Gotta Be One In Every Collection

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Originally Posted by Wild Bill

I breed my own because I save a fortune on feeders doing it. I feed live to almost all my snakes, the thrill of watching the "kill" wore off years ago. It comes down to doing what works for you and your snakes. Some snakes do well on F/T and others do not. For me to feed F/T it has additional costs such as CO2, freezer bags/vacuum sealer bags and the extra freezer I would have to run.

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That's pretty much why I breed my own, saves you a ton!

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Originally Posted by goldenburm

I can appreciate that, its just amazing how the mind sets are different between us in the UK and u lot over there in the US.

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Actually, Peter, there are plenty of other US-based herp forums that are adamant pro-f/t or pro-live...BP.net is actually one of the only that doesn't have an "accepted, true one way" of doing things; the general consensus is do whatever works for you, as long as you do feed responsibly. =)

It's a blessing that BP.net is open minded.

Lol! But she LUVs Mr. Fuzzington! :wuv:

Also, I love the Batman and Robin thing you two have going icon wise! :giggle:

My Ozzy will only eat live mice, will only eat 3 at each feeding and get this, will only eat females. Now I know you must think I am a nut but I have gotten 3 males for his feed day and he will not touch them, I take them back and get 3 females and he gobbles them up. I have done this experiment twice and each time the same results.
It just baffles me.

i too do not understand why you would be UPSET that they wont take live.

i understand that you breed your own, and the easiest thing to do is to feed a live feeder. But if it eats, it eats.

I am glad BP.net is open minded and all...it is true other sites are PRO F/T while others are PRO LIVE (and force their opinion on you)...but it seems that most of you are pro live but accept the F/T crew.

my bp's are the skinniest balls I ever saw, but they took their first and second meals frozen/thawed NO PROBLEM. They are supposedly CB...and I have no reason to believe that the pet store was LYING, after all...balls do breed readily in captivity.

my boa wont even EAT live, she's too afraid of live rodents. I am super happy my balls eat F/T, I bought a pack of 12 small adult mice for 10 bucks, and I dont have to go to the store for weeks. No smelly rat farm in my house either.

lol about the extra freezer, only if you have a snake FARM. i keep food for 3 in my regular old freezer. just throw em in a brown paper bag...and tell your spouses to grow up! ;)

i never did like watching those rats die...struggling, scratching at my boa, convulsing.
out of sight out of mind :D

obviously i am one very happy camper on the F/T bandwagon!

But to each their own, and like someone already mentioned, we each analyze the pros and cons and make our own decisions and live by them.

As long as the snakes are eating i guess.

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Originally Posted by Slithers

i too do not understand why you would be UPSET that they wont take live.

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I think you're reading a bit too much into Jo's post. I seriously doubt she's upset that the snake wouldn't take live prey....maybe mildly frustrated...but mostly just wanting to share the amusing irony of a CH(?) bp that goes the opposite of all expectations. ;)

Boy Jude did you call that one right LOL. For heaven's sakes, folks did any of you seriously think I was "upset" :rolleyes: A snake that eats in our collection is a snake that eats. If I had to stand on my head and whistle Dixie to see that happen, so be it.

What I found funny and rather interesting is that most hatchling BP's in pet stores right now are likely fresh from Africa and most aren't always easy to start on f/t. That was the point of this thread was my amazement and laughing at the fact that I expected a baby BP that would only take live (and here I am with all these rats) and I got instead an f/t mouse eater. Not frustrated...funny...as in laugh at myself and the expectations of pet store BP's.

Peter as to why I feed live let's see if I can explain this w/o a book length post LOL. We feed live because I enjoy raising rats. I think that I produce a superior feeder that I know everything about so I know what is going into our snakes. I used to raise fowl for my kitchen table for the same reasons. I knew the chicken the kids ate was raised the way I want and providing the best possible result for the table. For me Peter there isn't an emotional issue as to whether live is more humane, safer, etc. I've settled those thoughts in my mind long ago and am content with the decisions Michael and I made to raise our own feeders and to feed live to our snakes.

Having said that let me repeat I'm quite content to feed whatever prey item and by what method that is required to see to a snake's wellbeing. It's always about what the snake will take consistently and with an aggressive feeding response. For most of our BP's that's live rats, for Muirne it's f/t mice. For the sake of consistency of feeding protocols I'd prefer if Muirne switched but again, not a big deal...the only big deal is she eats and thrives in our care.

Aw, I feel bad for ya; I hate dealing with mice. I really dislike the way they smell, etc. If any hatchling I wuold be getting were started on ratlings, that wold be the best selling point for me :)
That being said, I feed live anso and I am glad the stigma against live-feeding is dying. For me it is the fact that none of my snakes will take f/t; I have tried numerous times to leave well thawed and warmed rats in their cages overnite, and no dice any of the times. However, they all have awesome feeding responses with the live, and I am not complaining as everyone is on-feed at the moment :)
I think the real problemo is with people that overfeed. I think it is the cause of much of the food-refusal (barring seasonal refusals, etc.)

As long as they eat, who cares if the rodent is stone cold motherless dead or yippidy do dar bouncing all over the place... LOL ...

I haven't had my morning coffee yet, so I thought I did do real well with dressing that up! :)

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Originally Posted by Sputnik

As long as they eat, who cares if the rodent is stone cold motherless dead or yippidy do dar bouncing all over the place

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You should make that your new siggie quote. It's hilarious!