Feeding

Wow, something odd happened today. I was at some forum, mostly a dog forum, and they were having a disscusion on snakes. Anyhoo, some brought up how they didn't like them because they eat rodents, then they got into some moral aspect, ect. Got me thinking about something I've never personally thought about, killing rodents. It's really weird thinking that every week an animal or two died to keep your snake full, lol. I just never thought about it like that. I think of rodents as any other food, such as dry dog food. Eh, just actually thought about it today.

Must suck for people who love rodents to know that the majority of rodents in shops are food. I'd personally be pissed if I saw a cage of bp's knowing they're gonna get eaten.

Really weird to think about. I still have no regrets tho! :P Call me evil, but it makes me smile when they eat :P

It's the circle of life, Simba . . .

The way I look at it, people pay a lot of money every year to have rodents exterminated from their homes. Those rodents just go to waste. At least the ones we buy are going to a good cause. HEHE. :twisted:

Excellent point, Smynx!

People who think that animals have "morals" make me laugh. Do you think a snake in the wild sits there and thinks "Hmm, maybe I shouldn't eat this rat because it has a right to live"?? LMAO.

All that is is an example of silly, PETA-esque morons trying to anthropomorphize animals in order to justify their ignorance.

Another good point, David. :)

PETA also wants to take away our rights to keep herps, or any pet for that matter.

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Originally Posted by The_Godfather

PETA also wants to take away our rights to keep herps, or any pet for that matter.

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https://ball-pythons.net/modules/cop..._angryfire.gif

KNow another term for rodents? Vermin. There's a reason people get called "Rat Bastards".

Ever hear of black death, plague, haunta virus, etc.

I keep 2 gerbils, but don't give a (pardon the pun) rat's ass about a rodent.

JMHO.

Ken

People also don't seem to realize that without snakes to keep the rodent population down, the world would be over run with disease carrying, crop-destroying vermin and the human race would probably starve.

Are we trying to justify killing rodents to feed our pet snakes? It is, after all a life form like you and me and our beloved snakes! Are we talking about controlling rodents in the wild, or say like in NY city? I would never feed a sewer rat to my baby! The diseases they carry would kill an elephant!

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Are we trying to justify killing rodents to feed our pet snakes?

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Yes.

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It is, after all a life form like you and me and our beloved snakes!

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Please tell me you're joking.

I'm not justifying anything. If I didn't keep snakes, I'd still consider rodents to be vermin, and they'd still be major transmitters of disease.

There is no justification needed. Rodents are part of snakes' *natural* diet. If you wish to argue Mother Nature, you're in for a tough argument. ;)

Everytime I eat a steak, or a piece of chicken, someone had to kill that animal for me. Why? Cause I like steak and chicken thats why. Our snakes dont just like rodents , they NEED them to live, unlike me eatin some plump chicken or juicy cow. The only moral issue I can see is the methods used to kill them, as long as they are not intentionaly cruel (ex. dry ice method is very humane).WHEN i used to kill my own mice to feed my savannah I neither enjoyed it or felt bad about it,it was what my animal needed to live and it was my job to take care of him,if I didnt want to do that for him than I had no right enjoying him in my home.

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Originally Posted by DavidBeard

There is no justification needed. Rodents are part of snakes' *natural* diet. If you wish to argue Mother Nature, you're in for a tough argument. ;)

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I agree with you on that. As for saying that rodents are life forms like us, was not joking. We are all life forms and what seperates us is our intelligence and intelligence alone. I like debates :wink:

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Originally Posted by DavidBeard

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It is, after all a life form like you and me and our beloved snakes!

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Please tell me you're joking.

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Come on, David. Rodents are life forms like reptiles and humans. It's not as if an iguana has more intrinsic value than a hamster. You just happen to be more fond of reptiles, while others would rather have hamsters, gerbils, rats, or even guinea pigs. Yes, rodents are a natural food type for many reptiles, and I don't have a problem with feeding my pets properly, but that doesn't mean I can't empathize with a dumbo mouse breeder who doesn't want to sell mice to be prey items. His or her preference for rodents isn't any less valid or reasonable than your preference for reptiles.

It is also a lot LESS indulgent than giving your dog rwhide, a pig's ear or whatever that bin of dried animal bits they have at the petstore for Chewtreats"

And whatnot :P

We could have ratfights and plae bets, mang . . .

Sorry to rant but I forgot to say I wholeheartedly agree with David that it is either a cover for ignorance,OR it is ignorance that causes people to apply human characteristics to animals. Take dogs for instance(I am a dog lover,cant live without one)
Dogs dont have egos people do and yet how many dog owners apply their own egos to their dogs. Some people do that with every animal they see, PROVIDED they find something they like in the animal (eg. its cute,its cuddly etc,etc.)

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Originally Posted by iceman25

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Originally Posted by DavidBeard

There is no justification needed. Rodents are part of snakes' *natural* diet. If you wish to argue Mother Nature, you're in for a tough argument. ;)

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I agree with you on that. As for saying that rodents are life forms like us, was not joking. We are all life forms and what seperates us is our intelligence and intelligence alone. I like debates :wink:

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I was referring to the attitude that "rats and mice have a right to live, so you are morally wrong to feed them to your evil snake." This is the PETA-esque mindset that is pushing to have our beloved hobby banished. Sorry, but I feel no moral remorse for providing my snakes' fundamental dietary needs.

I get this attitude from people who love eating their chicken, beef, pork, fish, shrimp, turkey, deer, lamb, goat, ferrets, squirrells, squid, horse, pigeons, rabbits, worms, roaches, spiders, goblins, gouls, ghosts and hobgoblins! I just don't listen when people start saying stuff like that, cause I know that nature is not wrong in its ways.

They usually stop when I ask them how tall and wide they are, and what kind of substrate do they sleep on. :lol:

I'm going to start marketting soy rodents for "enlightened" reptiles.

Personally i like when my snake eats and i could care less how it happens. But look at it this way those mice were raised for the sole purpose of being fed to a snake hence the name feeder mice they would not exist if it weren't for your snake. And unlike most people they have a clear purpose in life. And mice don't really know enough to care unlike the cow we shove down are throat and the dolphin that taste so good it is the circle of life but when other people see a snake at the end it becomes bad.

this may seem strange but i actually have a pet snake that ive had for a while and should die soon because of old age. ive had it much longer than my snake and i just cant bringmyself to kill the mouse i used to breed mice before i got my snake and this was the only mouse that never bit me so i just have a soft spot for it

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Originally Posted by Smulkin

It's the circle of life, Simba . . .

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LOL! :lol:

I've really enjoyed reading this thread, a lot of good points made.

I just think it's nature. Snakes eat rodents. And I have no particular love for rodents of any kind, in fact I can't stand them, so I have no problems feeding a dead one to my snake. I grew up with rats, mice, skunks, oppossums, raccoons, squirrels, etc all around my yard and garage, and I grew to hate them. But not all people feel that way, and I can understand how some people would have a problem with the idea.

Its hard when you love all creatures. Especially when you have to feed one to another. But that is the way life is. Accept it and move on :|

perhaps someday there will be human eating snakes, and they'll lab-breed humans and sell em for snake food.

"tried offering my snake his first f/t human today, no luck :(."

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I just think it's nature. Snakes eat rodents. And I have no particular love for rodents of any kind, in fact I can't stand them, so I have no problems feeding a dead one to my snake.

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Well.....I do like the little rodents, have several as pet's right now....But It still does not bother me to feed my snake a rodent....As stated earlier....It's the circle of life.....

Rodents just happen to be on the snakes food chain....

Better clarify some.....The pet rodents are not my snakes food....FEEDER rodents are his food.

Afrocks eat humans. So if you own one, would you consider visiting some of my neighbors? :lol:

Give 'Neph a couple years - we'll make some rounds, Iceman :P

what a crappy way to go man. imagine being mr. rat on feeding day.

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what a crappy way to go man. imagine being mr. rat on feeding day.

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Hehe - I call that "going to work"

i had a pet store refuse to sell me a mouse, however, they on occasion sell snakes. i asked what they told people to feed, and he stumbled. but everyone that gives me a hard time use mouse traps/decon when a mouse invades their house. atleast the rodents demise in the hands of sixx serves a purpose, not just because i didn't want the rodents in my house.

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Originally Posted by Smulkin

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what a crappy way to go man. imagine being mr. rat on feeding day.

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Hehe - I call that "going to work"

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LMAO!!

When I got into a petstore and ask for mice, I'm almost always asked "What are you feeding today?" They know why the mice are there. It's beyond me why any petstore would refuse to sell mice because it's being fed to a snake.

Then there's the petstore who will sell a snake with a too-small tank, no hide, no heat source, to some clueless joe who will never bother to learn how to care for it....but then turn around and refuse to sell a cute little bunny rabbit to the guy who wants to feed it to his burm. Go figure...

This thread makes me want a cheeseburger SO BADLY! - realistically I have no guilt feeding my BP mice because I buy them from a pet shop who gets them from rodent pro so I went and looked them up and they use pretty much the same euthinization (sp?) techniques that vets do when they put hampsters to sleep. So I have no problem... the snakes got to eat just like you and me, as long as the rodent isn't slowly painfully tortured to death I have no problem. Oh yeah I really really want a cheeseburger....mmmmmm.....

Yo Jonah where u been bro? Havn't seen ya around for like two days :lol: