Is live feeding really that bad?

[Nixon]

I understand that mice, rats, rabbits, prey will fight back if an animal is after it. I would too if someone tried to strangle me. But I see all these articles and info that you shouldn't feed your snake live prey, or it's preferred that you don't feed them live. And their excuses seem awfully extreme. "The prey may eventually turn on the snake and kill it." I can see larger prey like rabbits maybe kicking or clawing a bit but if anything they're terrified. The prey should only be as big as the largest part of the snakes body and I'm sure any good person taking care of a snake would remove the mouse, rat, rabbit, etc, if ti was causing problems. I can see that some claws can leave some scars but snakes in the wild still live a decent lifespan and I'm sure they get scuffed but. Maybe not by their prey, simply because prey isn't usually in a confined space with the predator but other hazards can happen and they live through it. I'm expecting if a snake gets clawed or bit by it's food, it's nothing a little dilated antibiotic cleanser can't handle. And how often does prey really attack their predator? Especially with smaller snakes like a young ball python or cornsnake - I don't think mice and rats want to go after them that much.

But I tried my first live feeding today with a small albino mouse meant for being fed to animals like snakes. My snake is a bit stupid when it comes to actual hunting but she struck it and bite it on the head and then constricted it. I can tell the mouse was wriggling but she had it tight. The only thing the mouse wanted to bite was me when I picked it up by the tail.

I'm hoping not to make this a habit, it's just the frozen mice I've been having issues with because first, my snake seems into the frozen prey but something is turning her off. It's really a hassle to keep the mouse warm when your snake is taking its sweet time. I know that she's hungry but from yesterday when I tried to feed her she struck at the mouse but missed. It scared me so I dropped it and I think it landed on her head and spooked her so I believe that's what got her to not want it anymore. I hear that snakes sometimes like scared of the prey. But I knew she was hungry, she was peeking out of her hiding spots, exploring her terrarium when she usually hides and yeah, she was hungry. It took her about ten minutes to lay on the first strike that missed but I think it's probably the weird smell of the frozen mouse, the temperature, the fact that my hand is there, all of that.

But there was a local pet store who sold mice that can be fed to pets, no chemicals or weird medicines. And we took a small one and eventually after twenty minutes of my snake being stupid she finally got it. She gets way too close to her prey to strike because she's only been fed frozen. And when she gets too close the mouse runs.

But yeah, if you don't want to read all that: Is live feeding really that bad?

[Megg]

No, it's really not that bad as long as you're responsible about it and don't leave prey items in the tub/tank. I think you'll find there's quite a few live feeders on here. I feed F/T, but only for the convenience of keeping my snakes food in the freezer.

I think the idea freaks people out and it's turned into a big thing, but there's nothing wrong with a responsible keeper feeding their animals live prey.

[kriwu]

As long as you don't leave the live prey with your animal unattended there's not much of a danger in it. Personally I just can't get comfortable with the idea that I caused an animal to suffer at all, even if it's a relatively quick death. Just my

[BCS]

I have been feeding live for a long time and only once has my snake been bitten by a live ASF rat It drew a tiny bit of blood but it healed immediately and there is no scar. If I didn't tell you, you would have no clue. The bite was my fault really. The snake I fed live to has been on F/T for a year. I ran out of frozen and only had live available. It was the only time she was offered live prey. She hasn't had live since though, but it is not because I am afraid, it is because I prefer frozen (they smell less and leave less of a mess (poop and pee in the enclosure)).

Is isn't bottom line dangerous, it is riskier if you do not know what you are doing. Making sure the prey is well fed before being fed off, and checking 10 minutes after the prey was offered. If things are fine but the prey is still alive, check again in another 10 minutes. If the prey is still alive, remove it. By that time its obvious that the snake is not hungry. If you have a glass enclosure, watching the whole process wouldn't do any harm either.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Over the last few years I have roughly fed 25000 live preys to my adults and old backs (not counting any animal that I have hatched and sold) and I never experienced issues, this is not luck many other are doing the same with identical results.

Sure here and there for the past decade (since forums have gained popularity) you will see an horrible picture pop up however this type of picture does not reflect live feeding but IRRESPONSIBILITY. (Someone might even post one this very thread to try to make a point )

Remember the majority of what you hear regarding live feeding is based on hearsay and rarely actual experience.

Live feeding is about being knowledgeable and being responsible.

Here are a few important things

If you buy your feeders, feed them and give them water prior to feeding (allow 2 to 4 hours before feeding them off)

Leave the rodents nearby your snake enclosure, scenting will entice the snake to eat.

Do not feed an oversize prey even the biggest BP does not need anything bigger than a small/medium rat. Adult male will do well with a small rat.

Do not stress the prey, do not taser or knock out the the prey.

Feed your snake inside it's enclosure, monitor feeding and remove the prey if not eaten within 15 min


*Note: I am not pro live I feed F/T to my Colubrids and I keep a handful of BP on F/T as well for when I produce too many rats.

Wrote that recently in another thread.

Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk

[Aercadia]

[distaff]

"Really that bad for whom?," I think is the question.

You can find some horrible photos out there of snakes who became the prey for a hungry mouse. If you never leave a snake alone with live prey, that won't won't happen to your snake.

Death by constriction is fast. Based on videos of both, It looks faster than the CO2 method. Nevertheless, one of my hatchlings took its pinky last week without first constricting it. The poor mouse just went down live and crying. I felt sad for it.

People in the modern world have become ignorant of the Facts of Life.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Beating a dead hore that the search bad can really revive.

[200xth]

My snake is a bit stupid when it comes to actual hunting

No she's not.

Your snake is the product of 70 million years of evolution with two of it's primary functions being breeding and eating small rodents/birds. Your snake knows perfectly well what she's doing when it comes to finding, killing, and eating food.

[Reinz]

It seemed to me that a few years ago folks were very intolerant of the live feeders. If a "frozen" found out that you fed live you were really ganged up on harshly by more "frozens".

Then when more "live" came out and defended and educated, the "frozens" backed off.

Now there is a civil mutual understanding.

Having experienced both, I understand both sides and accept both as viable feeding options, if done correctly.




Two year old Coastal Carpet, Mack The Knife.