Attention Live feeders

[LLLReptile]

Since I have such easy access to live feeders, at home I feed entirely live to all of my snakes.

I never leave the rats in for more than 15 minutes, unless the snake appears to be hunting it (some of them are just plain slow sometimes), and honestly even if they do nick the skin a bit...it's never much of a significant wound. If a bite takes place, I mentally note where it is when it's happening, if it's bad enough I block the teeth with tweezers, and then go back and check on the snake once they've finished eating. I have never been able to find a significant enough wound afterwards to warrant any special treatment.

However, again because I pick up the rats from the store, they're all well fed and watered here, not really stressed enough to bother my snakes. I also "gutload" mine; or rather, just offer them cricket gutload food for the hour between when I take them home and actually feed them off. They don't always eat it, but at least the option is there. The less stressed a rat is, the less likely it is to bother your snake, until the actual moment it gets constricted...and then who can blame them for fighting back?

Feeding live just requires some caution, some watchfulness, and non-stressed rodent prey items. When you follow some basic precautions, it's an acceptable feeding practice.

-Jen