This is why you should NEVER feed live

[jfreels]

I can agree with the intentions of the OP. Some people and a lot of care sheets tell new snake owners to never feed live. Hearing it enough, you can feel that "it's just the way it's suppose to be."

For example, I frequent another forum where if you mention that you feed live, you get the exact opposite reaction. All their care sheets say never feed live, it doesn't have any benefit to the snake. That having been the first forum I frequented, I started believing that. After joining here, I have realized that there can be a vast difference in a feeding preference for a ball and something else like a corn snake.

Personally, I hope to never have to feed live. All my snakes are fed f/t for my convenience and it has seemed to work out well for them. Aspiring to become a breeder, I don't think I'll be able to keep up this practice.

I will stick to my guns though when people argue that it's more natural to feed live in captivity. I cannot agree with that statement, sorry. I have no problems with people feeding live though, I don't feel I do any better by feeding f/t. I'll also say that feeding f/t doesn't necessarily change their feeding response either.

[snakesRkewl]

Great picture...

I would use it for a thread/blog titled:

"This is why snakes are better pets than rodents!"

I love my ratties and have been bitten by snakes way more times than by rats, mostly baby snakes but a few big girls have tagged me too.
I love my snakes and my rats, they are just completely different kinds of "pets"

[TimmyG]

^ Awsome idea, I have one pick of a snake bite where theres hardly one drop of blood

[WingedWolfPsion]

It could have...if the bite had happened on the eye or something. Keep in mind that human skin is very fragile compared to that of most animals, including scaled snakes. Their scales protect them from a LOT...way more than our own skin does.

However, it might as well be butter when it comes to rodent teeth. A bite from a rat will cause just as much damage to a snake's skin as it will to ours. Their skin also tends to be much thinner than ours, and it doesn't have much of a subcutaneous fat layer, meaning a great chance for muscle, nerve or even bone damage. Keep in mind that rats can chew through concrete, and their teeth are sharpened like little daggers. They will sink just as deeply into a snake as they will into you--and they won't even notice the scales.

Scales are good against scratches and abrasions, but they don't do much against punctures--they're too thin.

What snakes do have going for them is an impressive immune system, and a high tolerance for that type of damage. The Python Hunter folks picked up a Burm in the Everglades after the cold snap that had had its skin and back muscles stripped off and damaged by black vultures. Put into a cage with warmth and water, the snake HEALED, and lived.
But not every snake will be that lucky, every time. These are pets--there is no sense in taking unecessary risks with them. It's up to us to determine which risks are necessary.

[Freakie_frog]

The main thing is to find what works for you and your snakes. Some cities have laws against feeding live animals to one another and so it might not be legal for you to feed live. Then again your snake might not eat F/T to save its life so feeding F/T might not be an option, it might a moral thing or an emotional thing. When making the decision to do or not do something ask yourself theses questions

1: am I providing to the best of my ability for my snake
2: am I making this decision because of my animals needs or my own reasons
3: how far am I willing to go to provide for my animals (i.e feeding live even if you don't "like " too)
4: am I trying to force my snake to change it's behavior to suit me and if so am I willing to change to suit my snakes needs..

What works for you might not work for me and my snakes..

[boogerbob]

I feed live, but supervise what goes on. I feed my bp full size mice and usually the mouse will take one sniff toward his direction and try to run. That's when he's taken from behind.

[anatess]

The main thing is to find what works for you and your snakes. Some cities have laws against feeding live animals to one another and so it might not be legal for you to feed live. Then again your snake might not eat F/T to save its life so feeding F/T might not be an option, it might a moral thing or an emotional thing. When making the decision to do or not do something ask yourself theses questions

1: am I providing to the best of my ability for my snake
2: am I making this decision because of my animals needs or my own reasons
3: how far am I willing to go to provide for my animals (i.e feeding live even if you don't "like " too)
4: am I trying to force my snake to change it's behavior to suit me and if so am I willing to change to suit my snakes needs..

What works for you might not work for me and my snakes..

I might be wrong, but I think it is illegal in most of England.

[jnite]

I have to say, my kids have been bit by the rats/hamsters plenty of times but only got bit by the snake once (it was their fault too - they put the snake on the couch and then jumped on the couch like it was a trampoline - snake, of course, thought it was the end of the world and went wham!).

Sorry to derail the thread, but that is hilarious.....: I used to do that with my cat when I was young, fortunately for me my cat was alot more forgiving than your snake!!!!


As for feeding it is what you feel comfortable with, and remember when a snake is constricting it's muscles are soo tight that it would have to be a pretty nasty rodent to get through their scales.