feeding live rats

[deathadder1069]

so we can all agree that its all up to personal preference and need...just make sure if live, youre on it like white on rice or youll end up with an injured or worse yet a dead snake.

[brock lesser]

Then you know the risk you are taking and thats fine for you.
I feed about that amount also per month but only thaw 20 at a time so if one doesn't eat it goes to the next so I have very little waste. I admit it may take longer but I can drop and go with no risk or worry.
Just works for me.

[brock lesser]

so we can all agree that its all up to personal preference and need...just make sure if live, youre on it like white on rice or youll end up with an injured or worse yet a dead snake.

Your right

[ogdentrece]

With 60+ animals that's exactly what we would be doing. Throwing out 100 rats. Most likely every month. We feed upwards of 120-150 rats a month. Feeding f/t just plain isn't realistic. It's easy to feed f/t when you have a few animals and would be throwing out a few rats but when you are throwing out 100s of dollars a month it becomes a different story.

I do know where you are coming from, but after reading all the posts and how most are convinced that live is very dangerous unless supervised.. Does this, what you have said above, mean you are feeding live, and unable to supervise each feeding? With that number I'm sure it is feasible to get a tank of CO2, you should be able to get it in any local pet fish store. Since you do an average of 30+ a week, CO2 would be able to kill all of them quickly, painlessly, all in one go. Then you can just throw them in and not worry, if they do not take in an hour, freeze them. Then feed them in the next feeding session, I'm sure they would be finished off.

[Anya]

I don't feed live anymore ('Cause Axel's on f/t!!! yay!!) but when I did, I held the rat by the tail. Gave the snakes a nice clean headshot, and took away most of the danger of getting bit. The only reason I feed f/t is I feel it's more humane to the rat, obviously, and is sooo much cheaper in the long run. I'd have no problem going back to live if I had to, though.

[Raptor]

I've found that f/t was more expensive in the long run. I looked up buying ft mice online. The smallest amount most will sell is 25 mice. RodentPro sells only 50 which is $22.50 for a bag. Tack on another $41.76 for shipping. That's over $60. Petsmart sells ft mice as well. 4 adults for $10. It's cheaper to just buy live and kill them myself.

[spitzu]

I've found that f/t was more expensive in the long run. I looked up buying ft mice online. The smallest amount most will sell is 25 mice. RodentPro sells only 50 which is $22.50 for a bag. Tack on another $41.76 for shipping. That's over $60. Petsmart sells ft mice as well. 4 adults for $10. It's cheaper to just buy live and kill them myself.

You're actually paying $1.29 per mouse from RodentPro, and $2.50 at Petsmart, which is just under twice as much. Unless I'm completely retarded and missing something?

[Raptor]

You're actually paying $1.29 per mouse from RodentPro, and $2.50 at Petsmart, which is just under twice as much. Unless I'm completely retarded and missing something?

There's another store where I can buy live mice for $1.25.

[Rhasputin]

That "squishy" is the guts deteriorating due to the deomposition process beginning.

No, actuallly. The 'squishy' is the ice crystals from being frozen several times, tearing the cells of the body apart.
It happens with meat and veggies too. Try putting a green onion in the freezer, and see how mushy it turns, it's because it doesn't have the 'strength' to withstand the ice crystals when it's freezing, and as they grow, they rip the onion to pieces (microscopically).

[Rhasputin]

Pre-killed is also an option. And if they don't take it the first time, you can always freeze it and try again later on. And if you breed your own, you can sell the excess too.

My savannah gets pissy sometimes, and will refuse a mouse (always pre killed) so i just freeze it and sell it and offer her another on another day.