~sigh~

Ever cried when you fed off a rat to your snake? :rainon:

Last week, Kisasa was in shed, so she refused to eat the rat I bought her. No problem...I keep them in a nice little cage for a week and then feed them off the next week.

Only this rat was different. She was never scared of me. She'd come right up to my hand and let me pick her up. She seemed to enjoy being petted. When I was in my daughter's room (where her cage is) she would climb up on the bars of the cage and poke her little nose between them and squeak at us. Ohmygosh, she's SO cute!

But we can't keep a rat. If we wanted a pet rat...we'd have to get another one, because they need a companion...so that's two new pets instead of one. And we've got a very long, complicated move ahead of us in just a few weeks. Definitely NOT a time to be adding new pets. :(

So today is Kisasa's dinner time. I considered taking this little rat back to the store and exchange it for another...but if I did, it would just get eaten by some other snake, most likely. And this is, after all, what rats are for. There'll be other cute rats that come along, and I can't keep them all for pets.....right?

Kisasa was so ready to eat that she struck the side of the tub when I was removing the clamps, which she's never done before. She took the little rat right away...but the poor little thing didn't go nearly as quickly or quietly as they usually do. I feel so terrible.

Thanks for letting me get this off my chest....

ah judy... this little rat was blessed with getting to know you, being loved and fed well for a week! not all rats are this fortunate :hug:

She did what she was meant to do ... we are all lost until our destinys unfold before us.

-adam

i know that feeling of the rat not going as fast as they should...terrible feeling. i hate it. but to own these awesome animals....ya give a little and take a little. it's part of it. just have to move on :(

:hug: I am sorry thats why I don't think I could raise them. MRS. Frog would have 400 pet rats and I'd still be feeding F/T and trying to house them little critters.

Hang in there Judy. Its been tough for me too since I have gotten into breeding but it gets easier. I take great care of the breeders but keep my handling of the feeders to a minimum.

It's hard Judy when you aren't used to it like I am, week after week. Just remember in the end the rat was given a good existance and it fulfilled it's natural role as did your snake. You were in the end only a small part of that dynamic between predator and prey. It's still hard to deal with if you get attached to the rat in question. That's why I continue to enjoy spoiling our breeder rats and give them names...that way I don't get overly attached to their offspring.

Thanks guys. And I'm fine...not like this is gonna put me off of feeding my snakes or anything. ;) Just that this was the first time I'd ever not been able to keep myself emotionally detached from the rat. Even the really pretty ones I've managed to not get attached to. But this one...well, she woulda made a really sweet pet. But yeah...she had a really nice life for a week....with some pretty yummy food. (Thanksgiving leftovers and everything! LOL)