Split from Scaleless BP - Feeding Live Debate

My Dumeril's has scares and scabs all over her head, which the previous owner admitted was from feeding live. A snake at the nearest pet store was killed by it's prey about two weeks ago. That's the only personal experience I have, but that's enough for my common sense to say "hmm... Maybe feeding live isn't as swell as people think". Perhaps I'm a hypocrite because I have fed live (when I first started keeping), and I didn't have the materials to euthanize Duma's last meal.

I'm just going to dance again :banana::banana::banana::banana:

I feed live and have never had an issue.

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Originally Posted by B.O.S Reptiles

Lol

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

Talking out of your ass is also a stupid idea yet you have no problem doing that

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I honestly don't think he sees the problen here.

He seems to think it's funny.

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Originally Posted by Crazymonkee

I wasn't being funny.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4

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It's all a joke to him.

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Originally Posted by sho220

I have a feeling he's never heard the old saying "You learn more from listening than talking". :rolleyes:

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Then maybe you should [shut up].

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Originally Posted by B.O.S Reptiles

My Dumeril's has scares and scabs all over her head, which the previous owner admitted was from feeding live. A snake at the nearest pet store was killed by it's prey about two weeks ago. That's the only personal experience I have, but that's enough for my common sense to say "hmm... Maybe feeding live isn't as swell as people think". Perhaps I'm a hypocrite because I have fed live (when I first started keeping), and I didn't have the materials to euthanize Duma's last meal.

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Because those people are idiots


You're a hypocrite? Big shocker

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Originally Posted by kat_black181

I honestly don't think he sees the problen here.

He seems to think it's funny.



It's all a joke to him.

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Read that a few times.

As a quick rundown of the risks of feeding F/T, since we're so quick to jump on the criticism of live:

~Thawing a rodent wrong.

• Too hot: The rodent gets cooked, causing complications for the snake. Can lead to regurgitation and lack of nutrition value.
• Too cold/still frozen on the inside: The snake's body goes into shock during digestion because of the chunk of ice that is now in its stomach. It tries desperately to thermoregulate, but more often these snakes end up dying because their body isn't equipped to handle ice/anything cooler than a rodent's normal body temp.

~Leaving a thawed rodent in overnight.

• Decomposition begins again once the rodent begins to thaw. Leaving a thawed rodent in an enclosure overnight can lead to the rat going septic and poisoning your snake, if it even wants to eat the smelly rodent at all. This is why offering food for up to one half-hour is recommended, rather than leaving a rodent in overnight. (Note: exceptions are occasionally made for shy eaters.)

There's a reason we have time limits on feeding exposure and that we insist that feeding time is monitored closely by a responsible caretaker. Yes, in the wild these snakes eat live pretty much exclusively, but in captivity we have the means to make feeding a sefe, foolproof environment. All it takes is a little effort in responsibility. We are all that stands between the snake and the dangers that lie before it, so why not take every precaution, regardless of the method of feeding?

Live or F/T, you have a responsibility to your animal to make the environment a safe place. As long as that's happening, I have no qualms with folks who prefer live feeding to F/T.

Easy Live Feeding Precautions:

• Offering food for only 15 minutes at a time. Your snake can and will decide in that time whether it's hungry or not.
• Having an object at hand to distract/block the rat if it becomes defensive.
• Offering pre-killed is simple, as the rat still maintains its body temp if cervically dislocated just before putting it in the tank.

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Originally Posted by B.O.S Reptiles

Read that a few times.

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Yea. Typo.

Trolls wil be trolls.

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Originally Posted by SlitherinSisters

Because those people are idiots


You're a hypocrite? Big shocker

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They're stupid because feeding live is dangerous.