What if you where at a restaurant and the chef didn't want to waste a salmon fillet so he cooked it up and gave it to you knowing it had parasitic worms in it that could make you sick. I know you wouldn't want to eat a steak with bugs on it. So why would you feed something to your python that if it was human food you wouldn't want to eat yourself
~*Luna*~ The crazy Sagittarius/Snake BP Lady
Cal and Ki's Proud Mommy.
~~* Goddess Bless*~~
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Steve Irwin (2/22/62 - 9/4/06)
Sagittarius- Shockingly blunt since the beginning of time!
As far as sick feeders with an unknown illness, I would not use them. What you are referring to as lice are probably mites. Here's the thing about mites... they are evolved specifically to attach to one type of creature. Mites that have evolved to grip the hair of a rat or mouse cannot survive on a dog or cat or human or reptile. They can't hold on.
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As far as feeding a lice ridden rodent to your snake, it would not do any harm to the snake. Most parasites and diseases are pretty species specific and likely wouldn't infect your snake . However the question I would ask is why are you buying your feeders from someplace that takes such poor care of their animals? If they can't take the time to keep their feeders clean and parasite free, how many other corners are they cutting to produce such an inferior feeder animal? I'd find another source of feeders if I were you.
I wouldnt feed any feeder that has any type of parasite... A feeder is very cheap compared to a vet bill... Why risk it? So what if "it doesnt transfer to reptiles" Im no expert and i dont suspect many of the people around here can properly identify a parasite on a mouse and tell you this wont affect the snake... Why risk it? Parasite's are a no no in my house and I buy good feeders, and Ive had healthy snakes...