Insane dream idea: would it be possible?

[Homebody]

You probably know that for some years now there have been "sausages" made for snakes, consisting of various blended prey items, to replace whole prey. Some snakes will accept them, many won't, or may accept them only after being scented with what they're used to eating. Snakes have a great sense of smell & they're hard to fool.

Now just recently in the news I saw an article that artificial "meat" for humans (with no animals used whatsoever) is now being made experimentally in a laboratory for human consumption- it's not on the market yet. But considering how much water, air, & land use this would save, not to mention that animals would no longer be slaughtered for food, it's probably a coming "thing" in our world.

So sure, why not? In the not too distant future, maybe we won't be using real rodents (etc) any more, except for scenting the "snausages"? (& rodents can stay alive for that).

While not grown in a lab, the success of Reptilinks shows snakes will eat processed food. So, as long as you got the taste and nutrients right, I pretty sure you could stuff those sausage casings with lab meat and a snake would eat it.

[Malum Argenteum]

Having tried a batch of Reptilinks on a handful of snake species (none of which were BPs, but all of which are less fussy feeders than the average BP), I'd say something like the lab-grown Snakefurky being suggested would have to be pretty sophisticated. I got almost zero acceptance of the links, and a couple snakes that took one once wouldn't repeat the trick.

There are lots of plant based meat products for humans that are quite tasty, and do a pretty decent job of looking and tasting like processed meat. I'm a happy carnivore but eat this sort of thing from time to time because it tastes good; I really like Boca burgers, but there are more realistic products out there. I suspect that once this sort of thing gets more mainstream for humans out of necessity, it will trickle into pet food more and more (I'm assuming there is already plant-based dog and cat food).

Now just recently in the news I saw an article that artificial "meat" for humans (with no animals used whatsoever) is now being made experimentally in a laboratory for human consumption- it's not on the market yet. But considering how much water, air, & land use this would save, not to mention that animals would no longer be slaughtered for food, it's probably a coming "thing" in our world.

There are complicated issues behind lab grown meat (most apply to the plant-based meat I just mentioned, too), and not the common ones that stem from irrational 'yuck' concerns. Some of them are environmental -- for one, the raw organic materials will have to be farmed in the first place, and the heavily industrialized practices that this will certainly entail are just those practices that are causing the most pressing environmental issues currently. Also, pushing the problem of human overpopulation down the road with more efficient food production will lead to Malthusian catastrophe (perhaps that's already begun) when the technological solutions run out (the jury is quite out on the overall benefit of the Green Revolution, and lab grown meat may ramp that up even more). The common selling point that such technologies save water, air and land depend on a very short term view of the benefits (about the length of one generation of investors and voters, by my estimate). There are also ignored social costs of shifting both food culture and farming practices more quickly than social structures can adapt.

[Homebody]

There are lots of plant based meat products for humans that are quite tasty, and do a pretty decent job of looking and tasting like processed meat. I'm a happy carnivore but eat this sort of thing from time to time because it tastes good; I really like Boca burgers, but there are more realistic products out there. I suspect that once this sort of thing gets more mainstream for humans out of necessity, it will trickle into pet food more and more (I'm assuming there is already plant-based dog and cat food).

There are complicated issues behind lab grown meat (most apply to the plant-based meat I just mentioned, too), and not the common ones that stem from irrational 'yuck' concerns. Some of them are environmental -- for one, the raw organic materials will have to be farmed in the first place, and the heavily industrialized practices that this will certainly entail are just those practices that are causing the most pressing environmental issues currently. Also, pushing the problem of human overpopulation down the road with more efficient food production will lead to Malthusian catastrophe (perhaps that's already begun) when the technological solutions run out (the jury is quite out on the overall benefit of the Green Revolution, and lab grown meat may ramp that up even more). The common selling point that such technologies save water, air and land depend on a very short term view of the benefits (about the length of one generation of investors and voters, by my estimate). There are also ignored social costs of shifting both food culture and farming practices more quickly than social structures can adapt.

To your first point, I would imagine that it would still have to be meat. You couldn't feed a pure carnivore a plant based diet. Right?

To your second point, the OP asked if it was realistically possible. Not whether it was a good idea. You raise very interesting issues on that score. Issues, we as a society will likely have to address in the not to distant future.

[Armiyana]

To your first point, I would imagine that it would still have to be meat. You couldn't feed a pure carnivore a plant based diet. Right?

To your second point, the OP asked if it was realistically possible. Not whether it was a good idea. You raise very interesting issues on that score. Issues, we as a society will likely have to address in the not to distant future.

Pretty much.
Omnivores, maybe with the correct supplements and veterinary oversight. Heck I had a dog I had to put on soy because animal protien was too much for her kidneys. I had also seen a dog moved to a vegan diet because he was allergic to any meat they could test him for.

Pure carnivores would be a mess unless we can actually mass produce meat in a lab from the cells of existing meat. Or come up with a synthetic so close in composition that it can trick the body into beleiving it. And it would take a lot of testing which could also be controversial.

[BlueOrleans1290]

Moving bananas.





They solve everything.

[Bogertophis]

Having tried a batch of Reptilinks on a handful of snake species (none of which were BPs, but all of which are less fussy feeders than the average BP), I'd say something like the lab-grown Snakefurky being suggested would have to be pretty sophisticated. I got almost zero acceptance of the links, and a couple snakes that took one once wouldn't repeat the trick.

There are lots of plant based meat products for humans that are quite tasty, and do a pretty decent job of looking and tasting like processed meat. I'm a happy carnivore but eat this sort of thing from time to time because it tastes good; I really like Boca burgers, but there are more realistic products out there. I suspect that once this sort of thing gets more mainstream for humans out of necessity, it will trickle into pet food more and more (I'm assuming there is already plant-based dog and cat food).



There are complicated issues behind lab grown meat (most apply to the plant-based meat I just mentioned, too), and not the common ones that stem from irrational 'yuck' concerns. Some of them are environmental -- for one, the raw organic materials will have to be farmed in the first place, and the heavily industrialized practices that this will certainly entail are just those practices that are causing the most pressing environmental issues currently. Also, pushing the problem of human overpopulation down the road with more efficient food production will lead to Malthusian catastrophe (perhaps that's already begun) when the technological solutions run out (the jury is quite out on the overall benefit of the Green Revolution, and lab grown meat may ramp that up even more). The common selling point that such technologies save water, air and land depend on a very short term view of the benefits (about the length of one generation of investors and voters, by my estimate). There are also ignored social costs of shifting both food culture and farming practices more quickly than social structures can adapt.

I've never tried offering Reptilinks to any of my snakes- I think the king & milk snakes I used to keep might have accepted them, but in the wild they'll eat roadkill, so that's not saying too much. Very few of my snakes might accept them, & I have no plans to try them at this time. I'd expect similar results to what you got.

On a side note, I've been happily consuming Boca Burgers for a long time- I also greatly prefer Morningstar Farms "bacon" to the real thing- likewise for many years. I'm not vegan at all, I just prefer certain products, both for taste & ease of preparation. Cooking real bacon is such a mess! & I actually prefer the taste of M.F. "bacon" also. So as you said, I think better substitutes will emerge for pets too.

And I agree, it's a very complicated situation- that's putting it mildly. I'm still glad to see the world of science working on it, but it's not sure thing at all. I've noticed that every new "solution" tends to bring up a new downside also.

[Homebody]

I think the king & milk snakes I used to keep might have accepted them, but in the wild they'll eat roadkill, so that's not saying too much.

Snake Discovery posted a recent video where they had to save a king snake that got stuck trying to eat a dead mouse stuck in a glue trap. As they were trying to pry the snake loose, it was still trying to eat the mouse! King snakes' food drive is legendary.

[Bogertophis]

Snake Discovery posted a recent video where they had to save a king snake that got stuck trying to eat a dead mouse stuck in a glue trap. As they were trying to pry the snake loose, it was still trying to eat the mouse! King snakes' food drive is legendary.

I'm pretty sure that Indigo snakes would eat Reptilinks also- they're like giant king snakes.

[YungRasputin]

i am confused about this reptilinks thing - i was told that you couldn’t feed snakes things like chunks of meat and chicken legs and things like this 🤔 isn’t the reptilinks the same thing?

[Homebody]

i am confused about this reptilinks thing - i was told that you couldn’t feed snakes things like chunks of meat and chicken legs and things like this �� isn’t the reptilinks the same thing?

Not exactly. Reptilinks are whole prey. The sausages contain organs, bones, hair, feathers in addition to the muscle. Basically, everything the snake would be eating if it ate the prey whole. Putting it in a sausage form allows them to include a variety of prey in a practical form.