Live food...why? Honestly & with facts!

I don't know if ball pythons have taste buds but does that necisarily mean they can't taste? They have other senses, like their amazing sent. When you have a cold can you taste? In my opinion that is a way for them to taste. Obviously they can tell the difference because there are some balls who simply refuse f/t. Now I'm not saying I'm opposed to f/t, I just prefer live because its what's NATURAL to them. But I can argue this either way. I actually convinced my brother to feeding his florida king f/t and he is extremely hard headed and was adiment about sticking to live.

Wolfyhound, as far as your take on frozen vs fresh produce I can argue that all day ad point out everything wrong about your statement but this is a debate on f/t v live prey. (However I am for using produce as an example)

My main point. I am for live for the fact that its more natural. Plain and simple. But I am also for f/t to avoid any physical stress on the animals. In my opinion, I try f/t if they take it great! If not I'm not gunna force it. This is a debate that's been going on for years and will continue for years. :rolleyes:

Based on those results, I am going to begin using a multivitamin powder on all prey offered to my ball pythons, whether live, pk, or ft. A light dusting of vitamin powder isn't terribly expensive, and seems worth it to ensure no minor deficiencies in nutrients will occur. If freezing does destroy some vitamins, replacing them with a bit of dust is simple. With some preliminary evidence that it helps, and the fact that it does no harm...why not?

I'm not sure that ball pythons taste their food, but they most definitely smell it, and anyone who has tried to switch a stubborn animal from live to FT can attest that they do indeed detect a significant difference between Live/PK and FT.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Based on those results, I am going to begin using a multivitamin powder on all prey offered to my ball pythons, whether live, pk, or ft. A light dusting of vitamin powder isn't terribly expensive, and seems worth it to ensure no minor deficiencies in nutrients will occur. If freezing does destroy some vitamins, replacing them with a bit of dust is simple. With some preliminary evidence that it helps, and the fact that it does no harm...why not?

I'm not sure that ball pythons taste their food, but they most definitely smell it, and anyone who has tried to switch a stubborn animal from live to FT can attest that they do indeed detect a significant difference between Live/PK and FT.

---

They may.. we'll never know though Because we're not BP's. ;) the truth is whether someone chooses to use live or frozen, that is there choice. We should never try to force someone to change.

I disagree--our not being ball pythons does not mean we cannot observe behavior and make logical inferences. If a ball python willingly accepts PK prey, and refuses heated FT, obviously it detects a difference between them. That is something we know, and we do not have to be ball pythons to know it.

Which they prefer is more subjective. Based on behavior, most ball pythons prefer PK to FT, but some prefer FT to PK. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Keep in mind that if you feed cats in particular on a whole prey diet, you should NOT use frozen prey for them...or, if you do, you will NEED to add a thiamine supplement. I'm not sure whether that applies to ferrets or dogs.

---

I find that most people feed fresh or cooked meat to their cats, dogs, and ferrets anyway so hopefully many don't have that problem. I feed my ferrets live prey for the same reasons I feed my snakes live. Also the ferrets enjoy taking down prey and its good enrichment. They always seem so excited or eager when they see a mouse or rat. Like a dog excited for a piece of bacon..... It is possible for ferrets to get a thiamine deficiency, which can lead to paralysis. And since dogs are not obligate carnivores like cats and ferrets, I don't think they need it as bad. However, dogs can get deficiencies as well.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

Actually frozen vegetables is better to buy than fresh if you're buying in a store. Frozen is frozen as it's picked, while "fresh" has been picked, stored in boxes, transported to a central location, transported to the store, set out on display and then at whichever point you pick it up and take it home.

As far as whether a snake cares if it's prey was frozen and reheated to sufficiently warm to mimic "blood heat", I doubt it can tell or cares. There's a reason we do the zombie rat dance.... it's because pythons are usually fairly easy to fool.

The debate rages... frozen vs live... and it will continue to be debated ad nauseum with folks on either side who espouse ONLY their way. The rest of us in the middle watch with popcorn and shrug while saying "If it works for you..."

---

This is very true. When I say frozen is next best, I of course was onlythinking about fresh picked. I always neglect to remember the quality of the produce on the shelf. Good catch.

Cooking also destroys thiamine, so those who feed fresh but cooked food to their cats (and presumeably, ferrets) should add a thiamine supplement to it after cooking.
Thiamine is added to commercial cat foods.
Some fresh fish is also off limits, as is frozen fish, due to the thiaminase content (enzyme that destroys thiamine).

As has been pointed out, humans DO eat fruit, so we don't have to get all of our nutrients from meat. If we did, we would have to eat some of it fresh and raw, the way the Inuit and Sami peoples did.

I love reading this thread while eating a frozen pizza and my god does it taste good

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Cooking also destroys thiamine, so those who feed fresh but cooked food to their cats (and presumeably, ferrets) should add a thiamine supplement to it after cooking.
Thiamine is added to commercial cat foods.
Some fresh fish is also off limits, as is frozen fish, due to the thiaminase content (enzyme that destroys thiamine).

---

I totally agree with you. That's exactly how ferrets get a thiamine deficiency. From fish meal in low quality kibble. I hear eggs do the same.

Good thing I feed live! :banana:

I feed FT to my corn. Cause he was raised that way from the breeder i got em from. He doesnt constrict. Just eats it. Never had a problem.

Now my ball, she doesnt take FT. No matter what. So i feed live. Id rather her eat than her starve. If i could id probally feed Ft. Cause its gonna be hard to find a rat breeder. And its cheaper. But i watch her well, an make sure the mice are healthy so i dont worrie too much about it.