It seemed so wrong, but felt so right...

[qiksilver]

Amen!!!!!!!! I am in 100% agreement. Live rodents can and will harm snakes if they are unattended.

So then attend your animal and don't make excuses for yourself. I can't understand the thought process behind that.

[Chocolate Muffin's]

Maiming any animal in that way is pretty horrific. I'm not sure how you justified that considering your hang-ups on feeding f/t are (have to go with Bruce on this one) personal and selfish.

Your reasoning doesn't add up, and if it were me, I would refuse to maim a creature like that, feeder or not. When I have had to feed live, I have treated my feeders with the respect they deserve as another living creature, no matter their place on the food chain. Sure they're dead either way. But I will not allow them to suffer that way by MY hand. awful.

Mike, I think I addressed this earlier, but thank you for your thoughts. The rodents are food, and not living with any injuries that I would have inflicted upon them - if in fact, their suffocation had not already occurred. When you say “maimed” it makes me think of intentionally disfiguring the animal and leaving it to live and suffer….I didn’t do that Mike. It matters very little whether you or Bruce agrees with my reasons for switching, and I know you understand that. I do agree that all life should be respected and although I will continue to feed live, I make look to other ways to prevent these animals from causing harm to my snakes, bottom line.

[Chocolate Muffin's]

If you're going to harm the animal in the process don't feed live IMO.

There isn't a reason to crush the feet. I've never seen a snake injured from scratching, usually it's from biting. Instead of crushing the feet you could have simply held them with the tongs..

Rats and mice deserve just as much respect as your snake does. If they are not killing the animal properly and risking their life then you should only feed f/t if they eat it. That is your judgment and responsibility.

Yes, it is my judgement and my responsibility and I can live with how I executed them.

[Chocolate Muffin's]

So then attend your animal and don't make excuses for yourself. I can't understand the thought process behind that.

Done! I'm not sure what you don't understand.

[rabernet]

Sorry about that, but the welfare of my snakes came first. I din't realize how maternal I was about them until I felt like their safety was in jeopardy. I love them sooo much.

For what it's worth, I only feed f/t to my kingsnakes. All my ball pythons (50+) are fed live. In over 4000 live feedings, I've never intervened with the prey and my snakes - from hatchlings taking their first meal to adults. Claws on the rat aren't going to harm your snake. I've had probably 5 minor nicks from teeth in over 4000 feedings that you had to really look for.

Both of your kiddos probably would have been just fine without any intervention on your part, especially since you pre-scented and got them primed to feed.

I have no issues with you feeding live, since that's what I do. I just think you were especially nervous and probably participated more than was necessary.

[Bruceweb]

Yes, it is my judgement and my responsibility and I can live with how I executed them.

you didnt execute them..you tortured the animals while while they were allready under stress..

[flynn]

...if in fact, their suffocation had not already occurred. When you say “maimed” it makes me think of intentionally disfiguring the animal and leaving it to live and suffer

If the feeder was already suffucated, then why crush feet / faces? Doesnt make sense. They were in the process of being suffocated and were fighting back, so yes, you did in a sense mame them WHILE they were being constricted and alive lol.

Dont get me wrong, I have to feed live to one or two snakes who refuse to switch to f/t. What you feed doesnt matter to me. I just think its important you do not have the delusion that crushing feet / faces is the right thing to do. As people have mentioned throughout this thread, there are better ways.

Yes, it is my judgement and my responsibility and I can live with how I executed them.

Something about this sentance reminds me of the diner scene in pulp fiction

[stargazed85]

OP: I think you don't realize what kind of animal you are dealing with here. This is a snake. It is a killing machine. It is not a piece of porcelain.

The only serious rodent related injuries come from people leaving live feeders alone with a snake uninterested in eating. Supervising is one thing, crushing an animal while it is already being suffocated by your snake is another. The snake will do its job, don't mess with it.

I don't care if you feed live or f/t. I don't have a problem with either. I have a problem with irresponsibility. Keep an eye on your snake while feeding live. Don't leave a feeder alone with the snake for a long period of time and everything will be fine.

Please, no more mice crushing, that is just sad. Crushing an animals face is never going to make it "calm down".

x2

I agree with Kaorte, as long as you supervise the feedings there should be no need to die in a inhumane way.

Of course a mouse or rat defense mechanism will always kick in (they are being eaten). To just crush a living animals face and feet is inhumane IMO.

[SGExotics]

For what it's worth, I only feed f/t to my kingsnakes. All my ball pythons (50+) are fed live. In over 4000 live feedings, I've never intervened with the prey and my snakes - from hatchlings taking their first meal to adults. Claws on the rat aren't going to harm your snake. I've had probably 5 minor nicks from teeth in over 4000 feedings that you had to really look for.

Both of your kiddos probably would have been just fine without any intervention on your part, especially since you pre-scented and got them primed to feed.

I have no issues with you feeding live, since that's what I do. I just think you were especially nervous and probably participated more than was necessary.

Finally! A good helpful reply!

[Chocolate Muffin's]

If the feeder was already suffucated, then why crush feet / faces? Doesnt make sense. They were in the process of being suffocated and were fighting back, so yes, you did in a sense mame them WHILE they were being constricted and alive lol.

Dont get me wrong, I have to feed live to one or two snakes who refuse to switch to f/t. What you feed doesnt matter to me. I just think its important you do not have the delusion that crushing feet / faces is the right thing to do. As people have mentioned throughout this thread, there are better ways.




Something about this sentance reminds me of the diner scene in pulp fiction

There are clearly better ways, I know now, but the better part of me still feels a sense of relief that my snakes were unharmed. I share the opinion that these rodents should be treated with respect, but unfortunately the impassioned response by some members is not going to change my view that my animal’s safety are of paramount importance to me.

Apparently to some members, I am a cruel, violent, MS that maims and tortures the innocently befallen rodents that stray my path…..

Oh well, can't peoples mind about that.