening. Sure, it's probably terrifying for a split second, but it's nature and it's far more natural than what we do to the slaughtered cows and pigs we eat.

There is nothing cruel or inhumane about predation or the observation of it in captivity... the snakes give a better, harder, faster more attentioned feeding response meaning they obviously prefer that to f/t, and the fact is that even though it is not natural for us to keep them, breed them... etc...we still try to re create what they would be used to as much as possible... and well, eating live prey is one of those things.

It's hard to swallow, but some people just like watching a predator do what it's made to do. There is a family that regularly comes into my store. They have a daughter and a son between 4 and 5. They have a ball python in a 100 gallon tank. They are wonderful, very nice people, I had the "have you tried f/t" talk with them, but they kindly told me that they opt for live because feeding time is like a family event and they enoy watching the snake hunt down the mouse in the tank and they watch the whole thing, the kill, the swallow, etc. They do not get some sort of sadistic enjoyment from it, they just are fascinated by how specialized and efficient snakes are at dispatching their prey. In my opinion... that does not make them weird, or evil, or bloodthristy, just curious and observant. People that are so squeamish about things eating other things, are usually ones that have already alienated themselves from the natural world, at least enough to say "OMG, it eats CRICKETS??? that is HORRIBLE AND CRUEL!!!" (i always just smile politely at those people and tell them that they are crunchy, they should try one.... and then shake my head later)


As for ME, I feed 99% frozen thawed. If someone brings me some live feeders, or if I happen to find them cheap at a show, then yes I do feed live, or especially when I have someone over who has never witnessed a snake eat, it's a very good way to educate people about that aspect of a snake's life. Unless I am sure there's not going to be any problems... I flick the back if the rodent's head prior to feeding to knock them out. I have not yet had a snake injured by prey. I am not sure how anyone could be as neglecting as the photo's of that poor snake chewed to bits. If the snake is picky and it HAS to be alive and alert.... I hold the rodent by the scruff with my tongs and present it head first.

I see nothing wrong with it, I see nothing wrong with the people who choose to feed live PROVIDED they supervise the feedings closely or whack the rodent first. There are always going to be idiots and sadists. But that does not mean that we can point fingers at the respectful people in the hobby who know what they are doing and how to do it. And what about the people who have a few hundred snakes and breed their own food? I know if I did it that way and had that many snakes... that I would not have time to kill, freeze, and then thaw all the rodents necessary. Sure, kill and freeze the excess and sell them or save them for a time when the colonies are thin, but there is no point in taking unecessary steps between snake and prey and you have that large of a collection.

[reptile3]

"OMG, it eats CRICKETS??? that is HORRIBLE AND CRUEL!!!" (i always just smile politely at those people and tell them that they are crunchy, they should try one.... and then shake my head later)

i hear that too but with rats! say how can you have a snake that eats rats.
well they have to eat too! worms to snakes,the leo's & beardie.

they do sell crickets to eat... & lolli pops with crickets inside!! YUMMY!!
(never had one) ha ha