Feeding Live VS Frozen

[Valyrian]

That's a new one


I've heard

-I feed live because if not the snake looses the killer instinct and will *gasp* eat without constricting (the horror)

and all kinds of other crazy stuff

That actually touches on something I've been thinking about - drop feeding vs strike feeding.

My burm is about 3-4 feet long so strike feeding has never posed a safety concern.

But I can see drop feeding as a benefit when you're dealing with a 15 foot adult.

Do you think there is a necessary benefit to strike feeding as far as exercise goes or not?

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[zina10]

I personally do not.

With a species such a Ball Python at times you have to do the "drop and leave the room for the rest of the night" feeding and hope it works

Then again, strike feeding with a really big or aggressive snake can be quite ...exciting? LOL

I think whatever works. I wouldn't really count striking as exercise. Nor do I worry if they eat without constricting (like some will do). I'm just happy they eat

Most of mine strike and constrict, but the odd one wants the food left by the hide at times.

[Valyrian]

I personally do not.

With a species such a Ball Python at times you have to do the "drop and leave the room for the rest of the night" feeding and hope it works

Then again, strike feeding with a really big or aggressive snake can be quite ...exciting? LOL

I think whatever works. I wouldn't really count striking as exercise. Nor do I worry if they eat without constricting (like some will do). I'm just happy they eat

Most of mine strike and constrict, but the odd one wants the food left by the hide at times.

Not so much the striking. My thinking is that striking and then constricting expends a lot of energy. Particularly the constriction part compared to their mainly sedentary lifestyle.

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[zina10]

I suppose it does make them use their muscles.

However, some snakes are such shy eaters, they will not strike nor eat while being watched. I rather leave a dead rodent in the enclosure to walk away and have them eat without constricting, then leave a live one and walk away.

The "drop" method usually still elicits a strike and constriction. The only time I've seen them eat without constricting were the instances of very shy Ball Pythons.

[dakski]

My two cents regarding the snake striking or not, and I chimed in earlier on the entire subject (and Zina10's hair), is that there is no need to make a snake strike. Some snakes will inevitably do it, and others could care less, and just want food.

My corn, Figment, will happily nail a mouse, but if I am able to get it on the ground before he strikes (not always the case), he will just grab it and eat it. Shayna, my BP, is so shy, she almost never strikes, and will almost beg me to put it down so she can pull it into her house and eat quietly. I think trying to illicit a strike with her scares her more than it benefits her in any way.

Behira, my juvenile BCI (715G and about 3 1/2 feet+), will happily nail the tank doors waiting for a rat. Needless to say, she cannot contain her excitement and striking is often in the cards. If I can get the rat down before she strikes (again, not often), she will happily half/strike and or just eat it.

I am not looking forward to feeding her when she is 7-8FT and 12-20 pounds. I will happily throw the rat in and let her deal with it, unless she just wants to strike the front of the tank when she smells it. Then having her strike at the prey is the lesser of the evils, even if it scares the crap out of me .

Good thing she (Behira) is such a sweetheart when she isn't thinking of, expecting, or attacking a F/T rat.

Again, if a snake will happily eat without striking, go for it! No need to have them expend the energy or risk a missed strike and having them hit their head/mouth on something else.

[Alter-Echo]

I always feed my snakes frozen thawed, I have no issue with feeding live but find frozen to be far more convenient and less risky for the snake. The way I see it is that 99.9% of the time, the snake will take down it's prey without so much as a scratch, it's what they were born to do. But then there is that .1% of the time where the snake gets a poor hold and the prey has a chance to fight back. I've seen wild milk snakes with horrific scars and can easily imaging that sometimes, just sometimes, the rat wins.

As far as strike feeding goes, most of my snakes will bite and wrap if the prey is presented on tongs, and I encourage them to do so as I feel it helps build better muscle tone and strength. If they are shy and won't take it I simply leave it in so they can eat it later.