I'm with you Sarah. The rats are my pets, the snakes are my hubby's and sons. It's kinda morbid thinking of my pets' kids getting fed to the snakes, so I rarely "attend" feeding sessions.

Except that now we have a non-feeding baby, so I have to help the hubby with the assist feeding.

I had one of the rat kids break his neck on the wheel when he loped halfway on the wheel and his brothers decided to start running. He didn't get a chance to get out of the way... That was hard for me. Which is psychotic since he had about 2 months and he would be snake food. My rats get a good life before they become gladiators (how I look at it). That rat had a burial.

The reason I feed live is for the benefit of the rat, not necessarily the snake. If the snake refuses his meal, then my rat gets to live another fun-filled week - a win on the Gladiator arena!

I would be heart-broken if I had to do what you did. I don't think I would have been able to do it. You are one brave girl.