How do you feel when feeding mice, rats, etc.?

[Hulihzack]

I only feel bad about 2-3 week old rat pups. They're painfully adorable

[CoolioTiffany]

I only feel bad about 2-3 week old rat pups. They're painfully adorable

Well, that I can see that it is sad, since I had to feed those to my Dumeril's boa. I never really watched it happen, only a couple of times.

I guess having a snake is a trade-off. You feed off a little rat pup (loss) but with that you gain a healthy snake (benefit).

[Kesslers Kreatures]

It doesnt really bother me to feed my snakes. I mean it does suck when there happens to be a cute rat, Ill usually feed that one to my picky eaters so if it doesnt get eaten I can keep it a little longer or introduce it to my breeding colony if its a girl. Other than that I just think about it as a way of life.. Its all about the food chain. It's like asking me if I cry as I eat a cheeseburger...

[Lolo76]

Other than that I just think about it as a way of life.. Its all about the food chain. It's like asking me if I cry as I eat a cheeseburger...

LMAO... that's like the standard answer I give people, when they ask if I "feel bad" feeding my snakes rodents. I ask, do you feel bad eating meat or offering your cat/dog chicken? Just because it doesn't look like an animal, doesn't change the fact that it IS one.

P.S. I voted for the middle option, even though I don't really care... but that one pang of sympathy counts for something, I suppose.

[SlitherSister]

No sense of sadness, more like an afterthought that the passing was the least difficult as I can administer (CO2 or cervical dislocation for mice, CO2 only for rats)

[Twisted Reptiles]

It is what it is. Even my kids understand it. They each have a pet rat, but then they all have their favorite feeder rats too. And on feeding day, they each take out their favorite rat and put it in the feeding bucket. Uh huh, it pays to be favorite.

[T&C Exotics]

I am going to sound very cold hearted with my feelings when I feed my snakes. But first let me say that I do have 3 pet rats that are just pets nd will be nothing else ever. When I am feeding my snakes be live or fresh killed, I breed all my own rodents, I feel nothing at all. I guess over the years you become numb to it and just don't care anymore about the "food" you keep. I do not like it nor do I dislike it I just do not care about the rat/mouse/asf I kill and feed off. Just who I am.

[OhhWatALoser]

I've always said if i could feed my snake a big mac I would, but it doesn't work that way. but I don't feel bad, i breed my rodents for that one purpose so yea.

[lepidunce]

Feeding pickles is an "eh" moment for me. Its the food chain. I eat beef. I would happily keep a cow as a pet, (wouldn't eat it) and still eat beef. It's nature, and I don't feel bad. (I did until I heard about rat bites) Keep on breedin, little rodent kind. I salute your sacrifice.

[SnakeGirl3]

I feel bad if a rat is killed "just because." If it's dying because it's going to be snake food, then no, it doesn't bother me. I mean, I don't kill off a bunch of rats just for the thrill of it; if I kill off a bunch at once, it's because they are going in the freezer to be snake food at some point.

Bottom line: I don't like for anything to die in vain, but if it serves a purpose for the animal to die, I'm OK with it.