Live prey vs......

[SoCaliSon]

I always fed live with no problems...but when I rescued a BP that was near death and partially blind from very badly capped eyes, I wanted her to eat live still so I started smacking the rats on the ground pretty hard while they are still in the paper bag. When I dump them in her feeding tank they are still moving and live... but are severely stunned... To avoid feeling like a jerk I tell myself it is more humane this way because there is no way they will bite my snake.. and the live rat doesn't see what is coming... You don't have to watch the rat realize it is going to become lunch. Now I do this every time even though she is fully recovered. The first time I fed my red tail... I tried to do the same thing but the large rat didn't wasn't even phased by two heavy thumps on the hardwood floor... and when it got in the the feeding tank it was like every other live feeding I had seen until the strike ... The rat fought back screached and as soon as it was wrapped up I got close to look... And my heart almost stopped when I saw the rats with it's mouth open around my snake... I was so upset... Until he started to move to injest and I saw that the rats teeth sitting on the surface of his scales and no puncture... THANK GOD for the two smacks on the hardwood... Knocked the rats teeth loose so that when It tried to take a mouthful of Ziggy ... It's teeth just came out... That large rat would have done some serious damage. Snakes do get bit by live feeding... even happens in the wild... I have even heard of internal bites and wounds that get infected and turn fatal... Those are almost impossible to treat. I love my snakes to much to take the risk of putting a fully aware rat in there... even though the risk is small... It is there and can be avoided if you knock the wits out of the rat first.

[jwenker1]

I feed f/t and if you can get your snake to eat f/t i think you will have a much easier time getting food, storing food, and feeding. I dont see too many cons to feeding f/t, unless you really like to see your snake kill its prey, which I admit is pretty exciting. I find it easy to buy in bulk (rodentpro.com), reasonalby cheap, and dont put my snake in a position to get bit or hurt in any way.

[SoCaliSon]

I feed f/t and if you can get your snake to eat f/t i think you will have a much easier time getting food, storing food, and feeding. I dont see too many cons to feeding f/t, unless you really like to see your snake kill its prey, which I admit is pretty exciting. I find it easy to buy in bulk (rodentpro.com), reasonalby cheap, and dont put my snake in a position to get bit or hurt in any way.

Not knocking your statement... makes a lot of sense and sounds like it's working great... While their are no major cons about feeding F/T...It has been proven that feeding live IS more nutritious if you consider the oxygenation of the blood, and the rest of the fluids in the body that are fresh and more beneficial for the snake. Not to mention that the act of the hunt is not only fun to watch... But also allows the snake to exercise a more natural behavior... Which I believe is also good for them. I have never heard of a snake being a scavenger in the wild... They are perdetory animals by instict and feeding pre killed I feel it does not allow them to exercise there natural born instict. Just my friendly oppinion.

[Freakie_frog]

F/T works for many people, P/K works for many people, feeding live works for many people. the main thing is to figure out what works best for you and your collection. When I only had 2 snakes I fed P/k no big deal. Now that I have "a Few" more I raise my own feeders and feed live. the main reason for this is the waste that I would see feeding only F/T if 5 or 6 of my animals don't eat one week then I have to deal with that many thawed refused rats most of the time I would just have to throw them away. Now if every week 4-5 differend animals refuse at 1.00 rat plus shipping I am just throwing 240.00 a year down the tubes. With raiseing my own rats if the snake doesn't eat the rat get put back and on till next week no waste. If some get to big to feed to my balls I just sale them to a local feeder store and keep rocking.

This will not work for everyone the main thing is to find what works for you and go with it

[Warm-blooded]

I feed f/t...as far as doing the zombie dance and stuff, is this necessary? I just thaw it out prescenting the room, and drop it in, and it my bp takes it down, no problem, and my roomate does the same w/his.
I ask because I honestly do not know, maybe I just don't have a picky snake.

[Graykat97]

I feed live. There are three reasons I do. 1. That's what my snakes were being fed when I got them. 2. I asked at the local pet shop for frozen and the owner nearly fell over laughing (apparently everyone around here feeds live or drives for 1/2 hour to get frozen). 3. I can't bring myself to stun 'em.