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

[Eventide]

I don't like the biting and clawing from the feeder, either. What I do is watch, and if it looks like the mouse/rat is in a position to bite the snake, I put the tongs in the rodent's mouth (like someone mentioned with a pencil) or use the tongs to keep the rodent's feet away from the snake. That way, the rodent bites and/or scratches the tongs and not the snake.

And just FYI, the "lead" of a pencil wouldn't hurt a person, let alone a mouse. It's graphite (a form of carbon), not lead.

[Hotshot]

Sigh............... They do eat live rats in the wild I still dont understand why everyone thinks its not safe to feed live.. I get the point about the snake being bit but I have fed live since I started keeping snakes and never had a problem..

[jere000]

I don't like the biting and clawing from the feeder, either. What I do is watch, and if it looks like the mouse/rat is in a position to bite the snake, I put the tongs in the rodent's mouth (like someone mentioned with a pencil) or use the tongs to keep the rodent's feet away from the snake. That way, the rodent bites and/or scratches the tongs and not the snake.

And just FYI, the "lead" of a pencil wouldn't hurt a person, let alone a mouse. It's graphite (a form of carbon), not lead.

Most of the time i use the back of an tooth brush.

[harm286]

Sigh............... They do eat live rats in the wild I still dont understand why everyone thinks its not safe to feed live.. I get the point about the snake being bit but I have fed live since I started keeping snakes and never had a problem..

I 2nd "dat"...
You must trust the ball and its wild instincts. I've seen my ball slightly get bittin the boy just sqeezed harda almost pop'd "dat" suckers eyes out He came out unharmed not even a scar or puncture. Trust is "da" key word.

But glad you switched to hot 'n' fresh meals on the go

[Big Gunns]

Sigh............... They do eat live rats in the wild I still dont understand why everyone thinks its not safe to feed live.. I get the point about the snake being bit but I have fed live since I started keeping snakes and never had a problem..

That's not what Big Gunns heard. The last time he talked to someone in Africa he was told there was a frozen thawed rat/mouse vending machine at every termite mound.

[BPelizabeth]

That's not what Big Gunns heard. The last time he talked to someone in Africa he was told there was a frozen thawed rat/mouse vending machine at every termite mound.

Thank you BG for adding a little funny to this thread!!!

Again....you can condemm someone for their actions and they learn nothing....you can take this opportunity to teach someone and they walk away with more knowledge and respect.

Said it before and I will say it again...this is an amazing group of individuals....lets act like I know we can and teach instead of yelling at someone. If you don't like what he did....fine.....show him a better way. STarting off a convo by condeming him and he will shut him down and become defensive. Human nature

Ok...now I want everyone to put their tongs down...hold hands and sing Christmas Carols...

[mfkelly]

Someone posted about us all being on the same team ect., and they are right! So in that spirit I am sorry if I insulted you. But please rest assured that your animals can more than handle their food and dispatch it quite efficiently. If they are eating frozen keep feeding frozen, but be confident in the odd(like 2x's a year) live feeding that they will be fine. All my guys are on F/T, except for one, like I said and she will be switched eventually to F/T. I am not against live feeding but F/T is just easier. I also have 2 daughters who turned an uneaten rat into a pet because BP's being BP's, they decide to stop eating sometimes, and now you have to care for a new PET! I had it hidden in the basement until feeding time ( at the time I only had one BP), but my oldest tamed her down and made her a pet. Needless to say not happy!!!!! All I am saying is that crushing anything is really not necessary, though in retrospect I remember when I was new to snakes. I would go crazy about feeding and when they wouldn't eat I would freak out! Now I have a male hog nose snake that hasn't eaten in 52 days. Eventually he will eat and all will be fine. You will learn, we all did and do! Please no more crushing of anything!
Mike Kelly

[2kdime]

I've got a whole lot of emotions running through me right now.

I also don't like the thought of turning on the evening news and them having a story about a person who "smashes rodents faces and feet" to feed to their snakes. Just doesn't give us very good press.

Without adding more fuel to the fire or any more salt to the wound here.

I just please ask that you stick to the frozen thawed rodents.

[Jenn]

It seems to me that although snakes are born with an instinctive ability to hunt, they also "learn" to hunt with experience. And, just as all BP's are different, some are just naturally better hunters than others. I have swithched snakes from FT to live and noticed that they were pretty bad at hunting at first. Over time (and a few scratches) these snakes become very very good hunters!

[DemmBalls]

It's a matter of opinion - they are both the same to me. The end result is also the same, except I didn't deliver any blunt force trauma - more of a direct and sustained approach. I actually think the animal was already on its way to dying, but again, as I have said a thousand times, it was my first time and the process was new to me. I will be more humane next time, but my animals health and well-being will always come first.

Then you did this for entertainment??? If it was "already on its way to dying", then what need was there to intervene?

I can guarantee there is not one person on here that does not want there snake to be safe. All of our snakes well being comes first...that's why we're here. You just seem to discredit/disregard any andvice people try to give you.