Rats biting snakes

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Originally Posted by BallChick

The only 100% way to prevent bites is to feed f/t or prekilled prey...

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Rabernet has posted before that out of 15K or more feedings shes only had maybe 5 serious bites that needed some sort of treatment. Thats a .9996% success rate, if you don't wanna round it up to 100%. Thats close enough for me. (I'm quoting from memory so I apologize if that stat isn't exact).

These guys are designed to kill, and they do it very well. Even if they don't get a good hit and your snake gets nipped by the rat or scratched (in other words a non-serious injury to their body) who cares? It'll heal in a few sheds. I keep my tubs clean so its not like theres a very good chance its gunna get infected. I mean, I try to avoid it, but if it happens its really not as big of a deal as people make it seem imo. You've never burned your mouth on a piece or pizza or a cup of coffee? Or bit down on a chip wrong and have it stab into your gums? It doesn't mean i should have someone pre-chew my food for me or serve me luke warm coffee.

EDIT: I'm not saying you should feed live, just making the point that it's more than safe to do so.

Appreciate all the feedback..

Im not worried about her gettin bit pre strike. She's got a good response and great awareness.. She knows instantly when I'm about to feed her.

I have been looking for rat pups local and will be switching to them ASAP but in the mean time it's mice only

Ive never had a rat bite my snake but one of them was really freaked out lunging and being crazy. But that was one time. I think i might start feeding live again. Been feeding prekilled for about 2 months. Luckily for me he will eat live or prekilled. Doesnt matter the color of the rat and he eats in deep shed. Is it riskier to feed live when his eyes are all "fogged up" from the shed?

Im talking about my normal male. He is 580 grams eating small rats.

FT isn't risk free either. Sure your snake won't get ugly bite wounds, but it still could result in a dead snake. Plenty of snakes have died on FT. Nothing is risk free. There are pros and cons to live and FT.
So feeding live or FT is just personal preference and being responsible about it.

Personally, if I had to thaw out feeders and individually do the zombie rat dance for everyone, feeding would take hours. :(

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Originally Posted by Gerardo

Ive never had a rat bite my snake but one of them was really freaked out lunging and being crazy. But that was one time. I think i might start feeding live again. Been feeding prekilled for about 2 months. Luckily for me he will eat live or prekilled. Doesnt matter the color of the rat and he eats in deep shed. Is it riskier to feed live when his eyes are all "fogged up" from the shed?

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I want to say No. I've had blues strike and coil fine. They use their heat pit sensors to track prey more than their eye sight. But I've had some in shed that aren't comfortable enough to try anything either until they shed.

Like I mentioned before, the typical rat will usually just explore the enclosure curiously or relax and groom itself. It's not really normal or common to see rats freak out and attack unless they were stressed out prior to placing it into the enclosure for feeding.

On another note: Even when I feed my ferrets live, the rats don't fight back or attack either. And that's actually a fight for survival type of situation... I've never had a ferret get wounded in a live feed. Like the snakes, they're given small and younger feeders.

Perhaps I just breed really docile rats?? Aggression in rodents is heritable after all.

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Usually when we feed live I stand there with a pen or something so if he try's to bite the snake. I just let him bite the pen instead. They really go for it!! It has worked since the beginning

Just an FYI, I've been bitten by rats more than all of my snakes combined have.

I've seen a guy on YouTube put the rat in a plastic bag and spin the bag to get the rat dizzy before placin it in the enclosure. Do you guys think that's a good method to prevent your snake from getting injured?

Out of 100s of feeds almost 1000s I have only had my albino get a little scratched up. As others said they are pretty good and wrapping them up properly and I keep a pen handy in case

Also I never dangle. I only place them in gently and let the snake take care of the rest. If they snake is striking aggressively and not trying to eat it I will take the rat out so it doesn't get afraid and attack back.

Don't leave them more then 20 minutes or so either way