WTH!must see! - VERY graphic picture warning

[rabernet]

I hate the "the sky is falling" reaction that this photo always generates. I also hate that people use it as propoganda not to feed live, and that it's an example of "here's what can happen to your snake if you feed live!!!!!!! ZOMG!!!!"

That's why Jerhart said "worst thread ever".

I feed live. Always have. I've fed over 15K live prey off. I've NEVER, EVER had anything more significant than a mild scratch. Do I supervise each and every feeding. Nope - not at all. I have 50 ball pythons to feed. I'm opening drawers, dropping in the rat and moving on to the next drawer.

Feeding day goes a little like this - open drawer, drop in rat, THWUMP! open drawer, drop in rat, THWUMP.

After all the snakes are fed, I go back through all the drawers to make sure that each snake has its rat wrapped or is already eating. If they haven't taken their prey yet, it's usually in a back corner grooming itself. I give each snake 30 minutes if they don't take their prey right away, and come back after 30 minutes and remove the rodent. I've NEVER EVER had a live rodent just randomly walk up to a snake and bite it in 30 minute's time, not even in an hour's time.

So, let's take my figure of 15K live feedings. Let's just pretend I've had 5 significant injuries (remember, I've had nothing more significant than a mild scratch) during those 15K feedings. That would work out to .00033% of my feedings resulting in serious injury.

Who here is going to argue that is a significant risk of injury from feeding live?

If so many ball pythons were getting mauled from live feeding similarly to the animal represented in that picture, why aren't there more pictures like that out there substantiating the claim that feeding live will result in injuries like that? Think about that. How many pictures have you seen besides that one, with that much damage, claiming that it resulted from live feeding?

That injury happened from NEGLIGENCE. NOT from feeding live prey. NEGLIGENCE.

Man - I'm really running out of pennies these days. I just have very little patience for the anti-live camp always using this photo to try to convince people that feeding live is so dangerous, when my own experience, and the experience of thousands of other keepers doesn't substantiate that proclaimed danger.

[psychophobia]

errrrr.i dont see anyone said dont feed live mouse,what i see is monitor you snake when u give live mouse.like what u do,u too monitor u snake right,that what the picture try to say.

[Skittles1101]

errrrr.i dont see anyone said dont feed live mouse,what i see is monitor you snake when u give live mouse.like what u do,u too monitor u snake right,that what the picture try to say.

Yes there were people bashing live eaters, but I think she meant for the future posts, since I'm sure she's seen it 100 times before, it goes downhill very quickly.

[rabernet]

errrrr.i dont see anyone said dont feed live mouse,what i see is monitor you snake when u give live mouse.like what u do,u too monitor u snake right,that what the picture try to say.

Mmmm, no - the picture doesn't say monitor your snake when you give live prey, since it has ZERO to do with feeding live.

It DOES says - don't be an idiot and leave your live prey in with your snake for days on end with no food or water source, other than the snake itself.

[jason79]

I agree the only time this happens is if the prey gets hungry or thirsty there is nothing else for it to eat in the snakes enclosure except the snake. I have fed live to every snake I have ever owned in the past 20+ years and never had any serious injury. If you buy your feeders at the pet store it would be a good Idea to feed them something before putting them in the cage as you don't know how long its been since it had food. I raise all my own feeders so I know they are well fed before going in. I have even left live small rats in with some of my snakes over night but if I do I put a big piece of tortilla or bread in there for it to eat and I make sure there is water and I have never had an issue but there is a risk any time you leave them in for long periods.

[bullies&balls]

Look at how skinny the neck area is on that snake. No way that was an adult rat attack. If I were a betting man I'd say adult mouse. They are much more likely to bite.

I have snakes that eat FT and others that only take live. Yes, it's very important to monitor the animals when offering live, but usually the extreme examples liike the animal pictured in OP is from either a sick (again the very thin neck, dropped sides and visable spin line) or a animal in the sheding process. This also took a LONG TIME and as was been stated, NEVER LEAVE the prey animal in OVERNIGHT

[Homegrownscales]

Wow that is gnarly! Thats seriously rediculous that the person didn't see the prey chewing the crap out of their snake! What a jackass. I'd like to use stronger terms but I'll keep it nice. Even though they don't deserve it. I agree that feeding live is totally harmless unless you are that owner. You'll get a scratch or even a bite here or there. But that's really nothing. I have 41 balls and everyone gets live. I do the same drop, shut tub, drop. Except at my house its like thud, rat scream, shut tub. With even a novice pet owner. If the snake doesn't eat it take it out. Takes two min. That takes a long time of chewing. That's just awful. Seriously.

[Robyn@SYR]

That is a pic linked to our Pro Exotics FAQ on feeding live prey items.

Not our pic, I also found it on teh Internets of Webs many years ago. I think it was probably a live mouse that did the damage, over a few days time.

I am not a fan of feeding live, I would rather see keepers feed thawed, but that is a different discussion.

But I think that this pic IS relevant to feeding live. There is negligence and ignorance at the source of the pic, for sure, but most likely what has happened is the keeper put in a live mouse. When they went back to check it, the mouse was "gone" and "eaten". But in actuality, the mouse was hiding in the hide spot, behind/under the water bowl, sometimes even under the snake...

The keeper thinks all is good, and safe, until they look in again 2 days later, and find shock and horror. This pic breaks my heart every time.

But it DOES happen. We have had it happen here at PE, a couple of times. Never anything like this, but a half inch of skin chewed off? Sure. That happens. You are going through 400 babies or juvies, and feeding live to the stubborn feeders. You try and be thorough and pull all the live, of course, but that one hiding mouse...

Sometimes he just poops all over the cage and spills the water bowl. And sometimes...

I remember two snakes with bad half inch bare patches eaten off. We put those animals down. I couldn't tell you how many times I have fed live mice/rats and seen a poorly grabbed rodent turn around and start biting a snake neck or head. That type of reality is what got me turning hard to thawed prey in the first place.

If you can feed thawed prey, I would absolutely suggest it.

And I still hate that picture...

BTW, the FAQ says "don't look at the pic, and even then, don't look at the pic (this Ball python is still very much alive, but must be put down as soon as possible), but if you must see it to believe it, it is here."

[Jason Bowden]

mouse left in cage too long?