Ok OR NOT???

Hi there everybody.... I would like your opinion(more of understanding and knowledge actually)
Is it ok to feed snakes with Rats that has got Lice on them?? I know a whole lot of you will say no BUT i need the FACT here...

From my limited knowledge, i got the understanding(thru a Friend) that parasites are specis specific so feeding these rats with Lice to snakes will not cause any harm so it is OK :gj:
Let me know what you think :confused:

Get ur opinions in please....

Thanx in advance....

It's true, the lice are species specific.

Don't lice still drain blood from the rats or feed from them or something? I would imagine it is not as healthy as possible for the snake to be fed a rat that is not healthy. It might not be direct problems from the lice, but a problem from the rat that had health problems from the lice.

I'm no expert but I think I might have heard something about that before. Maybe it was another parasite though...

I would have no problem feeding rats that had lice. I would try to get rid of the lice for the health of the rats, if they were my rats, but I'd feed them lice and all. Just my opinion......

I would NEVER!!!* disgusted* I know that lice arn't like mites but thats beside the point. Would you want to eat something with lice on it?!?! I think not. Treat your animals like you would your own children. For goodness sake man take the best care of your animals that you possibly can!

i guess its ok beacuse snakes dont have hair in their tummy?

I wouldn't personally give my snakes rats with lice.
But I agree with you that it shouldn't in any way effect the snake, theoretically.
They'd probably do it in the wild.

If I knew the animal had ANY parasites it wouldn't come anywhere near me and I wouldn't bring it into my house. Doesn't matter what parasite.

I would not feed a snake a rat with lice.

Look, I breed my own rats because I want my snakes to have the healthiest food possible so why would I feed them something that has a parasite? Where did you get these rats with lice? I'd take them right back to the place you got them from and demand your money back. Or if you breed them yourself you really need to think twice about how you are treating your animals. They may be "just rats" but they're an extremely intelligent animal and they deserve to have a comfortable life even if they will be snake food eventually.

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Originally Posted by RoyalGuardian

/Would you want to eat something with lice on it?!?! I think not.

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Diotto on this... Its not hard to get healthy rats why settle for something that isnt healthy?

I wouldn't want to eat anything with lice on it personally,though neither would I ever want to eat a rat or mouse ...:)
Though I wouldn't be concerned about the lice themselves, they are protien after all. I would be concerned that the rodent supplier may have chemically contaminated the feeders in order to rid the rodent colonies of the parasites.

I would not feed them to my snakes. But I don't think it poses a health risk. :D

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Originally Posted by RoyalGuardian

Would you want to eat something with lice on it?!?! I think not.

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I don't see the relevance in comparing things humans would/wouldn't do to things BPs would/wouldn't do. Humans would not do a lot of things that BPs would, like eat mice, lay eggs, swallow food whole, etc. It sounds obvious and silly, but we are different creatures, and comparing behaviors doesn't mean a whole lot. I understand what you are trying to get at, but I don't agree with it as an argument to not feed off rodents that have lice.

If there is any concern just F/T the rodent before feeding. That should kill the lice.

in my opinion, i would DISPOSE of ANYTHING with lice. cause i sure don't want it on my head. i'd be more worried about my hair than the snake.

not to mention, the rats will wither in health at the discomfort of the lice, which in turn compromises the health of the snake. if you leave lice they will just breed and breed and breed. (look at some pictures of severe cases of lice, it is disgusting. most people don't know how big they are.) if lice is left untreated it can cause infection because eggs can be left in the skin of the scalp. there is also research going on now to find out if they carry disease. so there is a chance that the lice could carry disease.

just gross... no i would never feed any animal something with lice.

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Originally Posted by anendeloflorien

I would not feed a snake a rat with lice.

Look, I breed my own rats because I want my snakes to have the healthiest food possible so why would I feed them something that has a parasite? Where did you get these rats with lice? I'd take them right back to the place you got them from and demand your money back. Or if you breed them yourself you really need to think twice about how you are treating your animals. They may be "just rats" but they're an extremely intelligent animal and they deserve to have a comfortable life even if they will be snake food eventually.

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I agree 100% My question is WHY? I doubt it would hurt them but something is wrong with the husbandry if they have lice. Are they getting fed correctly? I don't want my snakes to have a meal that is infested with parsites. Yes they eat all kinds of things in the wild but YOUR snake (unless it is a wc) is used to good food. Most of the wc balls brought in have mites, and internal parsites. You also don't know how many wc balls die due to a parsite overload.

ok I will step down off my soap box.

i would assume it would be ok but not to be suggested i had to do it one time when the only stock of mouse around was mice with lice so i bought one and tried and there was no harm done

why feed them unhealthy ones when you have a choice to get healthy ones...

Well put anendelaflorian.

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Originally Posted by RoyalGuardian

I would NEVER!!!* disgusted* I know that lice arn't like mites but thats beside the point. Would you want to eat something with lice on it?!?! I think not. Treat your animals like you would your own children. For goodness sake man take the best care of your animals that you possibly can!

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slow down there cowboy, im sure if there wasn't a heath issue the snake wouldn't even know the difference.

Althought i wouldnt feed my snake lice ridden rats, In the wild this probably happens all the time. now the only issue i can see that could pose a health risk is the lice passing on and infecting multiple feeders with some form of sickness. lest get realistic here it wouldnt be plague proportions but there is a chance that it could cause all your feeders to become ill with something.

keeping the food item healthy is ideal. but im going to take a guess and say the snakes super strong stomach acid would kill anything in the rat anyhow, either viruses passed on by blood or lice bites or anything els.

The local rat breeder here in Kansas City is a couple that supplies almost all of the local stores that ell feeder rats.

They're rats have lice. Guess what, I don't buy from them, and I don't buy from ANY local store anymore because of the fact. You ever tried telling someone that they're rats have lice? They don't take it too kindly.

They also run the local reptile show that I frequent.

I now only purchase my rats from Rodent Pro.

In conclusion, whether it will affect my snakes or not, any rat that isn't 100% doesn't make it into my snakes belly.

T

why is it every pet store that some one in the US tells me about is horrid.

my local pet store (not a xhain pet store) sells top notch feeders. they are clean and the store takes very good care of all its sale pets.

getting lice in your sale items is just a sign that they dont clean there store.

Here is a word from the vet tech (not a snake vet tech, so don't ask me about their diseases), but I am familiar with animals.

Lice

Cause and transmission: An infestation with lice is called "pediculosis." Lice affecting rats are Polyplax spinulosa, and those affecting mice are P. serrata. Lice are transmitted by direct contact or infested bedding. Lice are insects that can be seen with the naked eye. They are flattened and possess no wings. The eggs may be seen attached to the hairs. Lice are very host-specific and do not tend to leave their preferred animal: the lice of mice will generally not affect rats, and the lice of rats do not affect mice. Neither can be transmitted to people.

Signs: Polyplax lice suck blood, so in addition to pruritus, hair thinning, and self-trauma, affected mice or rats may develop anemia and become weak and lethargic. Lice can transmit blood diseases: eperythrozoonosis in mice, and haemobartonellosis in rats. Rickettsia typhi, the cause of typhoid fever, can be transmitted by lice.

Diagnosis: The animal may be examined with a magnifying lens, or a piece of cellophane tape will be pressed on the affected area, and examined microscopically to visualize the lice.

Treatment: Ivermectin can be used as described above. Pyrethrin powder, spray, or shampoo (at concentrations not higher than 0.15%; in most cases, products safe for kittens are safe for mice and rats) can be applied to the affected animal and the bedding at intervals recommended on the product packaging. The cage should be thoroughly cleaned at the time of treatment, and regularly, thereafter.

Please don't feed your snake anything with lice. They are not healthy animals. It won't give your snake any diseases, but he's not getting proper nutrients. No, they are not protein. Penicillin also comes from mold, but feeding moldy food to an animal can be lethal.

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Originally Posted by stratus_020202

Please don't feed your snake anything with lice.

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A rat that is so infested with lice that it has become anemic will be very obvious.

In the wild, snakes eat what they can catch. Do I think it's dangerous to feed off a rat with lice? No, I don't. The snake can handle it.

Do I think it's good practice all the time? No, I don't. For one, all those poor miserable rats. Second, if you can provide a lice free rat, then do it!

I dont agree with the waste of life and food.

whats with ppl bringing back all these old threads?

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

A rat that is so infested with lice that it has become anemic will be very obvious.

In the wild, snakes eat what they can catch. Do I think it's dangerous to feed off a rat with lice? No, I don't. The snake can handle it.

Do I think it's good practice all the time? No, I don't. For one, all those poor miserable rats. Second, if you can provide a lice free rat, then do it!

I dont agree with the waste of life and food.

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i agree, you would be able to tell an anemic rat hands down. so its not really an issue of if its bad for the snakes health either way. its just not a good practice because you should be considering the hygiene of your feeders for your own sake and theirs.

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Originally Posted by JeffJ

i agree, you would be able to tell an anemic rat hands down. so its not really an issue of if its bad for the snakes health either way. its just not a good practice because you should be considering the hygiene of your feeders for your own sake and theirs.

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Yes, exactly. It's pretty common sense for me though, QT is a huge deal for my colony. I am so dependent on them, I cant even fathom at this point having an outbreak of anything. We would be out a LOT of money, time and energy.

I also wasn't assuming everyone has a colony, but rather buys a weekly rat or mouse from the local pet shop.

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

Yes, exactly. It's pretty common sense for me though, QT is a huge deal for my colony. I am so dependent on them, I cant even fathom at this point having an outbreak of anything. We would be out a LOT of money, time and energy.

I also wasn't assuming everyone has a colony, but rather buys a weekly rat or mouse from the local pet shop.

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well for the most part most do buy weekly. as i am right now. i have no need ot breed they would multiply faster then i can feed.

but if you got a nice place to go to that you get your feeders they usually let you choose any how. so you can look and see the general hygiene of the cage they are in and the rats/mice them selves.

I was told a little apple cider vinigar in the rats water would get rid of them,i would buy my rats from a cleaner breeder.