Why do people have to get on your case?

[Jay_Bunny]

I feed my corn snake and king snake frozen/thawed. We feed the ball pythons live because at the moment, that is what they will eat, and as long as they are eating, I am happy. We watch very carefully and will intervene with a metal rod or pencil to put in the mouse's mouth if it tries to bite the snake.

I was on a vegatarian/vegan site, responding to someone's post about rescuing a feeder rat pup at an expo. I mentioned that I have snakes and feed live and this guy starts bashing people who feed live. Another joins in as well and both are stating that ANY and ALL snakes can be fed frozen/thawed prey and it is the keeper's fault that it imprints on live food.

Any thoughts or helpful information I could pass on to these people about snakes and live feedings?

[Patrick Long]

what about nature? whats different. i mean what about crickets? there lame! forget em

[djansen]

Maybe that its the way God made snakes. They have an instinct to kill and eat rodents. he gave them teeth, sensors to detect LIVE warm blooded prey, strong coils, etc. not built in defrosters.

[Patrick Long]

yeah wheres natures freezer of mice?

[Jay_Bunny]

You have to understand that this is forum of animal loving people. They don't like to see any animal get hurt. If I were to say its nature's way, they would argue that it is against nature for me to keep them and then the whole discussion would fall apart. Sometimes I dislike people that are like this but then again I can understand where they are coming from. I do not like causing harm to any animal, but nature says "Snake must eat" so I give the snake what nature designed for them to eat. I feed live because I get a good feeding response and the mice are dead within 30sec anyway.

[Patrick Long]

word!!

[Elvyra's Keeper]

What I don't understand about this is that whether it is live or f/t, it's going to die. I love animals, and it makes me sad when my bp kills the mouse, but I would rather it die a natural way from nature, than to watch someone smash its head in, then freeze it for later. I just feel it's more humane for the mouse if it's fed live.

[Sparky1]

Just my thought, the majority i believe purchase there feeders from people who breed these rodents for that purpose. So that is that particular animals fate so to speek, since if you or i didnt have the snake to feed it to there would be no need to breed them. So would these same people let rats run around there house, in there food and there beds? No they would call someone to come poison them! So what is the big difference?

[Kathleen]

I'm a vegetarian and I feed live... and I find it fascinating. But I'm weird like that.

[Jay_Bunny]

I'm vegan and I feed live. lol.